Healthy FamiliesMaking Healthy Choices
Healthy FamiliesMaking Healthy ChoicesA Guide to Healthy Eating“Healthy Families Making Healthy Choices”is made possible by a grant from
Healthy FamiliesMaking Healthy ChoicesFamilies come in many shapes and sizes. Your familymay be just you and your child. Another family mighthave three children, a mother, and a father. Sometimeswe think of people who are not blood relatives asfamily. Why is this important? Because you can allhelp each other be healthier. In this guide you willfind tips to keep your family healthy.Table of contentsMaintain a healthy weightEat smaller portionsEat balanced mealsEat more fruits and vegetablesThink before your drinkBe active2610141822
How do you keep your family healthy?The simplest answer is to follow a healthy lifestyle. Your lifestyleis simply how you live. How do you eat? How do you sleep?How active are you?Eat as a familyThink about the answers to these questions.Are you and your family members at a healthy weight?YesNoDo you and your family members eat plenty of fruits and vegetables?YesNoDo you and your family eat balanced meals?YesNoAre the portion sizes you eat and serve your family small?YesNoDo you and your family have drinks without added sugar?YesNoAre you and your family physically active most days of the week?YesNoYesNoDoes your family eat together?Did you answer “no” to morethan one question? Did youwonder what some of thequestions mean? If so, keepreading. This guide will giveyou and your family tipson how to:How often?1. Maintain a healthy weight.2. Eat healthier.3. Choose healthy drinks.4. Be physically active.–1– It’s a great way to spend timewith your kids. Family meals can teach yourkids about healthy eating. Try eating together at leastonce a week.Be a role model!Show your kids howto eat healthy foods byeating them yourself.
Maintain a Healthy Weight–2–
What is a healthy weight?Everyone is different. There is no “perfect” weight that worksfor everyone. Activity, age, gender, and family history all playa role in healthy weight. Remember, you can’t always tell ifyou or your kids are overweight just by looking. Check withyour doctor, nurse, or nutritionist to see what weight is bestfor you and your family.Important reasonsto maintain ahealthy weight1 Keep your heart healthy.2 Reduce your risk of diabetes.3 Help prevent cancer.4 Make asthma symptoms less severe.5 Keep your joints healthy and avoid arthritis.6 Feel good.–3–
01H1a tothsgipeSte hy Wteal3Move, move, move! Calories are energy in food. If you eat toomany calories, you gain weight. To maintainyour weight, the calories you eat must equalthe calories you burn through physical activity. Find an activity that you enjoy and try to workit into your daily routine.Less than22Reduce TV time Try to limit how much TV you watch.Keep it to two hours per day or less.hoursper dayEat foods lower in fat Choose low-fat dairy products. Lean meats (poultry and fish) are lowerin bad fats than red meat. Don’t forget to take the skin off chickenand turkey.4 Choose foods from at least 3food groups at each meal. See page 10 for more information. Limit fried foods.5Eat balanced mealsGo easy on fast foods Order salads. Go for grilled instead of fried. Don’t “supersize” – order small sizes.–4–
6Don’t drown in sugared drinks Limit juice and soft drinks that have a lot of sugar. Low-fat milk or water is best.8 Eat a healthy breakfast every day. Don’t skip meals. Give your body fuelthroughout the entire day.Eat smaller portions Bigger is not always better. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Chew slowly. It takes 20 minutes foryour stomach to tell your brain youare full. See page 7 for more tips.97Eat regularly10Get enough sleep Research shows that peoplewho get less sleep, weigh more. Try to get to bed earlier. Make sure your children are getting enough sleep.Eat more fruits andvegetablesAge Fruits and veggies are low incalories. They also help to keepyou feeling full. Turn to page 17 for tasty ways toadd fruits and vegetables to yourfamily’s meals.Birth – 2 months10.5 – 18 hours*2 – 12 months14 – 15 hours*12 – 18 months13 – 15 hours*18 months – 3 years12 – 14 hours*3 – 5 years11 – 13 hours*5 – 12 years9 – 11 hoursAdolescentsAdults8.5 – 9.5 hours7 – 9 hours*This includes naps.www.cdc.gov–5–How much sleep?
Eat Smaller Portions–6–
Size definitely matters when it comes to food.Bigger is not always better. In fact, how much youeat is just as important as what you eat. Eatinglarger portions means you take in more calories.This can lead to weight gain.Here are some ways to helpyour family eat less. Use a smaller plate or bowl. When you eat out, share a main dish. Or eat halfyour meal and take the rest home. Serve lots of vegetables with your meal. The fiberin them makes you full. Don’t offer seconds. Pack up leftover food beforesitting down to eat. Avoid ordering “super” or “large” sizes. Go for smallor medium instead. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell yourbrain you are full. Eat slowly. Give yourself timeto feel full. Turn off the TV. People who eat while they watchTV tend to eat more and not even know it. Check out the Nutrition Factslabel and look at the servingsize to track how much you areeating. Most packages containmore than one serving per bag.–7–
Size upyour foodportionsHow do you measure up?FoodServing sizeOne serving looks likePotato, baked1 mediumComputer mousePotato, mashed½ cup½ baseballPeanut butter2 tablespoons2 thumbsMeat, fish, or poultry3 ouncesPalm of your handBeans, rice, pasta cooked½ cup½ baseballCheese1 ouncePointer fingerBread1 sliceSize of whole handCereal1 cupFistDried fruit or nuts¼ cupGolf ball or large eggChips1 ouncePalm of your handIce cream½ cup½ baseballButter, oil, margarine, orsalad dressing1 tablespoonTip of thumbFood and drinks that have a lot of calories, but notmany nutrients, are called empty calorie foods.Some examples are: fruit roll-ups, chips, candy,and soda. Try to limit these foods.–8–
What about snacks? A healthy snack is a small portion ofa low-sugar, low-fat food. Snacks should be just enough to holdyou over until the next meal. Be careful.When most people snack they eat toomuch. They eat more of a meal thana snack. It’s better not to watch TV while youeat. If you do, make sure to put oneserving of food in a bowl and eatfrom that. Don’t eat straight from thebag. Before you know it the bag willbe gone! When snacking while you are out(like at the movies or a sporting event),be sure to share. This will help keepyour portions small. Snacks that aresold at these places are often too big.Try these healthy snacks:1 cup fruit and1 ouncelow-fat cheeseLow-fat yogurt1 hard boiled egg1 ounce cheeseand 6 whole wheatcrackers½ peanut butterand jelly sandwich½ ham sandwich1 cup low-fatcottage cheeseand half banana2 tablespoonspeanut butter on2 stalks celery20 frozen grapes¼ cup guacamoleand 10 baked chips¼ cup roastedalmonds (about 12)–9–1 cup carrotswith 2 tablespoonsof low-fat dressing
Eat Balanced Meals– 10 –
To eat balanced meals youfirst need to know the foodgroups. There are five foodgroups. All are importantfor your health.Vegetables and fruits have vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Vitamins and minerals keep your nerves, hair, nails, skin, and eyes healthy.They also keep your heart pumping. Fiber is good for digestion. It can help you and your family lower cholesterol andcontrol blood sugar. It can even help you with weight loss.Grains are starches. They give you energy. Whole grains give you many morevitamins and fiber. Try whole grains like: whole wheat bread, brown rice, rye bread, whole wheattortillas, whole wheat pasta, and whole grain crackers.Meats, beans, fish, and nuts give you protein and iron. They keep your muscles and blood healthy.Milk and dairy give you protein and calcium. Yogurt, milk, and cheese are partof this group. They keep your bones and teeth strong and healthy.Fats and oils add flavor and energyto the diet. Fats help your body absorbsome vitamins and minerals. Theymaintain the structure of your body.Fats are also important for your brain.Mono-unsaturated fatOlive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, avocado, nuts, and seedsPoly-unsaturated fatVegetable oils, nuts, and seeds Some fats are healthier than others.Omega 3 fatsSalmon, mackerel, herring, walnuts, flax seeds, flax oil Try to eat less of the harmful fats.– Choose low-fat meats, poultry, anddaily products.– Try to avoid foods with trans fats.Healthy fatHarmful fatFood sourcesFood sourcesSaturated fatPalm oil, coconut oil Meats, poultry, dairy products, butter, lardTrans fatPartially hydrogenated vegetable oils Packaged baked goods (crackers, cookies, cakes) Fried foods (doughnuts, french fries) Margarine and shorteningwww.mayoclinic.com– 11 –
A healthybalanced meallooks like this.What is a healthy balanced meal?Use this plate toguide you in servingsmaller meals.Foods are from3 or more food groupsFill one quarter (1/4) ofthe plate with starches orstarchy vegetables, likebrown rice or potatoes.Foods are: Low-fat Low-sugar Mostly fruits and/or vegetablesFill one half (1/2)of the platewith fruits andvegetables.Healthy balanced meals are importantbecause they: Give you many of the nutrients you need to behealthy and strong. Help you have a healthy weight. Help you eat less because the fiber from the fruits andvegetables makes you feel full.– 12 –Fill one quarter (1/4)of the plate withlow-fat meats, eggs,and/or low-fat dairy.
If you still don’t know what to eat, here are some ideas:Balanced BreakfastsBalanced LunchesBalanced Dinners 1 slice whole grain toast withbutter, 1 cup grapes, and 1 cuplow-fat yogurt. 1 bowl vegetable soup with grilledchicken sandwich. 1 grilled pork chop, ½ cup brownrice, and ½ plate mixed greens salad. 3 ounces grilled or steamed fish,1 cup steamed vegetables, and½ cup brown rice. 1 cup beef stew with addedvegetables, such as carrots,peppers, onions, snap peas, andmushrooms, and 1 cup brownrice or whole wheat pasta. Strawberry and banana smoothieand whole wheat crackers. 1 cup whole grain cereal,low in sugar, 1 cup low-fat milk,and 1 medium banana. 1 tuna sandwich with low-fatmayo, celery, and onions onwhole wheat toast with lettuceand tomatoes, and an apple. 1 piece grilled chicken, sautéedbroccoli and carrots, and 1 smallbaked potato.Eating out?Try choosing vegetables or salad as your main dish.Order a grilled chicken salad for dinner.Vegetable pizza or shrimp with broccoliand rice (with sauce on the side)also count as balanced meals.– 13 –
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables– 14 –
Why should I eat morefruits and vegetables? Fruits and vegetables taste great! They help protect you and yourfamily from diseases such as cancer,obesity, heart disease, and highblood pressure.Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies!BreakfastLunch2 small whole wheat pancakeswith light syrup and low-fat milkTurkey wrapwith vegetable soupSnackDinnerTrail mix withnuts and dried fruitStir fry with lean beefand brown rice Most are low in fat and calories. They are rich in vitamins, minerals,and other nutrients that help yourbody work well. They have a lot of fiber, which helpsyou digest food and feel full.What does1 servinglook like?veggies1 ear of corn8 baby carrotsFruits1 sweet potato– 15 –1 orange16 grapes8 strawberries
What are your best choices? Choose fresh or frozen, if available. Canned vegetables are also healthy. If youchoose canned vegetables, be sure to rinse them before you eat them. Rinsingthem helps to remove added salt. When eating canned fruit, choose fruit that is packed in its own juice. Avoidcanned fruit that is in heavy syrup. The fruits and vegetables that are the most colorful are the best for you and yourfamily. Each of the colors offers powerful health benefits. Eat different colored fruits and vegetables throughout the day. The darker thecolor, the better it is for you.Tired of the same fruits and veggies?Try some of ollard greensBrussels sproutsAsparagus– 16 –
8 ways to add fruits and vegetablesto your family’s diet1Try adding vegetables tocasseroles, stews, and sauces. Vegetables like peppers, onions,tomatoes, mushrooms, corn, and spinachadd color and flavor.4Add fruits to your salad. Try fresh oranges, sliced apples, ormangoes. Dried fruits like raisins, dried cranberries,and dried papaya taste great in a salad.6Keep ready-to-eat fresh fruitsand vegetables in the refrigeratorfor family snacks. Have you tried carrots, cucumber slices,grape tomatoes, or celery with somelow-fat dressing? Yummy!23For salads, try using differentleafy vegetables.Make vegetable soup. Mix many different vegetables together. Try onions, garlic, zucchini, tomatoes,string beans, carrots, and spinach. What about green peas, corn, green beans,collard greens, parsley, and pumpkin? Try different varieties by always usingdifferent vegetables. Try romaine lettuce, spinach, red leaflettuce, arugula, bok choy, cabbage,endive, and kale. You can find them separately and alsomixed, bagged, and ready-to-serve atsome stores.5If white rice is your thing, add some color to it. Add red or yellow peppers. Add mixed vegetables for rainbow rice. Serve green rice by adding peas, spinach, or parsley. Sweeten it up with pineapples or raisins. Do you like fried rice? Sauté onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms, differently coloredpeppers, and leeks. Add them to the rice and top it with some low sodium soy sauce!7Eat fruit with breakfast. Make a smoothie! Blend a handful ofstrawberries and mango together withsome ice. Add fruit to your cereal. Bananas, raisins,and other dried fruits make a sweetaddition. This will give you an energeticand healthy start to your day.– 17 –8Serve fruit as a sweet end to a meal. Try strawberries with low-fat vanillayogurt. Watermelon, honeydew, or pineapplemake refreshing desserts!
Think Before You Drink– 18 –
Drinks are an importantpart of our meals. So makethe healthiest drink choicesyou can.Why Water?If you could ask your bodywhat it wants to drink, whatdo you think it would say?You might be surprised.Water and milk would beits top two choices. Why?Probably because it wantsto get what it needs to stayhealthy and strong. Water keeps your skin looking great.Water has many healing benefits. Water hydrates your body. Water helps improve digestion. Water cleanses your body.Did you knowthat your bodyis almost75% water?Why Milk?Milk is a nourishing drink. It’s packed with calcium and protein.It also has Vitamins A and D. Milk has calcium to keep your bones and teeth strong. Milk has protein to strengthen your muscles. Vitamins A and D help keep your body healthy.Babies: Children less than one year old should drink breastmilk or formula.Children between 1 and 2 years old: The best milk fortoddlers depends on their weight, diet, and medicalfamily history. Talk to your health care provider tohelp you choose.Children older that 2 years old and adults: 1% milkor fat-free milk is usually a good choice. Whole milkcontains a lot of saturated fat. Too much saturated fatis not healthy for your body.– 19 –
Less is morewhen it comesto sugarDrinkWaterHow much sugar is inwhat you drink?Vegetable Juice(8 ounces)Too much sugar is not healthy for yourbody or your teeth. And lots of sugarmeans lots of calories.Flavored water(8 ounces)Look at this chart to see how manyteaspoons of sugar are in some of yourfavorite flavored drinks.Sports & Energy Drinks(8 ounces)Orange Juice(8 ounces)Sweetened Iced Tea(8 ounces)Lemonade(8 ounces)Fruit Punch(8 ounces)Soda(8 ounces)– 20 –Number of teaspoons of sugar
Drink SmartDrink more water.Switch to zero-calorieflavored waters.Drink diet drinks suchas iced tea and lemonadeinstead of regular.Drink fat-free or 1% milkinstead of flavored milk.What about juice?100% juice has its benefits. It’s usuallyhigh in Vitamin C, and kids like itbecause it tastes sweet. But it can alsobe high in calories. It takes a lot of fruitto make one 8 ounce glass of juice.That can add up to a lot of calories.And most juices don’t have any of thefiber that fruit does. Try to avoid juicethat is not 100% juice. It has moresugar and less nutrients.4 to 6 ounceseach day(about ½ cup)Try addingwater toyour juice!Use ½ cup water and ½ cup juice.This will decrease sugar and calories.8 to 12 ounceseach day(about 1 cup)for children7 to 18 years old!for children1 to 6 years old!How muchjuice shouldkids drink?American Academyof Pediatrics– 21 –
Be Active– 22 –
Get MovingRegular physical activity is important for your family’s health.It makes you feel better. It can help with weight control, bloodpressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and stress. Being active can helpkids do better in school. It can keep adults’ minds sharp, too.Adults need at least: 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate activity(like fast walking) each week. You also need exercise that strengthens muscles(like yoga or lifting weights) 2 days a week.ORChildren shouldget at least60 minutesof physical activityevery day. 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous activity(like running) each week. You also need exercise that strengthens muscles(like yoga or lifting weights) 2 days a week.www.cdc.govDon’t worry!You can break up your activity throughout the day. Try walkingfor 10 minutes 3 times a day.– 23 –
Keep it simpleYou don’t have to join a gymor run a marathon to get fit.Walking is a great way toexercise. Just 30 minutes ofbrisk walking on most days isenough to make a differencefor most adults.Calories In vs. Calories OutWhen you eat The caloriecount is You need to walkbriskly for 1 egg and cheese sandwichon a bagel480 calories103 minutes20 french fries427 calories92 minutes2 ounce bag of potato chips306 calories66 minutes1 regular cheeseburger305 calories65 minutes1 slice of pizza288 calories62 minutesOther easy ways to get active:1 small piece of yellow cake245 calories53 minutes Walk the dog around the neighborhood.2 ounces of cheddar cheese226 calories48 minutes Take the stairs instead of the elevator.1 doughnut196 calories42 minutes Get off the bus or train a stop earlyand walk the rest of the way. Whenthat gets easy, get off two stops early!1 medium baked potato with1 teaspoon butter194 calories42 minutes1 scoop of vanilla ice cream137 calories29 minutes1 apple72 calories15 minutes10 baby carrots40 calories9 minutes Housework and odd jobs help burnoff calories too – like gardening,painting, cleaning, and washing cars. Dance while you clean the house. Ride your bike instead of taking acar or train.www.nhlbi.org; Bowes & Church’s Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, 19th edition.Note: All figures are approximate. They are based on a 154 pound healthy person. If you weigh more, youwill burn more calories. If you weigh less, you will burn fewer calories.What’s brisk walking?Walking faster than normal so that your heartbeatand breathing get faster too.– 24 –
Make it funBeing active doesn’t have to be a chore. Trysome of these ideas to make activity fun.You may even make a new friend or two. Dance to your favorite music.What isscreen time?TV timeComputer timeVideo gamesTurn off the TVIt’s a fact: too much time in front of the TV canhelp make you overweight and out of shape. Socan playing too many video and computer games. Limit “screen time” to 2 hours a day or less. Check out the local Parks Departmentfor free activities. Sign your kids up for team sports ormartial arts. Look into local sportsand after-school programs. Join a team, class, or group.– Double-dutch with friends.– Join a dance class.– Take up karate.Make it a family affairPhysical activity is good for the whole family.It can be a fun way to spend time together.Remember, be active all year round:Aim for10,000steps a day Go for a walk with your kids. Play ball together in the park. Ta
help each other be healthier. In this guide you will find tips to keep your family healthy. Maintain a healthy weight 2 Eat smaller portions 6 Eat balanced meals 10 Eat more fruits and vegetables 14 Think before your drink 18 Be active 22 Healthy Families Making Healthy Choices Table of conTenTs
Shaping Healthy Choices Program is a multi-component approach to improve children’s food choices. The Shaping Healthy Choices Program also includes an inquiry-based nutrition curriculum Discovering Healthy Choices, an
A Correlation of Realityworks Healthy Choices Sex Education Curricula to the Common Core State Standards Mathematical Practice and English Language Arts Life Skills and Healthy Choices for Middle School Students Healthy Choices: Relationships, Sexuality, and Family Planning Understanding P
Healthy Options WA Making healthy choices easier How to Classify Food and Drinks Guide January 2021 Acknowledgements . the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, they are not an essential part of a healthy dietary pattern or a part of the five food groups. 3. Ensure your cooking or preparation methods don't change the traffic light colour of the .
how to make healthy lifestyle choices. You will see changes in healthy Public Sector. (Government and council) There will be: support for staff to make healthy choices new rules on how government money is spent on buying food and drink. You will see changes in the NHS. There will be: only healthy food and drink for patients,
What is a Smart Choices tuckshop or canteen? A Smart Choices Tuckshop or Canteen models positive nutrition messages by promoting the consumption of fresh, tasty and healthy foods and drinks. This is reflected in a Smart Choices Tuckshop or Canteen menu which predominately features GREEN foods with a small proportion of AMBER items.
HCHC: Resilience Edition Examples and Worksheets Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation — Healthy Choices, Healthy Children: Resilience Edition Worksheets Page 1 These worksheets and examples are for use with the Healthy Choices, Healthy Children:
Making healthy food choices goes beyond good nutrition. The choices we make about what we eat impacts on our health, our communities, our air, water and climate. Food production, packaging, transport and waste have a signifi cant environmental impact in Australia. It contributes to: † 26% of Australia's greenhouse pollution;
a paper animal. She tried over and over until she could finally fold a paper dog and wished that she could see Son just once more even though she knew that it was not possible. Looking at the paper dog she had made, she felt so weird that the paper dog seemed smiling at her. She felt that she would make more, many more animals out of paper. She collected all the papers in the house and started .
