Food and Fitness for a Healthy Child

Bulk shopping = savings
Shopping from bulk bins almost always saves money. Let your child help you fill bags with foods like rice, beans, pasta, and nuts. Idea: Tell him how much you need (say,
2 lbs.), then have him estimate that amount and weigh it to check.

Physical activity is good for your youngster’s brain. It can improve her
memory, mood, and ability to focus. Help her get at least 60 minutes of exercise each day, keeping in mind that it doesn’t have to be all at once. She might walk to school, run around the playground at recess, and play catch with you after school.

Fruit with a message
Send your child off to school or sports practice with a snack that’s healthy and inspiring. Use a marker or pen to write an encouraging mes-sage on a fruit he will peel, like
a clementine or banana.
Example: “I hope your day
is a-peeling!”

Just for fun

Q: Where does Tarzan work out? A: In the jungle gym!

© 2019 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

December 2019

Farrell Area School District

A healthier winter break Special occasions can be learning op-

portunities when it comes to nutrition. Show your youngster that healthy choices are an important—and fun—part of any celebration
with this advice.

Eat normally
Make sure your child has a healthy breakfast and lunch rather than “leaving room” for a big meal. She won’t be starving by dinnertime, so she’ll be less likely to overeat.
If you’re traveling, help her pack nutritious snacks to eat during the trip.

Add more nutrients	Fill up on the good stuff
Look for ways to get more whole	Encourage your youngster to put grains and vegetables into favorite dishes.       healthier options like turkey breast and Make macaroni and cheese with whole-        salad greens on her plate first. Then, she wheat noodles, and stir in thinly sliced        could take small portions of richer brussels sprouts or cubed sweet potatoes.       foods like gravy or creamy casseroles. For stuffing, use whole-grain bread, and         She’ll learn to make good choices—and add fruits and vegetables (chopped             enjoy treats in moderation.
apples, diced onion, spinach).

M-O-V-E your body

Scientist Isaac Newton was right: A body in motion tends to stay in motion! Set your child up for a lifetime of being active with these tips.

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Multitask wisely. Your youngster could bal-ance on an exercise ball at homework time. Or while folding laundry, he might shoot balled-up socks into drawers to score “baskets.”

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O pt for activity. Walk to the store or play-ground instead of driving. When you do take the car, park as far from the door as possible.

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V ary the exercise. If your child plays baseball, he could swim or bike on other days. Or a gymnast might play badminton with friends on weekends.

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E njoy yourself. Your youngster is more likely to stay active if he’s having fun. Instead of telling him to “exercise,” suggest some “fun” like riding his scooter.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

4
ting a straw-
side down on
Nutrition Nuggets

Kids in the kitchen Cooking with your youngster will

teach him valuable kitchen skills— and help him practice reading and math. Try these suggestions.

Read recipes. Ask your child to read a recipe aloud. Then, have him gather the ingredients and tools you’ll need. Can he find dried oregano and a whisk? Next, follow the steps together. Idea: Build his vocabulary by explaining
unfamiliar cooking words. (“Zest means to scrape off tiny bits of the lemon peel.”)

“I’m just not good at sports”

My son Andy plays soccer on a neigh-borhood team, but he often said he wasn’t “good” at it. I wasn’t sure how to handle this, so I talked to his PE teacher about ways to build his confidence.

Active indoor fun

When it’s raining or snowing too hard to play outside and your child is full of energy, what can you do? These ideas will keep her active and entertained indoors.

December 2019 • Page 2

Use math. Put your youngster in charge of kitchen math. He
can find the correct measuring spoons and cups, measure wet and dry ingredients, and read a food thermometer. He’ll also learn about conversions—for
–
example, that 4 tbsp. = 1 cup.

Tip: Get your child in the habit of putting dishes in the dishwasher as he works.
That way, there won’t be a big sticky mess to clean up
at the end.

She said that pointing out what Andy does well could help him feel better about playing soccer. For instance, I mentioned how he runs fast on the field and is always encouraging his teammates. The PE teacher also suggested that we focus on how much fun soccer is rather than on whether he scores a goal.
I’ve been using the coach’s advice, and Andy seems really proud of his speed. In fact, he recently told me that running is his favorite thing about soccer.

O U R	P U R P O S E
	
To provide busy parents with practical ways to promote healthy nutrition and physical activity for their children.
Resources for Educators,
a division of CCH Incorporated
128 N. Royal Avenue • Front Royal, VA 22630 800-394-5052 • rfecustomer@wolterskluwer.com www.rfeonline.com
Nutrition Nuggets™ is reviewed by a registered dietitian. Consult a physician before beginning any major change in diet or exercise.
ISSN 1935-4630

© 2019 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

1. Fitness stations. Let your youngster write 10 activities on separate sticky notes.
Example: “Hold a bridge pose for 30 seconds.” She can stick the notes around the house, then go to each station and follow the instructions.

2. Board game fitness. Play a board game where fitness has a starring role. Have your child make a key that lists a movement for each number rolled or color space landed on (“Green = Leap like a lizard”).

3. Tic-tac-toe. Your youngster could draw a grid and write an activity in each square. (“Do 10 jumping jacks.”) Players complete three in a row to win!

Seasonal snacks

Put a wintry twist on	body and head. Your child might use healthy snacks. Here are a few your	raisins for the nose and eyes, and pret-youngster can make herself.	zel sticks for hands. Tip: Use sunflower
Veggie scene	seed butter to make everything stick. Arrange broccoli florets in a large	Winter hats
–
2
1
4
tree shape on a plate. Use a celery	Mix 1 cup low-fat cream cheese stalk for a trunk, and spread low-fat         with – cup nonfat Greek yogurt until ranch dressing under the tree for              smooth. Place spoonfuls of the mix-snow. Your youngster could add car-        ture onto a plate to create hat brims. rot sticks as sleds in her scene.                                                    Complete the Snowman on a stick                                                       hats by put-

berry (green
removed) up-
Cut a banana into thirds and push them onto a skewer to
make a snowman’s	each brim.