10 years ago

Healthy kids month – 5 tips for parents

By: Janice Cox, RDN, LD, Lunds and Byerly’s registered dietitian/nutritionist

Kids can have fun being active and eating right! And parents and caregivers can set a great example for the whole family by creating a healthy environment at home, setting kids up for a lifetime of healthy eating.

Learn more about how your family can shop smart, cook healthy and eat right with healthy recipes. Here are my top 5 tips for keeping your kids healthy this school year:

  1. Get everyone involved: Eating together is an important step to improving family health. When kids are involved in planning and preparing healthy meals, they’re more likely to try new foods.
  2. Go with whole grains: Start with simple switches, like whole wheat bread or brown rice, to move toward half of your family’s grains coming from whole grains.
  3. Make fruits and veggies fun: Buying fruits and vegetables with bright colors and offering healthy dipping sauces, like low fat ranch dressing and hummus, could encourage your kids to choose these alternatives at meals and snack time.
  4. Got dairy? Dairy products, like low fat cheese, milk and yogurt, are great sources of calcium and protein that your kids need daily to build strong bones.
  5. Move every day! Kids need 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous active daily. Make it a family affair by walking together after dinner or riding bikes.

To chat about your family’s unique eating needs and lifestyle, stop by your Lunds or Byerly’s store when I’m scheduled for my next registered dietitian visit. Check our Lunds and Byerly’s app for store locations and times. Or feel free to send me an email at janice.cox@lfhi.com.