Smart Snacking Tips for Involving Your Child Growing children need . Their stomachs are smaller, so they eat less at a sitting. Snacks help to give children the energy and nutrients they need. Ask your child to help Schedule snacks at regular times, about two hours before the next . you to create a lunchtime choices chart. Ask your Try these ideas to give children a variety of child for at least four crunchy and crisp, soft and juicy snacks: favorites for each of these categories: , , and veggies. Then Crunchy and Soft Juicy and create lunches using an Crisp Snacks Snacks Liquid Snacks item from each list. This Soup helps to make sure that Apricot Cantaloupe your child likes from Cucumbers different groups are Zucchini Pineapple offered regularly. sticks Frozen Hot cocoa The other great advantage Pumpkin seeds of this system is that you Dry Chicken might find a surprise favorite (not -coated) on food. Discovering that your bread child likes sticks is Cereal with milk a nice thing to learn! Also, Green peppers Hard-cooked egg let your child change his or Crackers Meat, ground or her favorites, since many chopped children change their Sunflower seeds Yogurt favorites over time. Broccoli Cauliflower Turnip Kiwi and Milk Berries Pear Take your favorite Cookies (with whole bread recipe and make it more , reduced , Cookies nutritious. reduced sugar Tuna Reduce sugar: Use 1⁄2 the amount of sugar in the recipe. Best for Young Children Reduce fat: Use 1⁄3 of the The best drinks for young children are milk and water. Fruit and soda amount of fat in the recipe. pop can pile on unneeded calories. One half cup of fruit juice a day is all that Add fiber: Replace all or part is recommended. Preschoolers who fill up on juice may get too much sugar or of white with whole may not be hungry for more nutritious foods. Parents should offer two or more flour. servings of fruit every day. Packing a Healthful Lunch Come together

Packing a healthful lunch is one the best ways to help your child’s Children need to be a time healthy growth and development. What kids eat for lunch matters to to stop other activities, sit down their health. together, and have a pleasant time. This is a good time to talk about The percentage of obese children has nearly doubled in the past twenty things that happened during the years. Obesity may be a risk factor for heart, circulatory, and other health day. Talk about the food and eating problems in adulthood. Healthy lunches can help children develop with toddlers and babies. The best healthy habits for a lifetime. mealtime conversation is light and While most children don’t eat from all the food groups every day, relaxed. This teaches children how over the course of several days their food choices usually give them to relax and enjoy mealtimes for the a balanced diet, as long as you are giving them a set of good choices company and for the food. every day. Visit choosemyplate.gov for great ideas to help your child eat Parents also need to take time to well, be active and be healthy. sit down and eat. It is tempting to Ask your child what he or she do chores while the children are wants to eat for lunch. Children seated. But you need to sit down tend to eat healthier if they have and eat together with your children. a say in preparing a meal. Ask This is important because one of children if they want one of two the most powerful influences on choices from the same food your child’s eating habits is you. group: for instance, you can ask Children learn their habits from your child if he or she would like watching you enjoy a wide variety a roll or a pita for lunch. Since of nutritious foods, and it benefits both of these are from the same you to have some time to relax and food group you can help children enjoy being together with your to have a choice and keep a family every day. balanced diet.

Dietary cautions

• Be aware of choking risks and food skins, and . Be sure milk, eggs, , tree nuts (/ allergies when preparing and serving that food is cut in small pieces (no ), fish, , , meals and snacks. Think about the larger than ½ inch), grated, or finely soy, wheat, and gluten. Carefully read size, shape, and consistency when chopped. Be sure that children are food labels for potential risks and be choosing foods due to the potential closely supervised when they are sure to ask the parents if children have choking risks in children. Food cut eating. a known allergy or sensitivity. in large chunks, small hard foods, and soft and sticky foods should be • Do not give to children under • Dental health is a growing concern avoided. The top choking hazards 12 months of age. Honey contains with young children, so it is important for children include: hotdogs, meats, spores that can cause infant botulism. to keep in mind that starchy, sticky, sausages, fish with bones, spoonfuls and sugary foods can cause tooth of , popcorn, chips, • Many children have food allergies or decay. Children should brush their nuggets, , whole grapes, sensitivities to food. According to the teeth after any meal or , but raw carrots, and with American Academy of Pediatrics, 90% particularly when you serve these of children’s food allergies are from foods.

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