Healthful
eating patterns and active lifestyles begun in childhood and continued
through adult years may help prevent or postpone the onset of chronic
diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Parents can help
children establish healthful eating habits by offering a variety of foods
and creating balance in their own healthful eating patterns. Meal planning
and food shopping are opportunities to share positive ideas with children.
The Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient list on food packages and the Food
Guide Pyramid are practical tools parents and children can use together to
build healthful eating patterns.
The Food Guide Pyramid
Parents and children should remember that no individual food is good or bad.
All foods can fit into a healthy eating style. Help children learn how foods
fit into the Food Guide Pyramid and how each food group can help them grow.
Even young children can identify foods from the Food Guide Pyramid�s five
food groups and understand how their bodies use the nutrients provided by
the foods they eat.
The
foundation of a healthful eating pattern includes 6 to 11 servings of grains
at the base of the Pyramid each day: bread, cereal, rice and pasta. Grain
products contain carbohydrates, vitamins, iron and fiber. Children need
grains as sources of energy to grow, develop, learn and keep physically
active. Complex carbohydrates and sugars are valuable energy sources for
children. Remember, the more vitamins and minerals in a serving of food, the
more nutrients are available for a child's growth and development.
The middle
section of the Pyramid shows fruits and vegetables, which provide
carbohydrates, vitamins A and C, and folic acid to keep eyes, skin and blood
healthy. Enjoy 2 to 4 servings daily of fruits, such as strawberries,
oranges, and peaches, and 3 to 5 servings of vegetables, such as carrots,
winter squash and broccoli. Include 2 to 3 servings of milk, yogurt and
cheese for protein, calcium, and vitamin D to build strong bones and teeth.
Eat two to three servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans and eggs to
provide protein and iron for muscle formation.
The Food
Label
Show Children the food label and explain how to use the information to help
them build a healthful eating pattern. The Nutrition Facts information and
the ingredient list are found on most food packages.
Reading the Nutrition Facts panel tells you the nutrient content per serving
of a food. Look for information on total fat, saturated fat, total
carbohydrate and sugars, dietary fiber, protein, vitamins, such as A and C,
and minerals such as calcium and iron.
The ingredient list tells what ingredients are used to make the food and is
particularly helpful if you or your children have an allergy or sensitivity
to certain foods. Remember, the ingredient list does not provide nutrient
content information.
Ingredients
are listed in descending order by weight. For example, a fortified breakfast
cereal such as corn, wheat, rice and oats may list sugar as the first
ingredients even though the weight of all the grams combined is more than
the sugar.
Building a healthful eating pattern
As children grow they watch for clues from parents, siblings, teachers, and
friends about making food choices. Parents and other role models can set
good examples by enjoying a variety of foods and balancing their food
selections throughout the day and week. Involving children in preparing the
family shopping list reinforces the idea of planning a varied, healthful
eating pattern.
NEWS
FLASH!
Welcome to Duke Catering's Newsletter for Parochial Schools. We will
introduce nutrition facts and ideas for children in each issue.
Duke Catering has a Registered Dietitian, Leslie Grant RD, LDN who serves as
their specialist for nutrition information guidance and support. We hope you
will visit our website in the future where more information will be offered.
