Eat Smart for Kids!

Sharing mealtimes is an perfect way for the family to
spend time together. Whether you’re eating at
home or drinking out on the go, it’s significant to
eat smart.

• Be consistent. Found a family meal routine,

and set times for feast, lunch, dinner and
snacks. Eat together whenever likely.

• Take control of the foods your kids eat. When

you serve a meal, your child can choose to eat it
or not; but don’t offer to supernumerary an unhealthy
alternative when your child trashes to eat what
you’ve served.

• Restrict kids’ access to the icebox

and snack cupboards.

• Turn off the tv during meals, and edge kids’

snacking when seeing tv.
Serve a plant or fruit with every meal and at
snack time.

• Reward your kids with praise and fun activities

rather than with food.

• Involve your children in meal preparation and food

preparation. They are more likely to eat what
they help to make.

• While shopping and cooking, teach your children

about the food clusters and the importance
of a balanced diet. Throughout the day, choose
the types and amounts of foods you need from
the five food groups.

• Teach your children how to read food labels and

use the 5%-20% guide to Daily Values to make
better food choices. See www.fns.usda.gov/tn/
Resources/Nibbles/readit_session.pdf for more
information.

• Limit foods that are high in saturated fat,

cholesterol, sodium, and added sugars, and make
sure to get plenty fiber and calcium.

• Use low-fat cooking means such as baking,

roasting and grilling, and choose healthy fats
when you use them, such as olive or canola fats.

• Serve water, low-fat or nonfat milk with and

between meals. Only kids under two years
always need to drink whole milk.

• Teach your kids how to make wise food

choices away from home –at school cafeterias,
restaurants, and vending machines. Impart them
to pay attention to both the quality and
quantity of their food selections. More food is not
always better for them; appropriate portion sizes
need to be understood.

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