Parental/Family Health

Family Nutrition

An important factor of health is the basic maintenance of eating the right kinds of foods. Nutrition can be defined as the process of taking in food or other substances necessary for growth, health and good condition. As primary caretakers, parents are largely responsible for the health and good condition of their children. Parents control which foods are available in the house, prepare meals, and set examples for years to come. With the right education, eating healthy can be the easiest and most important way to shield oneself (and one’s family) from the many diseases that are becoming more and more common, such as diabetes and heart disease.

How to…

Get started.
This starts with some very simple planning. The first tip is to let the new USDA food pyramid be your guide. Also, let your kids join in on choosing the right foods. There are limitless options and new ideas that can focus on the fruits and vegetables a healthy family needs. Many people tend to underestimate the amount of food they eat and tend to overestimate the recommended portion sizes for many foods. Relating the portion size of a serving to everyday items is an easy way to visualize what a true portion size looks like:

• Woman's fist or baseball - a serving of vegetables or fruit is about the size of your fist.
• A rounded handful - about one half cup cooked or raw veggies or cut fruit, a piece of fruit, or ½ cup of cooked rice or pasta - this is a good measure for a snack serving, such as chips or pretzels
• Deck of cards - a serving of meat, fish or poultry or the palm of your hand (don't count your fingers!) - for example, one chicken breast, ¼ pound hamburger patty or a medium pork chop
• Golf ball or large egg - one quarter cup of dried fruit or nuts
• Tennis ball - about one half cup of ice cream
• Computer mouse - about the size of a small baked potato
• Compact disc - about the size of one serving of pancake or small waffle
• Thumb tip - about one teaspoon of peanut butter
• Six dice - a serving of cheese
• Check book - a serving of fish (approximately 3 oz.)

Children need adequate calories to meet their needs for growth. On the other hand, portions that are too large could lead to overeating or seem overwhelming. Serving small portions to young children is often the best way for them to learn to eat only until satisfied, instead of overeating. Start kids off with less and encourage them to ask for more if they're still hungry.

Incorporate healthy eating on a tight budget.
A possible barrier to purchasing fruits and vegetables is that they can be expensive and spoil quickly. Remember that all forms count, so canned, frozen, dried and 100% natural juices are all good. Buy fruits and vegetables that are on special, and try to take advantage of canned and frozen sales to stock up. Buying from local farmers or farmers markets is an economical way to get fresh fruit in season.

Other ways to save on money include using leftovers. Leftover chicken can be used in salads, soups, pasta dishes, quesadillas or sandwiches. Rice is great for stir-frys, pilafs, rice pudding, soups or salads. Cold veggies can be tossed in salad or added to sandwiches or casseroles.

Serve picky eaters.

• Offer a wide variety of nutritious food. Serving a wide variety of food and gently encouraging them to eat a balance at every meal will eliminate many mealtime battles.
• Do not worry if the correct balance of food does not come all in one day. Generally it averages out over several days.
• Do not force them to eat.
• Make mealtime a positive experience. Avoid setting dessert up as the prize for eating the rest of the meal, as doing so elevates high fat, overly sweet food to a position of unearned importance, creating habits of overeating and cravings for unhealthy foods.
• Teach children to view food as nourishment for active, healthy bodies.
• Stock up on nutrient rich foods. The foods you have readily available in your home will influence your children's diet and eating style. Keep moderation and variety in mind when you stock your food shelves.
• Involve your children in the planning, shopping, growing and preparation of food. Teaching them to take small portions and add a little more if they are still hungry helps prevent food wasting.
• Offer healthy snacks for days when children are famished and cannot wait until the next meal.
• Set a positive example. Eat when you are hungry, and quit when you are full.
• Be sensitive to your child and serve foods that they enjoy along with foods that you encourage them to experience.