Give your kids an appetite for learning
If you want to boost your children's appetite for learning, look in their lunchboxes. Dieticians say that kids who eat nutritious lunches, with limited amounts of sugar, are better able to learn in the afternoon.
Since kids may not make the best food choices on their own in the school cafeteria, the healthiest way to go is to pack lunches at home. Here's how to help them eat smart:
- Give them variety. Always try to include at least one serving of a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy food (cheese or yogurt), and a grain food (bread or crackers--preferably wheat or whole-grain). Avoid fruit packed in heavy syrup.
- Make it fun. Pack some peanut butter for dipping carrots and celery, or low-fat ranch dip or hummus for any fresh veggies your child likes. Yogurt is a good dip for chunks of fresh fruit.
- Try something new. To keep lunch interesting, fill pita bread instead of making a sandwich. Or make a healthier version of the popular Lunchables®. Use cookie cutters to cut low-fat lunchmeats and cheeses into fun shapes, and pack crackers to go with them.
- Choose drinks and sweets wisely. Hydrate your kids only with water, low-fat milk, or 100-percent juice without added sugar. For sweet treats, limit kids to one or two small cookies or add a few M&M's® to a trail mix of nuts and raisins.
Your child picks up all of your attitudes and behaviors ― including your eating habits!
Preschoolers love to copy what their parents do. They are likely to mimic your table manners, your likes and dislikes, your willingness to try new foods, and your physical activities.
Tips for setting a good example:
- Eat together. Eat meals with your child whenever possible. Let your child see you enjoying fruits, vegetables and whole grains at meals and snacks.
- Take it with you. Show your child how to make healthy choices when you are on the run. Put oranges, bananas, or other fruits in your bag for quick snacks. Let your child see that you like to munch on raw vegetables.
- Share the adventure. Be willing to try new foods, and try new foods together.
- Cook together. Encourage your preschooler to help you prepare meals and snacks. Teach your child to tear lettuce or add veggie toppings to pizza. Cooking together can mean more "mommy (or daddy) and me" time on busy days.
- Keep things positive. Discourage older children and other family members from making yucky faces or negative comments about unfamiliar foods.
- Set a good example for physical activity, too. Make play time a family time. Walk, run, and play with your child rather than sitting on the sidelines.