Most kids snack between 1 and 3 times daily. These mini-mealtimes can either be an opportunity to increase your child’s intake of fruits and veggies or they could be an unfortunate foray into the world of high fat and sugar. Arming yourself with information on serving sizes, calories, fat, and…
The options for drinks seem to be at an all time high with energy and sport drinks, new flavored sodas, tropical fruit juices, fancy vitamin water, and even water with protein appealing to all ages. Sodas and sport drinks, however, can have as much as 13 teaspoons of added sugar….
Protein is an important part of every child’s diet; however, some parents believe that their children may not be receiving enough of it. Surprisingly, your child is probably getting more than enough. Why Is Protein Important for the Body? You may be wondering why protein is important. Protein does several…
Super foods are those foods that provide your body with more than just calories, protein, carbohydrates and fat. They are classified as “real” foods (read: unprocessed) that supply your body with disease-fighting components and support health. For example, many fruits are considered super foods because they contain antioxidants which neutralize…
Significant events in the 20th century resulted in changes in family dynamics. War, technological advances, and shifts in economics caused women to work outside of the home. Women traditionally stayed at home to take care of the home and the needs of the children. While initially many people scoffed at…
March has been declared National Nutrition Month® by the American Dietetic Association, so I can’t think of a better time to talk about ways to improve your child’s lifestyle and eating habits. We all know that a banana is a healthier snack than a bag of potato chips and that…
Most of us already know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Beginning your day without breakfast is like trying to fly a kite without any wind. It’s hard to get started and even harder to keep going. Breakfast is the first chance your child’s developing body…
I’m sure you’ve seen the dire reports about childhood obesity becoming rampant in America. It’s a scary thing and not an experience any of us wish upon our children. Preventing obesity can be easy and empowering for children. Give them control over their bodies. Teach them to tune in to…
As a dietitian and a mom of three young children, I naturally have a bowl of fruit on the kitchen table. You may think that this has always been the case. The truth is that it wasn’t. The practice of having fresh fruit sitting out didn’t occur to me until…
Water is essential to life. In fact, water covers 80% of the surface of our planet and over 60% of the human body consists of water. Water is essential for children and adults alike to stay healthy and well. But how much water should kids drink? The Role of…