Give Your Kids All The Ingredients For Health

Get a good helping of advice
Following Canada’s Food Guide (www.hc-sc.gc.ca) for portion sizes and food types encourages your children to develop lifelong healthy eating habits.

My Food Guide is an interactive version of Canada’s Food Guide that let’s you peruse specific nutrition advice by age group and gender. As your child grows from baby to teen, this tool will prove indispensible for info on what they should eat to grow healthy and strong.

Play with their food
If “yucky” is a common word in your household, why not make food more fun?

• Have your kids help in the kitchen or take them on a grocery store adventure
• Get creative with food prep by using cookie cutters or a melon-baller
• Show them where their food comes from - whether it’s a run through the garden or a fun trip to the farm

Persistence pays off
Don’t give up! Sometimes it takes many tries to get your fussy one to try something new. But try not to make the dinner table a battleground. Food should be fun - if they refuse the zucchini stick, shrug it off and try another day.

Still no luck with ‘yuck’?
Be sneaky. Pureed fruits and veggies blend well into baked goods, spaghetti sauce, soups and smoothies.

Feed their brain
Good grades aren’t just about studying. Boost their brain with nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins that may help with memory, attention span and overall energy. Foods like leafy greens and salmon get top marks for brain boosting. Leafy greens may not sound so appealing to a kid, but you can try sneaking them in using the tips above. They also juice well too.

There’s a reason they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day
Fueling up at the start of the day is so important for your little scholar. Children who eat a healthy breakfast can perform better at school, maintain a healthier weight and overall have a well-balanced diet. You can beat the morning rush by prepping for breakfast at night. Set out the cereal, cut up the fruit, set the table.

Be a brown bag genius
Avoid lunchbox letdown with these helpful tips.

• Be easy on them. Make food easy to eat by peeling and cutting fruit and veggies into bit size portions. Try cutting up extra fruits and veggies at dinnertime, to save time in the a.m.
• Make lunch the night before to help calm the morning rush
• Avoid foods that are mushy, messy and stinky
• Use this perfect sandwich secret. Pack all of the ingredients separately to cut down on the soggy factor

Junk your teen’s unhealthy habits
Your teen needs a lot of nutrients to fuel their growth spurt. However, sometimes their taste buds prefer sugary, salty snacks. Here’s some advice to steer them in a healthy direction.

• Make sure there’s always something nutritious on hand to warm up after a late night practice. Usually that’s the time the call of the drive-thru becomes mighty attractive
• Let’s face it, teens can be a little lazy. Organize your kitchen so the healthiest snacks are the most in reach
• Always have a bowl of fruit sitting on the kitchen table
• Try to encourage them to drink water when they’re thirsty
• Let your teen have their say. They should have a healthy part in the grocery list making
• Don’t forbid the unhealthy stuff. That’s just cause for rebellion

Be their healthy eating hero
Whatever age they are, your kids like to copy what you do (whether they’ll admit it or not). Exploring healthy food together is not only fun, it’s good for you too.