Parents and Kids Team Up to Understand Food Labels
• Suggest ways to use the poster inside
the brochure at home, such as posting on the refrigerator for all to see.
• Incorporate the 8 Habits of Healthy Kids™ throughout
your presentation. Add the “Fun Things” suggestions if time
permits.
Eat at least a total of 5 fruits and
vegetables a day.
• Fruits and veggies in season are the most
nutritious and usually the cheapest. Ask participants to guess what's “in
season” this month.
• Have the group share interesting ideas
on how to get more fruits or vegetables into family meals.
Fun Things
• Provide an unusual seasonal fruit sample
as a refreshment (i.e. bring kumquats, not oranges).
Snack on healthy food and less junk food and sweets.
• Discuss how to create your own snack foods, even if not typical “snack” foods.
Fun Things
• For snack food visual aids: (1) show a re-sealable baggie with 1 cup of cereal in it; (2) show a little breath mint tin with mints removed; fill with almonds instead.
Drink or eat at least 3 low-fat dairy foods a day.
• Suggest that enjoying fat-free/low-fat dairy foods is the easiest way to get bone-building calciumincluding
lactose-free dairy foods.
• Ask if anyone has fun and tasty ways to get more low-fat or fat-free yogurt, cheese, or milk into meals.
Drink at least 2 glasses or bottles of water a day instead of soda.
• Discuss how calories add up very quickly when drinking liquids. One cup
of soda or fruit punch can
have 100 calories or more. Most people drink much more than 1 cup at a time-like in “biggie”-type
beverages from fast food restaurants. These drinks can add hundreds of extra calories to the diet
and can definitely contribute to weight gain.
• Also, these extra calories are “empty” calories providing little nutritional value. Water contains no calories.
have 100 calories or more. Most people drink much more than 1 cup at a time-like in “biggie”-type
beverages from fast food restaurants. These drinks can add hundreds of extra calories to the diet
and can definitely contribute to weight gain.
• Also, these extra calories are “empty” calories providing little nutritional value. Water contains no calories.
Fun Things
• Bring in 1 can of regular soda and 1 can/bottle of a juice “drink” or “punch” that doesn't contain any real fruit juice. Have participants compare labels.
• Discuss that juice “drinks” or “punches” are usually similar nutritionally to soda. Suggest that fruit beverages need to contain 100% fruit juice for them to provide good nutritional value.
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