Fall is finally here! This is a great time to start new traditions with your family and embrace all that fall has to offer: pumpkin picking, the changing of the leaves and cooler weather are just a few reasons to celebrate this time of year. There are many ways for families to promote an active, healthy lifestyle while still having fun together, starting with getting your children excited about fall-related activities. The OrganWise Guys are partnering with the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation to bring you new ideas that promote family meal time and as well as engage in physical activity together as a family.
October is a great month to change your family’s dinner time routine. Why not try something new, such as incorporating fall-themed foods or table decorations? Enjoying meals as a family is a great way to teach your kids nutritious eating habits while spending time together. To support families as they develop healthy habits, the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation introduced the Together Counts™ program (www.togethercounts.com). Together Counts™ serves as an online tool that helps families set energy balance goals and monitor their progress.
One way to educate your child about the importance of good nutrition is to include them while you are preparing dinner. Letting your child take part in the preparation process will make nutritious eating a group activity. However, serving your family a balanced meal doesn’t have to mean an expensive grocery bill. You can stretch your grocery budget by combining fresh foods with canned, frozen, or pantry items to create a nutritious meal for the whole family.
Because maintaining an active lifestyle is also important, we encourage your family to take advantage of fall activities that involve spending time outdoors. Taking a walk together after dinner to look at the fall leaves, or visiting your local pumpkin patch on the weekends are great ways to stay active. To teach kids about balanced lifestyle habits, the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and Discovery Education have created Energy Balance 101 (energybalance101.com). This website offers information to help your child develop good nutrition and physical action plans at school and home.Thanks to our partners at the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation for this blog contribution!
