Nutrition Topics for Kids

Today's children are consuming food with too many calories and not enough nutrients, according to The Dietary Guideline for Americans, 2010. Approximately 17 percent of children are obese, with 32 percent of children being overweight. Eating habits developed in childhood often continue into adult life, making it essential for children to learn about, and consume, foods rich in nutrients.

Meals

• Children like to imitate their parents, so ensure they only see you eating healthy food. Meals are a prime time to lead by example. According to Help Guide, children who eat regular family meals will be more likely to eat fruit and vegetables rather than unhealthy food. When you eat with your children, have a wide variety of healthy food on your plate and comment on fullness and satisfaction. Breakfast is the most important meal to set them up for the day. Give them cheese or peanut butter on whole-grain toast or fortified cereal/instant oatmeal with low-fat milk and sliced bananas.

Snacks

• Have a wide choice of healthy snacks in your cupboard, but don't limit snacks to those of only the healthy variety. According to Kids Eat Right, you don't need to totally restrict sugar, as a little of it can contribute to teaching about balance and moderation. Offer it strategically instead. For example, offer a banana with chocolate milk rather than cookies and milk. Or, add some berries to yogurt or ice cream. Time the snacks so they won't interfere with their appetite for a main meal.

Making Healthy Choices

• Making healthy food seem appealing to a child is a challenge. Involve your child whenever possible in the food decision-making process. Take her shopping with you and ask her to choose which food she would like to eat, taking care to direct her to healthy choices. When you come home, get the cookbooks out with her and find a recipe you can cook together. Whatever you do to prepare it, never make mealtimes a battle and never insist your child cleans her plate.

Quenching Thirst

• The Dietary Guideline for Americans, 2010, states that children ages 2 to 18 consume an average of 400 calories a day in beverages. Milk, regular soda, energy and sports drinks, fruit drinks and 100 percent fruit juice are what constitute the calories. Your child needs six 8-oz. cups of water a day, with another 8 oz. per half hour of exercise. Show your children how to monitor their hydration levels, with regular trips to the toilet to produce odorless urine with a pale color a good indication of sufficient hydration levels. Water, milk (low-fat or fat-free) or diluted 100 percent fruit juice should make up your child's daily drinks.