August is Kids Eat Right Month™
Planning meals ahead of time can
improve health while saving time and money. Getting children involved in
planning and cooking meals can have benefits for the whole family, too. August
is Kids Eat Right Month™, a nutrition education, information-sharing and action
campaign created by the Kids Eat Right program, an initiative of the Academy of
Nutrition and Dietetics and its Foundation. Kids Eat Right Month™ spotlights
healthy nutrition and active lifestyles for children and families, offering
tips to help families cook healthy, eat right, and be active.
Tips to cook healthy, eat right,
and be active:
Get kids involved in the kitchen.
When kids help out in the kitchen they learn cooking skills, important food
safety practices, and better nutrition. They also have the potential to further
develop math, reading, science, and fine motor skills. At the same time, kids
are having fun and increasing quality time together with family. Involve
children in the cutting, mixing and preparation of meals. Kids love control and
creativity. Any way they can be included in meal planning or preparing will
increase the likelihood of a successful dinner.
Kid friendly kitchen tasks.
Children ages 3 to 5 can use cookie cutters, rinse produce, clear tabletops,
mix simple ingredients, and use pieces of fruit to craft fun shapes. Six- to
7-year-olds can crack eggs in a bowl, de-seed peppers and tomatoes, stir and
prepare instant pudding, and prepare lettuce for a salad. Eight- to 9-year-olds
can rinse and clean vegetables, use a can opener, beat eggs, measure and mix
dry ingredients, and use a food thermometer. Ten- to 12-year-olds can boil
pasta and vegetables, simmer ingredients on the stovetop, follow a simple
step-by-step recipe, slice and chop vegetables, and bake and microwave foods.
Don't forget food safety basics.
Clean all countertops and kitchen surfaces prior to cooking. Remember to pull
back long hair. Never taste food until it is done cooking. When children are
assisting with meal preparation, make sure there is always adult supervision.
Always use clean utensils. Wash hands in warm, soapy water before and after
handling food.
Eat right and be active for
healthy children. Factors that can affect childhood nutrition
include number of meals eaten away from home, portion sizes, types of beverages
consumed (especially those high in added sugars), and meal patterns and
frequency. It's important to pay attention not only to nutrition, but also
physical activity levels. Encourage kids to participate in physical activities
that are fun, age-appropriate, and provide variety. Current recommendations
state kids should get 60-plus minutes of activity daily.
Learn more about how to cook
healthy, eat right, and be active at www.eatright.org/resources/for-kids.
For more food, nutrition and health information from Nebraska Extension go to www.food.unl.edu.
Authored by or Adapted from Lisa
Franzen-Castle, PhD, RD, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Nutrition
Specialist. Healthy Bites Newsletter, July 2015, at
http://http://food.unl.edu/fnh/healthybites_august.
No comments:
Post a Comment