can announce winners—and choose
Encourage your youngster to be cre

Food and Fitness for a Healthy Child	October 2020

Farrell Area School District

Explore herbs and spices
Cilantro, rosemary, tur-meric … herbs and spices add flavor to food without adding fat or sodium. Help your child create a snack tray to sample natural seasonings. She might include fat-free Greek yogurt flavored with cinnamon, halved grape toma-
toes sprinkled with dill, and pop-
corn tossed with paprika.

Night games
It may be getting dark earlier, but you and your youngster can still fit in some active family time after din-ner. Use flashlights for a game of tag. Or play “moonball” with him—a game of catch with a glow-in-the-dark ball (buy one at the dollar store, or put glow-in-the-dark stick-ers on a regular ball).

It’s easier than ever to find alternatives to pea-nut butter. Healthy
options include spreads made from cashews, sunflower seeds, soy nuts, almonds, and even chickpeas. Coco-nut butter, on the other hand, tends to have more saturated fat. Tip: Look for varieties with no added sugar.

Just for fun

Dad: Why did you ride your bike twice?

Ben: I was re-cycling.

© 2020 Resources for Educators, a division of CCH Incorporated

Tips for healthier takeout Whether it’s a busy school night
or a special occasion, your family may decide to order food from
a restaurant. Teach your young-ster to make healthier choices with this advice.

Find the winners
Help your child recog-nize nutritious options with an awards ceremony. Read restaurant menus and vote on awards like “Best selection of vegeta-
bles,” “Most whole-grain options,”
and “Healthiest overall.” Your youngster	Design “kids’ meals”
one the next time you order takeout.	ative with his order. Instead of looking-Play to-go bingo	at the kids’ menu—which is typically
Motivate your child to make good	filled with fried foods like chicken nug-selections with this game. Let him create	gets and french fries—have him put
a bingo card with columns for different	together a meal of healthy appetizers types of restaurants (pizza, Chinese). In	and sides. Maybe he’d like a turkey each box, he can write a healthy choice	burger slider and steamed broccoli. Or (whole-wheat crust and side salad under	perhaps he’ll create a combo of grilled pizza, steamed vegetable dumplings and	chicken strips and fresh fruit.
brown rice under Chinese). Each time he tries a food on his card, he may cross it out. Five in a row = to-go bingo!

Living room limbo

Play this favorite party game indoors to improve your child’s flexibility—and enjoy active family fun.

Set up:Place a broom across the tops of two chairs. Then, stack books on the seat of
each chair. The stacks should be about equal
in height and come nearly to the tops of the seat backs.

Play:Turn on music as family members take turns walking under the stick while bending backward. If anyone touches the stick with any part of her body, or touches the floor with anything but her feet, she’s out. Now lower the stick onto the top books and limbo again. For each round, remove a book from each stack. The last player still in wins.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Nutrition Nuggets

Change up vegetables

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Children need 1 ––2 cups of vegetables every day, so how can you squeeze more into your youngster’s diet? Try these variations to find her new favorites!

1. Change the shape.Cut cooked carrots or jicama into sticks or coins. Also, try shredding brussels sprouts or cabbage into salads or paninis.

2. Change the texture.Your child might enjoy tender or pureed veg-gies. Have her stir spinach or kale into her favorite soup and watch it wilt. Or

An autumn “playground”

October 2020 • Page 2

use pureed potatoes or cauliflower instead of heavy cream or flour to
thicken sauces.

3. Change the size.Small bites of vegetables may be easier for your youngster to accept. Dicecooked zucchini or sweet potatoes into
tinypieces,and let her add them to casseroles or top her tacos with
them.

4. Change the cooking method. One night you could steam parsnips
or okra, and another time you might roast or sauté them. Or turn asparagus
spears or green beans into “fries.” Help your child dunk them into a beaten egg and roll them in whole-wheat breadcrumbs. Bake at 400° until browned and crispy, about 15 minutes.

As temperatures drop and the air feels crisp, head outside with your child for playful fitness fun. Here are some ideas.

● Leaf path.For a game of Follow the Leader, let your youngster line up fallen leaves with a few feet between each. Take turns leading everyone along the path, moving in a different way (hop, skip, gal-lop) from one leaf to the next.

● Pumpkin weights.Have your child hold a mini pumpkin in each hand.
Now play Simon Says. You might say,
“Simon says lift your arms
out to your sides.” “Do backward arm circles.”

Unplug for physical activity

Q: How can I get my daughter to spend less time on screens and more time being active?

A: Encourage your child to keep track of her screen time for one week. Together, brainstorm ways to cut back. If she spent 10 hours watch-ing TV and playing video games last week, you might limit her to 8 hours total this week.
To help, perhaps you’ll designate screen-free zones
like her bedroom and the kitchen table. Also, help her set a goal to be active at least 1 hour per day.
Then, why not have your daughter use her screen time to find ways to be active? She could search for kid-friendly workout videos on YouTube—some are based on moves from video-game characters and superheroes. She might even look up “active games for kids” and teach your family to play new ones.

Pasta perfection

● Apple relay.Split into teams and take turns running—with an apple—from a start line to a finish line, then back again until everyone has had a turn. The twist? Each player on a team has to hold his apple in a different way (behind your back, on your head).

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

October is National Pasta Month. Celebrate with these healthy versions of kid favorites. Note: For each recipe, cook 16 oz. whole-wheat pasta according to package directions.

Macaroni and cheese.In a large pot, melt 3 tbsp. but-ter, and whisk in 3 tbsp. flour until smooth. Stir in
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2
2 1 cups nonfat milk and simmer until thick-
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2
ened. Reduce heat, and stir in 2 1 cups low-fat shred-ded cheddar cheese until

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2
melted. Whisk in – cup plain Greek yogurt. Toss with pasta, 1 cup cooked peas, and 1 diced tomato.

Chicken parmesan.Sprinkle 1 tsp. Italian seasoning over 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts. Bake at 375° for 30
minutes, or until cooked through. Pour 1 24-oz. jar
low-sodium marinara sauce over chicken. Top with 1 cup low-fat shred-
ded mozzarella cheese, and broil 5 minutes, or
until cheese melts. Serve over spaghetti.