Nutrition

April Johnson and Diane DeVall came to speak with us about KIDS and NUTRITION last week. They've both become certified in Dr. Sears Lean Kids programs and offered a TON of helpful information, most of it being pretty common sense stuff, but the way they presented it and gave ideas on how to help remember them was very helpful.
A few things that I took away from the morning:

Traffic Light Eating - easy for kids to remember too!!
GREEN: Green means "go" - Green light foods are "grow" foods. You want to help your child learn to eat as mucha s they want of these foods, which include all fruits and vegetables. Green light foods are: grown and not manufactured, low in calories, high in nutrients, colorful and usually can be eaten raw.
YELLOW: Yellow tells us to "slow down" - Yellow light foods are okay to eat everyday, in moderation. Yellow light foods include: pasta, rice, bread, tortillas, noodles, eggs, lean meat, chicken, low fat yogurt, nuts and seeds, olive oil, soy foods, whole grains, fish, low fat cheese and vegetable oil.
RED: Red means "stop" and think - When we come across a red light food, we should make a different choice or eat a smaller portion. Red light foods are low in nutrients; high in calories, fat or sugar; or contain artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils or trans-fats. They include: butter, cookies, candy, frozen yogurt, fatty meats, pastries, chips and white bread.

April's Cereal Rule:
Over 4 grams of fiber
Less than 6 grams of sugar

Nibble Tray: Fill a muffin tray in the morning with an assortment of different snack and goodies for your kids to nibble on during the day. Fill it with mostly green items, some yellow and a couple of dips (peanut butter/ranch dressing). Great idea. Uses the colors of the rainbow and gets kids intrigued and excited about all the options they have.

If you missed last Wednesday come and see me for extra handouts with lots of helpful information that April and Diane had out on the tables!!

A few books that were mentioned during their talk and were up at their table:
Dr. Sears' L.E.A.N. Kids: A Total Health Program for Children Ages 6-11

The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood: Ten Ways to Get Your Family on the Right Nutritional Track

The N.D.D. Book: How Nutrition Deficit Disorder Affects Your Child's Learning, Behavior, and Health, and What You Can Do About It--Without Drugs