Eating healthy is one of the best things you and your family can do every day. Each day of the week, there are small, simple changes that you can make to feed your family healthy! Here are 7 ways in 7 days to get you started.
Day 1:
It's a family affair! Involve the whole family in meal planning from the grocery list to the kitchen table-kids can participate in the process. Sit down and create a grocery list, ask about favorite fruits and vegetables, talk about lunch options and create a meal idea together. Guide children to healthy choices by encouraging them to find the most colorful piece of fruit in the produce aisle or for older kids, challenge them to read food labels to identify lower fat or lower sugar options. Prepare dinner together from setting the table to stirring the pot. You'll find yourself creating a quality meal by spending quality time with your family.
Day 2:
Bone up on calcium and vitamin D! Kids (ages 9-18 years) are not consuming enough calcium in their diet. In fact, 70% of kids are not getting the calcium they need1! Add calcium-containing foods to their diet everyday by choosing foods that are good sources. In addition to milk and other dairy and non-dairy foods, Shedd’s Spread Country Crock® Calcium plus Vitamin D provides 100 mg of calcium per serving which is 10% of the daily value for calcium and 80 IU of vitamin D per serving, which provides 20% of the daily value for vitamin D.
Day 3:
Stock-up on nutritious snacks! Kids enjoy and often need snacks if they are active or running around outside. Pamela M. Nisevich, MS, RD, LD, Clinical Dietitian at Dayton Children's Medical Center recommends that parents keep nutritious food options accessible like fruits and cut-up veggies, whole grain crackers, nuts, string cheese and nonfat yogurt for the "hungry grazers".
Day 4:
Seek a better-for-you option! Did you know one serving of Shedd's Spread Country Crock® Calcium plus Vitamin D is a better choice than butter since it contains 70% less saturated fat and half the calories than butter? In addition, it still contains the same great Country Crock® taste families love with 0 mg cholesterol and 0 gram trans fat per serving.* By switching from butter to a soft spread, like Shedd's Country Crock® Calcium plus Vitamin D, you can lower the saturated fat and calories plus give your family a good source of calcium and an excellent source of vitamin D in every serving!**
*Contains 5 g fat and 1 g saturated fat per serving
**Provides 100 mg calcium per serving, which is 10% of DV for calcium (1000 mg) and 80 IU vitamin D per serving, which is 20% of DV for vitamin D (400 IU)
Day 5:
Go for the whole grain! The 2005 Dietary Guidelines emphasizes consuming at least half of the recommended grain servings as whole grain or enriched products with a minimum of at least 3 or more servings of whole-grains per day.
- 1 serving of whole grains = 1 slice of whole wheat bread, 1 whole wheat tortilla, 1 small whole wheat bagel, ½ cup whole grain cereal, ½ cup cooked whole grain or brown rice.
Day 6:
Make it a nutritious outing! Whether it's a day in the park or tailgating on game day, add some easy recipes into your line-up. Nisevich recommends trying finger foods such as
Baked Chicken Fingers with cut-up, fresh vegetables and whole grain crackers and snack chips perfect for dipping!
Day 7:
Be an example! Kids look to you for guidance and direction. Just like what you say and what you wear, the same is true for what you eat. Parents are encouraged to make healthy eating a priority for themselves and their family by showing their children how to include nutritious and delicious foods everyday.
1 Moshfegh A, Goldman J, Cleveland L. What we eat in America, NHANES 2001 – 2002: Usual nutrient intakes from food compared with Dietary Reference Intakes. US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.