Healthy Eating for Kids!

 

Eating right is important to staying at a healthy weight and keeping an energy balance—the balance between the calories in what you eat and drink, and calories you burn when moving.

 

The same amount of ENERGY IN (calories consumed) and ENERGY OUT
(calories burned) over time = weight stays the same

More IN than OUT over time = weight gain
More OUT than IN over time = weight loss

 

The best way to make sure you have energy balance is to make better choices before you or your family sit down to eat. Make sure to:

 

• Choose foods that are lower in fat and have fewer calories

• Review dietary guidelines

• Cook smart

• Read about some easy ways to cook foods that can help you

      make recipes healthier by lowering the calories.

      They'll be better for you and will still taste great.

• Eat smaller portions

• Make better choices when you eat out

• Eat smaller portions and try to find items on the menu

      that are lower in fat and added sugar. And don't forget

      you can always ask for healthier options if you don't see

      them on the menu

• Know your calories

 

Remember that a calorie is always a calorie whether it comes from fat or carbohydrate. Reducing fat and saturated fat in your family's diet is important to maintaining heart health and reducing calories. However, fat-free or reduced-fat food choices aren't always low in calories. They can be high in sugar or other nutrients that increase calories.

 

Some reduced-fat or fat-free foods provide almost the same number of calories as the regular food. They are not the solution to weight loss. This is especially true if you think you can eat more of a reduced-fat food than you would eat of a regular item.

 

It is important to limit fat and sugar in your family's diet. Fat has twice as many calories as protein or carbohydrate, so it's easy to see that reducing fat is important to energy balance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyday Eating Tips

Small steps can help you get on the road to maintaining a healthy weight. Choose a different tip each week for you and your family to try. See if you or they can add to the list. Here are a few:

 

Change Your Eating Habits

• Stick to a regular eating schedule

• Eat before you get too hungry

• Make sure you eat breakfast every day

• Drink water before a meal

• Stop eating when you’re full

• Don't eat late at night

• Chew slowly every time you eat and remind others to enjoy

      every bite

• Choose water or low-fat milk at meals, instead of soda

      or other sugary drinks

• Have fruits and vegetables for snacks

• Choose healthier foods and recipes

 

 

  Click here to check out our interactive workbook!

 

 

 

    Adapted from: We Can!