Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/ask-dr.-sue-updates-on-healthy-eating-and-walkers/5013430/
Promoting Healthy EatingThe USDA reports that only 2% of children are actually eating according to the Food Guide Pyramid and 16% don't meet any of the recommendations. Fewer than half eat the recommended number of grain servings and nearly half of school children eat less than one fruit serving a day. More than 75% eat too much saturated fat. Yet, early childhood is the time to lay the foundation of lifetime eating patterns.
Even when children bring their food from home, child care programs can help parents make healthy choices for their children's lunches. By sending home suggestions for nutritious meals and snacks that are safe to pack and carry in lunch boxes, caregivers can help busy parents plan ahead. The task begins with shopping for healthy ingredients, with a preference for those that do not require refrigeration. If foods that come from home need refrigeration, using frozen coolers in the box helps keep such foods at the right temperature.
While frozen juice works as a cooler, juice is not as good a drink for kids as milk. If children drink juice with meals, they should have milk for snack and water whenever they are thirsty.
Two new publications highlight the areas where ...