Parents who subscribe to the tenets of organic living are always seeking ways to help their children eat healthfully.
“When helping your children make healthy meal choices, it is important to teach them these quick tips for healthy eating,” says registered dietitian Sara Wing, spokesperson for the Cabot Creamery Cooperative in Cabot, Vermont:
- Always make sure your meal is composed of foods from at least two to three different food groups.
- Choose from fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits or vegetables.
- Include a protein source like lean meats, reduced-fat cheese or yogurt, legumes or nuts.
- Set a good example. Be sure to eat breakfast (and, whenever possible, lunch and dinner) with your children.
- Let your children help plan your weekly breakfast and lunch menus.
“Take time to prepare afterschool snacks for your kids—especially if you are not going to be home until dinner,” Wing adds. “The less junk food they have, the better. Be sure to have healthy snacks like fresh fruit, reduced-fat cheese, rice cakes, muffins, whole-grain cereal and yogurt on hand and ready to eat, especially for latchkey kids. If healthy snacks are at hand and ready to eat, it’s a safe bet your child will want to eat them.”
Tune in tomorrow for one of Wing’s favorite healthful recipes: Cheeky Cheese Turkey Pockets.
