Cook with calcium

Food and Fitness for a Healthy Child

Positive peer pressure When your youngster
eats with friends at school or at home, encourage her to notice healthy foods they
enjoy. She may be inspired to try something new, such as collard
greens, polenta, or artichokes, just by seeing a friend eat it.

Act out the weather
What’s the weather outside? Let your child show you, instead of tell-ing you, with this active idea. Have him look outside and then “become” the weather. He might whirl around fast like the wind, stomp his feet and pound his arms for thunder, or dance with his arms outstretched on a sunny day.

Oregano is full of anti-oxidants, which can boost your youngster’s
immune system and help her stay healthy. Try adding fresh or dried oregano to salads and grilled meats or fish. Your child may like the flavor because it reminds her of pizza!

Just for fun

Q: What did one spoon say to the other?

A: Let’s stir things up!

© 2020 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

March 2020

Farrell Area School District

Calcium counts How can you get your
child to eat more calcium? Appeal to his desire to
be strong! Let him know that calcium builds strong bones for playing and growing. Then, try
these ideas.

Fill a bank
Encourage your young-ster to make a “calcium
bank.” First, turn a plastic milk
jug on its side and cut a slit in it. Next,	in his sandwich, yogurt and fruit for help him find magazine pictures of	dessert). Tip: Adding an 8-oz. glass of foods with calcium (milk, cheese, dark-	nonfat milk to a meal gives him another green leafy vegetables). He could cut	serving of calcium.
them out and glue them all over his
bank. Each time he eats one of those
foods, he puts a coin in the slot.		Add calcium to your youngster’s diet by cooking with dairy products and
Add to every meal	foods that contain calcium. For instance,
Get your child used to having cal-	use nonfat milk instead of water when cium throughout the day. Point out	heating up canned tomato or mush-calcium-rich foods he’s already eating	room soup. Melt Parmesan cheese onto (milk in his breakfast cereal, grilled	cooked zucchini or green beans. Put cheese for lunch), and help him think	tofu into a stir-fry, or stir white beans
of more he could have (baby spinach	into chili.

Celebrate spring!

Enjoy the first day of spring on March 19, and get some exercise, by heading outdoors with your young-ster. Here’s how.

1. Take a walk. Look for signs of spring. Does your child hear woodpeckers peck-ing on trees or spot buds on bushes?

2. Visit a farm. Your youngster may see newborn lambs or other baby animals. Plus, some farms have play areas where she could climb on hay bales or play beanbag toss.

3.Do spring cleaning.Ask your child to help you wash the car or clean out the garage. She could also hose down her bike and outdoor toys.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Nutrition Nuggets

Better snacking strategies The right snacks satisfy your youngster’s

hunger in a healthy way. Teach her to make smart choices with these tips.

Pack smart.Send nutritious snacks that are appealing, portable, and easy to eat when your child is
away from home. Many kids love finger foods like grapes, baby car-rots, and string cheese. (Include an ice pack to keep cold foods cold.) Note: Be sure to follow her school’s policy on snacks.

Scarf games

March 2020 • Page 2

Think beyond “snack foods.” Foods your youngster normally
eats at breakfast, lunch, and dinner can be snacks, too.
Together, think of examples, such as whole-grain toast with almond butter, a salad, or mini turkey meatballs.

Establish good habits. Help your child develop healthy
snacking habits to avoid overeating or making poor
food choices. You might limit snacking to the kitchen table and
put away electronics while you eat. Also, look at packages together to find and measure out the healthy serving size.

Get two lightweight scarves (or cloth napkins) for these games that will boost your child’s coordination.

● Catch. Take turns throwing a scarf in the air for the other person to catch. The scarf will float slowly to the ground, giv-ing him time to catch it. This is a great way to build confidence as your young-ster’s catching skills improve.

● Copycat. Have each player hold a scarf, and take turns adding movements for each other to copy. Your child might do big arm circles with his scarf. You mimic him, then add a move, perhaps swooshing your scarf behind your back. Keep going, repeating all the previous movements and tacking on your own. When someone can’t remember a move, the other player wins.

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

© 2020 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

Q & A Pasta every day? Q: My daughter would eat the same foods every day if I let her—especially pasta. How can I get her to branch out?

A: It’s normal for kids to prefer familiar foods, but a balanced diet will give your child a variety of nutrients.
Try starting with foods she likes and
make small adjustments. For instance, serve spaghetti
squash or “zoodles” (zucchini noodles) with your daughter’s favorite pasta sauce. Or add chopped broccoli to macaroni and cheese.
You might also offer a new food as an appetizer before a meal, when your young-ster is hungrier. Set out cucumber slices with a dip she’ll eat, for instance.
Finally, keep in mind that it may take a dozen attempts or more before a child accepts a new food—so keep serving them in different ways until you find a winner!

Wake up with veggies

Fruit, toast, milk,	Green smoothie
1
2
eggs … which food group is missing	Let him blend 1 cup fresh spinach, 1 from that typical breakfast lineup?            banana, 1 cup fat-free milk, – cup fro-Vegetables! Round out your child’s           zen cauliflower, and 1 tsp. each vanilla morning meal with these recipes.              extract and honey.

Egg in a cap	Breakfast potatoes
–
2
Place a large portobello mushroom	Thaw 3 cups frozen potatoes (shred-(stem and gills removed) upside                 ded or cubed) in the refrigerator over-down on a foil-lined baking                               night. Toss with 1 cup black beans sheet. Crack an egg care-                                                 and 1 cup each diced fully into the cap and                                                          green and red peppers. bake at 375° for 15–20                                                           Spread on a lightly minutes, until set.                                                                    greased baking
Top with chopped	sheet. Bake at 400° tomato.                                                                                      for 30 minutes.