Cuyahoga County Just in Time Training | National Nutrition Month

Seven Healthy and Child-friendly Habits You Can Form

Keep snacks simple: a piece of fruit or handful of nuts
Eat the rainbow! Create colourful plates with a variety of vegetables
Involve little ones in cooking, even if they are just watching while you explain the process they are still learning
Limit sugary drinks, including juices
Take it slow: don’t rush mealtimes. It can be frustrating when children eat slowly, but this helps them assess their appetite and stop when full
Do not punish a child for not eating, as it can develop a negative association. In some cases, they may feel the need to eat everything on their plate, thereby overeating and not listening to their bodies
Avoid using food as a reward, as it can teach them to rely on it for comfort. Praise and encouragement, sometimes with a hug, can be enough reward for a child

Source: The Importance of Nutrition in Early Childhood (kidsclubchildcare.com.au)

Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables

According to the American Diabetes Association, mindful eating is based on the practice of mindfulness, which encourages people to be consciously aware of their experiences, whatever they may be. mindful eating is rooted in several principles. These include being nonjudgmental about your eating experience, slowing down and taking your time as you eat, becoming aware of your body's cues, and an awareness of thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations.

Source: Mindful Eating for Kids (verywellfamily.com)

Practical Advice on Maintaining a Healthy Diet

Fruit and Vegetables

Fruit and vegetable intake can be improved by:

always including vegetables in meals;
eating fresh fruit and raw vegetables as snacks;
ating fresh fruit and vegetables that are in season; and
eating a variety of fruit and vegetables.

Fats

Fat intake, especially saturated fat and industrially-produced trans-fat intake, can be reduced by:

steaming or boiling instead of frying when cooking;
replacing butter, lard and ghee with oils rich in polyunsaturated fats, such as soybean, canola (rapeseed), corn, safflower and sunflower oils;
eating reduced-fat dairy foods and lean meats, or trimming visible fat from meat; and
limiting the consumption of baked and fried foods, and pre-packaged snacks and foods (e.g. doughnuts, cakes, pies, cookies, biscuits and wafers) that contain industrially-produced trans-fats.

Salt, Sodium and Potassium

Salt intake can be reduced by:

limiting the amount of salt and high-sodium condiments (e.g. soy sauce, fish sauce and bouillon) when cooking and preparing foods;
not having salt or high-sodium sauces on the table;
limiting the consumption of salty snacks; and
choosing products with lower sodium content.

Sugars

Sugar intake can be reduced by:

limiting the consumption of foods and drinks containing high amounts of sugars, such as sugary snacks, candies and sugar-sweetened beverages (i.e. all types of beverages containing free sugars – these include carbonated or non‐carbonated soft drinks, fruit or vegetable juices and drinks, liquid and powder concentrates, flavoured water, energy and sports drinks, ready‐to‐drink tea, ready‐to‐drink coffee and flavoured milk drinks); and
eating fresh fruit and raw vegetables as snacks instead of sugary snacks.