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Busy
moms—especially young moms—are also frustrated by the flood of changing
nutrition
advice, especially as they try to make sensible dietary decisions for
their families. Moms have a wealth of concerns when it comes to their
children’s eating habits. The top concern, shared by more than
four-in-10 moms, is that kids are not eating enough fruits and
vegetables. Picky eaters and eating too much junk food round out the top
three overall concerns of moms.
What’s a mom to do?
Start with
these easy, practical tips: |
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Previous
Health Topics |
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Make mealtime
family time. Try to have at least one meal a day together. Eating meals
as a family can actually improve your children’s food habits since kids
tend to eat more fruits, vegetables and dairy foods at meals shared with
their parents.
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Get the family
involved in meal planning and preparation. Your kitchen can be a
learning laboratory. Give kids simple tasks to help with family food
shopping, preparation and cleanup. Children are more likely to eat foods
that they have helped to prepare.
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Be a good role
model. Moms and dads often tell their kids to eat healthy but don’t
follow the advice for themselves. Make sure you set a good example for
your family. Healthy eating is a lifestyle—not a fad. It needs to be a
family affair that begins at an early age.
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Try something
new. Set a goal to include one new food or recipe each week. You’ll
soon discover new favorites to incorporate into family menus. When you
want your
children to eat more fruits and vegetables, try a new or exotic variety
like mangoes or
tangelos. To make fruit easier to eat, serve it in bite-sized pieces
with some yogurt for
delicious dipping!
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Healthy Eating Tips
for Families |
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Most moms agree that feeding their family well is very
important. According to a new survey commissioned by Wendy’s®, 80% of
moms would like to get their kids to eat healthier—but many obstacles
get in their way. Families juggle busy schedules that make it difficult
to eat together and don’t leave enough time to shop or cook. Nearly 40%
of moms surveyed feel that healthy foods don’t always taste good. For
others, the challenge is a family that doesn’t want to eat healthy foods
or is on a limited food budget. |
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The contents of this fact sheet have been reviewed by the
American Dietetic Association’s Fact Sheet Review Board. The appearance
of this information does not constitute an endorsement by ADA of the
sponsor’s products or services. This fact sheet was prepared for the
general public. Questions regarding its content and use should be
directed to a registered dietitian. |
- Freshness and quality are key. Opt for fresh, quality
products when choosing foods
for your family. Fresher foods provide higher amounts of essential
nutrients and taste
better when they’re at their peak. Buy fruits and vegetables in season
to stretch your food dollar, too.
- Stash healthy snacks. Keep healthy, nutritious snacks
in key places at all times—
your purse, the car, your desk drawer. As you run out the door, grab a
few healthy snacks – crackers and peanut butter, small boxes of cereal,
fresh fruit, pretzels, or plain popcorn.You won’t be tempted to eat
unhealthy options and you’ll have portable nutrition for your kids.
- Think creatively to adapt to your family's schedule.
Try changing the time of your
meals so you can have at least four family meals per week. Accommodate a
busy
schedule by working in time for a meal. For example, have a tailgate
picnic before or after a game or practice.
- Face dining out challenges head-on. Moms feel
restaurants don’t have enough
variety for their entire family. This doesn’t have to be the case.
Choose restaurants that
allow you to mix and match food options that give you the control to
create a balanced
meal for you and your family.
- Be informed when dining out. Visit restaurant Web
sites or call ahead to find out information about their menu. Some Web
sites provide nutrition breakdowns for
menu items. Use this information to help you select a restaurant and to
plan meals
ahead of time.
- Get help from a nutrition expert. A registered
dietitian (RD) is uniquely qualified to help families improve their
eating habits. Whether it’s special challenges like picky eaters or
health issues such as weight management, an RD can provide a
personalized guide to healthy eating for your family.
For a referral to a registered dietitian and for
additional food and nutrition information visit
WWW.EATRIGHT.ORG |
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What’s your most valuable source of good
nutrition? |
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Registered
Dietitians are the experts when it comes to helping people eat well and
stay healthy. An RD has the knowledge and expertise to develop an eating
plan to meet the needs of all individuals. ©2006 ADA. This fact sheet
expires 10/2009.
Mom-RD™ is a
new program that connects moms with personal help from a nutrition
expert—
a registered dietitian (RD). To help your family make smarter decisions
about what you eat, go to the Mom-RD Web site:
www.Mom-RD.com
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For more information, visit
American Dietetic Association |
