September is not only National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, it also happens to be National Fruit and Vegetable month. It makes sense as these two tend to go hand and hand … the more colorful fruits and veggies you eat, the healthier you will be! That being said, sometimes it’s challenging to get those kiddos to eat the rainbow of fruits and veggies that is available to them.
Here are some simple tips to get kids to eat more fruits and vegetables:
Easy Access – Fill the bottom of snack size containers with hummus or low-fat veggie dip, cut up carrots, celery, peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, or cauliflower to put inside of them. Making these readily available in the refrigerator offers easy access to a healthy snack. We pinned an example of these easy access snack ideas on our SnackWise Pinterest board.
Product Placement – Strategically place fruits (pre-washed of course!) such as apples, oranges, peaches, pears, or grapes out on the counter or in a nice bowl in the fridge where it is constantly visible and appealing for your kids (and spouses) to grab on the go!
Make it Pretty – There are so many creative ways to display your fruits and veggies (i.e., turning food into animals, festive holiday presentations, etc.) that could help the kids get excited about eating them. There are endless ideas available on Pinterest, so sign up if you have not already. This heart cookie cutter idea is one of our favorites!
Mix it up – Try adding some new veggies to your favorite dishes such as homemade pizza, omelets, macaroni and cheese (with whole grain pasta and low-fat cheese, of course!) to introduce them into the mix of some familiar tastes.
Drink them – A smoothie is one of the best ways to get the most “bang for your buck.” Select some of your kiddos’ favorite fruits to blend together and then add in some healthy greens, such as spinach or kale. The green color may throw you off, but it actually tastes quite good! We previously shared one of our favorite green smoothie recipes for St. Patrick’s Day. You can also check out our recipes for some tasty and colorful tropical fruit smoothies, as well as a delicious triple berry smoothie! Yum! What a great way to get in your fruits and veggies!
We have some high fiber tips for good health just for you! Regularly including fiber in your diet is essential to help fill you up and aid in the process of digestion and ultimately elimination! We aren’t shy about discussing this important matter because we want you to be healthy!
First, here are three simple high fiber tips for good health:
Tip 1: Have a pizza party.
Set up mini stations in your kitchen with whole wheat English muffins, tomato sauce, low-fat cheese, and veggies like broccoli, peppers, tomatoes and onions. Everyone can make his or her own high fiber dinner.
Tip 2: Begin your day with a healthy boost of fiber.
Choose whole grains for breakfast like high fiber cereal, whole grain toast with an egg, or make a smoothie with fiber-rich berries.
Tip 3: Try legumes.
Legumes such as black beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans and lentils are very high in fiber. Add them to salads or soups, or make appetizers with beans for a fiber boost.
Next, watch as the Pirates of the Carrot and Bean search for high fiber treasures:
Now, make sure and download this fiber-themed coloring sheet for the kids:
Lastly, you can also visit our shop to view all of the high fiber resources that are available!
We continue our series promoting healthy behaviors to be implemented and tracked for an entire month (and hopefully beyond). In September, in celebration of Fruits and Veggies – More Matters Month, the behavior to implement is to eat more fruits and veggies. It’s important to make fresh fruits and vegetables easily accessible for kids to grab when they are looking for snacks. Studies show that eating at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day increase your chances for a long and healthy life! To assist with the increased fruit and veggie consumption, you can download and print your free September Behavior Tracking Sheet and use in your home, summer camp setting, or childcare center to encourage and track behavior change.
Watch as Hardy Heart and the Guys sing about eating five fruits and vegetables a day:
Eat more fruits and veggies this month and all year long!
Last year, while on summer vacation at the beach, I went for a run. This was no different than my typical exercise routine, I just happened to be running outside instead of on a treadmill and my children were at a beach house instead of in school. When I returned from my run, dripping in sweat and absolutely exhausted (and let’s face it, looking forward to an adult beverage while relaxing on the beach), my then six-year-old son approached me to ask if he could run with me. I was exhausted and had zero energy left but I couldn’t resist those blue eyes and eager heart. This was the perfect opportunity to share my love of running with him.
Howie and I ran one very slow mile but it is by far the best mille I have ever completed. During our run, we talked about life, his likes and dislikes, his friends, his family, and more. He asked me a lot of questions about running and exercise and how it affects the body. His eyes had more energy than his legs so when we were finishing out the last quarter of a mille, he was also exhausted but it gave us an opportunity to learn about what its like to dig deep inside you, finish something you never thought possible and then celebrate after. Going on that run with my son is one of the best gifts he has ever given me. I have that run permanently saved in my memory, it’s clear as day and something I love to relive whenever I can.
While that experience was amazing, not every opportunity to exercise with your child has to be this monumental. It’s the simple things that leave lasting impacts on your children. During Exercise With Your Child Week, when we’re encouraged as parents to exercise with our children, I challenge you to take time away from your normal routine and carve out a few minutes (it doesn’t have to be long) to move with your child. Here are some activities my family loves to do together:
Put on your favorite song and dance a wild and crazy dance
Chalk drawn hopscotch on the driveway
Family bike ride (or if you have smaller ones, walk while your child rides their tricycle)
Family walk (play games as you go like finding items that start with a letter or making up stories about the houses on your street)
Family game (this can be anything your family enjoys, our summer favorites are kickball, baseball, and throwing a ball)
The common theme through all of these is making it simple, easy, and doing it together. You can call it exercise or you can call it something else but whatever you do, be sure to talk about how much fun movement can be. With this, you’ll help your children develop a life-long love of exercise.
Today we feature OWG guest blogger and childhood obesity consultant, Melodie Griffin. Melodie’s passion lies in the prevention of childhood obesity through the school and early learning settings. All programs Melodie promotes are fully approved by her home based lab rats, five year old son, Howie, and two year old daughter, Hope. You can connect with Melodie on her Facebook page, WellConnect LLC.
We continue our series promoting healthy behaviors to be implemented and tracked for an entire month (and hopefully beyond). In August, the behavior to implement is to choose foods high-fiber foods. Fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods are all high in fiber and should be eaten daily. It’s important to make fresh fruits and vegetables easily accessible for kids to grab when they are looking for snacks. Remind children (and it may be a good reminder for you) how important fiber is to healthy digestion. To assist with this reminder you can download and print your free August Behavior Tracking Sheet and use in your home, summer camp setting, or childcare center to encourage and track behavior change.
Watch as the Pirates of the Carrot and Bean search for high-fiber foods in the produce aisle:
Here’s to high-fiber foods resulting in easy elimination!
