Healthy nutrition for children, one of the priorities in 2010 of first lady Michelle Obama, is a complicated topic. It can't be denied that factors such as genes, emotions and family income levels all play some role in what kind of nutrition kids access. But schools, parents and the government are increasingly working together to improve what kids eat.
Limit Junk Food
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act promoted by Michelle Obama illustrates the critical role that schools play in determining the nutrition kids receive from their food. Under a national child nutrition plan, expected to become law in fall 2010, food sold in schools will be required to meet new nutrition guidelines for schools. For example, in order to qualify for federal funding for lunch programs, schools will be required to use healthier ingredients in pizza. The legislation may also prohibit the sales of candy bars and sugary sodas that are now permitted.
Remember Milk and Dairy
Milk and dairy foods are a key source of calcium, which helps children develop strong bones. The American Heart Association says serving fat-free and low-fat dairy foods is best, noting that from ages 1 to 8, children need 2 cups of milk or its equivalent each day and children ages 9 to 18 need 3 cups. If you're looking for ideas of how to integrate dairy into meals, you can grate cheese over your child's salad or pasta, pack some cheese into his sandwich, toss a yogurt into his lunch bag and never forget how satisfying a glass of cold milk is for a thirsty child.
Avoid Fats and Sugars
In moderation, most foods are OK. However, if a child is getting his calories from potato chips, ice cream, sugary drinks, and other fatty or sugary foods, that means he won't be ingesting the healthy vitamins and minerals present in less-processed foods. What's more, allowing kids to have abundant amounts of fats and sugars can create a skewed perception of what moderation means; by contrast, if you reserve fatty and sugary foods to their rightful place as special occasion foods for dessert, rather than everyday snacks, you can help your child grow up with a healthy understanding of the minimal role sweets and artery-clogging foods should play in his diet.
Economical Options
An economical way to help your kids get healthy food such as zucchini, peppers, and Brussels sprouts is to grow it yourself in your yard, behind your apartment or on a window box. Kids will learn about where food comes from. Some food pantries also have courses on cooking and nutrition that will teach you how to get the most out of your dollar to purchase economical and nutritious ingredients for tasty meals.
Learn to Look at Labels
Teach your kids and yourself some keys about Nutrition Facts labels on foods. According to a PBSKids feature on how to use these labels to find food that's good for you, you should look for foods high in fiber, vitamins and minerals and low in sugar, sodium, cholesterol and fats. Be wary of foods that start out with sugars (such as sugar, corn syrup and sucrose) or vegetable oil (such as vegetable oil or soybean oil), and if you glance at the ingredient list and it's long, consider it a red flag. Shorter names tend to be natural, while longer names are many times chemical names "a hundred letters long," according to PBSKids. A lengthy name may indicate that the food has highly processed ingredients.
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