National Nutrition Month 2010
Three Simple Changes to a Healthier Family

Nutrition tips, tools and information for setting healthy nutrition and physical activity goals for the family.

Michelle Mirizzi, MS, Registered Dietitian 

National Nutrition Month 2010

National Nutrition Month 2010 was started back in 1973, as a way to help Americans of all ages focus their attention on nutrition. I think almost thirty years ago, the American Dietetics Association realized that with continued modernization and a busier lifestyle, we would need some reminders and eating healthy tips. With work, school, kids and home responsibilities, parents are really juggling a lot.

We all know that a healthy lifestyle is so important for all of us and especially children. The real question is how can we help you incorporate some simple changes that are doable, reasonable and can fit into your busy schedules.

Our goal this month is to help you focus on just three simple changes you can implement that can really make a difference.

Kids are also learning about the National Nutrition Month 2010 on their Fun Explorer’s page.

Turn Mealtime Into Family Time Tips

Having mealtime as a family is probably one of the easiest and most important activities you can do to promote healthy eating. Surprised? I know it sounds too easy; but honestly, sometimes the simplest things turn out to be the most important. Kids are little sponges and they are learning and forming their nutrition habits throughout the day. During mealtime kids learn about foods and their parent’s food preferences. Children are starting to form lifelong associations with food (positive or negative) and their own food choices (what they “like” and what they “don’t like”).

Here are some easy tips and guidelines to help you turn mealtime into fun family time.

✰ Pick one meal a day that works for the whole family.
✰ If your schedules don’t allow you to eat as a family every day, then pick one day a week to start. That’s ok.
✰ Gradually add another day until you are having one meal a day as a family.
✰ Set a time for family meals. This makes it easier for everyone to plan their schedules.
✰ Eat together at the table. It’s easier to talk to each other when you are face to face.
✰ During mealtime, focus on each other by turning off the TV, cell phones and even iPods.
✰ Keep mealtime a fun time for the family to catch up and share their day.
✰ Parents and older siblings can be a great role model for good eating habits.
✰ Keep it fun. Kids can make name cards for their seats.
✰ Keep meals from lasting too long. If your child gets fussy, let them be excused and take their plate to the sink.
✰ Introduce one new food item at least 3 times a week.

With set meal times and a fun family experience, kids will look forward to eating together as a family while learning about healthy eating.

Top Portion Control Tips

Helping kids learn proper serving amounts is a key component to healthy eating. One of our biggest challenges as Americans, is that we like big portions. But one of the nice benefits of eating at home is you can always have seconds if you are still hungry. And that is what we want to teach kids, to start with smaller servings.

How can you teach your child what a healthy portion is without the added fuss of measuring? Don’t worry. Here are some simple tricks you can use to help the whole family control their portions.

✰ Use a salad plate for dinner. It is easier to control the amounts with a smaller plate.
✰ Use small serving spoons or tablespoons to serve dishes
✰ Let kids serve their own scoop. It gives them a little independence and helps them begin to realize serving sizes.
✰ Include water as part of a healthy meal, its great for the digestion
✰ Provide a nice variety of foods from each of the food groups.
✰ Encourage your child to take one scoop from each of the food groups.
✰ Have a couple vegetables and fruits to choose from. Even fresh and sliced is okay.
✰ Kids like to dip. You can have some vegetables cut up and a low fat dressing.
✰ Encourage kids to have fun coloring their plate with foods that have color. You’ll see that colorful foods tend to be the healthier foods.
✰ Include one healthy carb from the grains food group. For example, serve just whole wheat bread, brown rice or whole wheat pasta instead of pasta and bread.
✰ Cut lean meats into small portions before placing them on the table.
✰ Avoid sodas, sugary drinks and fruit juices during meals. But if they insist on some juice, one six-ounce glass a day of 100% fruit juice is plenty.
✰ Encourage your child to eat their food but if they say they are full, it’s okay.
✰ Kids don’t have to eat all their food to have a healthy meal. Learning to listen to their internal hunger clock is part of learning proper portion control.
✰ Limit snacks to specific snack time so kids will be hungry during mealtime.

If your child eats a balanced food with some foods from all the food groups, portion sizes will naturally be more sensible.

Be Active as a Family

This is something you may have read many times but it is so valuable that it has to be in the top three for Nutrition Month! Just like you can make some time to eat together as a family, you can create time to be active as a family. The key to success is finding activities that are fun. When kids are having fun, time passes easily and they learn to love being active.

Nutrition Month Tips – Tools

Fun St Patricks Day Nutrition Activity Page

Nutrition Month Tips Printable Calendar

Free Kids Goal Setting Agreements

Free Kids Fun Goal Tracking Sheets

Setting Healthy Goals as a Family

Limiting TV Time

Picky Eaters Tips

Kids Celebrate National Nutrition Month

Placing a little focus on nutrition and healthy living doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul of your daily habits. Think simple and doable. Working together as a family to implement these three changes can be a wonderful bonding experience and form memories that kids will fondly remember.

✰ Talk as a family about why it is important for creating some time to be active as a family.
✰ Agree as a family so everyone is on board.
✰ Start by making a list of the activities of activities you enjoy.
✰ Encourage everyone, including the children, to give their suggestions and look for activities that everyone can do.
✰ For fun, have the kids create a family “Being Active Is Fun” Calendar to remind everyone.
✰ Plan one activity a week
✰ Activities can be simple like a family walk or bike ride.
✰ If you can’t do once a week, then start once a month and add another activity as your schedules permit.
✰ Start with 15-20 minutes and work your way up to an hour.
✰ Try to plan something special once a month or every other month, like a trip to the zoo.