August is Kids Eat Right Month

With childhood obesity on the rise, making sure kids eat right and get plenty of exercise is vital.
Parents and caregivers can play a big role in children’s nutrition and health, teaching kids about healthy foods, being a good role model and making sure physical activity is incorporated into each day.
August, which is Kids Eat Right Month, is a great time for families to focus on the importance of healthful eating and active lifestyles. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is encouraging families to take the following steps:
Shop smart. To encourage a healthy lifestyle, get children involved in selecting the food that will appear at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table.
Cook healthy. Involve a child in the cutting, mixing and preparation of meals. They will learn about food and may even be enticed to try new foods they helped prepare.
Eat right. Sit down together as a family to enjoy a wonderful meal and the opportunity to share the day’s experiences with one another. Research indicates that those families who eat together have a stronger bond and children have higher self-confidence and perform better in school.
Healthy habits. Adults can help kids form great, healthy habits by setting a good example. Fill half a plate with fruits and vegetables, choose lower-sodium options and make at least half the grains a family eats whole grains. For beverages, choose water over sugary drinks and opt for fat-free or low-fat milk.
Get moving. Aside from being a great way to spend time together, regular physical activity is vital to strengthen muscle and bones, promote a healthy body weight, support learning, develop social skills and build self-esteem. Kids are encouraged to be active for 60 minutes per day.
Getting kids to eat right can sometimes be a challenge, particularly if they are picky eaters. But experts say a conversation can help.
Talk to your children. Learn the foods they like. Teach them about the foods they need for their growing bodies. Find ways together to make sure they have the knowledge and capability to eat healthy and tasty foods at every meal. Give them the ability to make choices and feel in control but make sure that the options presented are healthy ones.
August also means that school is just around the corner. You want to make sure that children are getting the proper nutrients and energy needs to ensure a successful school year from start to finish. Start by remembering these simple tips:
Every day should begin with breakfast. Try peanut butter on whole grain toast, oatmeal with fruit or even as simple as cereal and milk.
Review weekly lunch menus. Sit down and review the weekly or monthly lunch menu with your child. Discuss which foods are liked and why certain foods are perhaps healthier choices than others. After talking about it, come to an agreement for each meal and have your child circle the selection. Even small decisions can make a huge impact, such as choosing regular milk instead of flavored milk, which has added sugar.
Know the school’s policy on snacks and bringing your own lunch. If your child is just starting at a new school or if major changes have happened from year to year, visit the school and ask about how snacks and outside foods are handled.
For picky eaters you may want to pack your own healthy lunch or snacks. Make sure you are packing a lunch that follows the MyPlate guidelines by incorporating as many of the food groups as possible.
Try to educate your children about health and add in a few school subjects as well. You can practice this way:
Math: If there are 4 grams (g) of sugar in a packet and 32 g of sugar in a bottle of soda, how many sugar packets woud you be drinking?
Science: Do you know that clogged arteries can impact your heart and blood flow? Demonstrate this by using plastic tubing, lard, and some red-dyed water.
History: Which foods that we eat today are native to North America?
All across the country, dietitians, nutrition educators and researchers are developing fantastic curricula, such as the LSU AgCenter’s Let’s Eat for the Health of It to help promote healthier foods in schools and healthier students in the classroom by using techniques similar to the ones previously described.
The LSU AgCenter offers free nutrition education for youth and families through EFNEP (Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program). This is a series of lessons that provide information on nutrition and exercise, food safety and meal planning and budgeting.
For more healthful eating tips, recipes, videos and to learn more about Kids Eat Right Month, visit www.KidsEatRight.org. or contact your local LSU AgCenter about the free nutrition education series.

Jennifer Duhon, MS, RD, LDN
LSU AgCenter, Area Nutrition Extension Agent