Nutritious choices made simple®
Child Health Day is October 7th, and while of course we should be concerned with the health of our children all year round, it’s nice to have a special day to focus on things that we can do to help improve the well-being of our nation’s little ones. One initiative that presents lots of ideas for promoting healthy lifestyles for children is called 54321Go! Here’s a little information on this popular, nation-wide program.
Packing a bagged lunch is one great way to send your child to school with nutritious foods you know they’ll want to eat. Even if your school has a healthful and delicious lunch menu, there are plenty of scenarios where packing a bagged lunch for your child is necessary or just makes more sense. A study done by the University of Texas shows very clear evidence, however, that sticking an ice pack in your child’s lunchbox is not enough to keep their food safe and free of harmful bacteria. Don’t let the evidence stress you–there are some very simple things you can do to make sure your child’s bagged lunch stays safe.
Yuck. Kids love this word. Especially when it comes to describing how they feel about vegetables. So how do kids make that transition from yuck…to yum? As a mother who loves to shop for vegetables and even gets a kick out of serving salad to the masses, it’s a challenge to have a toddler who doesn’t choose to eat them. I often wonder how we’re going to get some of that salad on his plate without hearing yuck. Enter the school garden.
During this past fall, the USDA hosted a video contest for kids. The challenge: create a 30-second video with tips for making half your plate fruits and veggies, without busting the bank. We’re excited about all these kids and their great ideas. Kids motivating other kids (and adults!) to eat more fruit and vegetables is a three-star idea.