Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Shopping with my 3 year-old son, Parker, is always an adventure. One of the stores I shop at has carts that have steering wheels where he sits and another has a ‘car’ attached to the front of the cart that he can sit in. Both of these keep him entertained because he pretends like he is driving. This is nice because it cuts down on the whining and wanting to buy everything. The downside to these carts is that they are big and take up more space going thru the aisles. Sometimes it is worth it though!

In addition to the ‘car’ carts, one of the stores also has little carts that the kids can push. I’m not so sure about this idea as a parent. Let’s just say I’ve held my breath a few times hoping that all of the cans he ran into would not fall. Only a few cans have fallen so far! I’ve also had a few bruises on the back of my legs where he ran into me. I’m usually frantically trying to make sure he doesn’t hit anyone else. Thankfully he hasn’t run into anyone else yet! And lastly, when he is pushing his own cart, and not confined to the child seat in the larger cart, he can grab lots of stuff off the shelves! Funny thing was the other day Parker informed me, “Dad doesn’t let me drive the little cart when I go shopping with him.” Imagine that!

Sometimes I do make it to the store without taking Parker, but that isn’t always possible. And he needs to learn how to act while in a store. In addition, grocery stores can be great places to teach kids. They are a place to learn about good nutrition but kids can also learn about numbers, colors, and shapes.  The University of Maine Cooperative Extension has a great publication on shopping with children. Here are some of the tips they share.

1. Plan to go to the store with your child when you have plenty of time and the store is not crowded.
2. Plan shopping trips when your child is not tired or hungry. Or bring a nutritious snack for him to eat during the shopping trip.
3. Discuss your rules before you enter a store. Remind your child to stay close to you. Also, set ground rules about what is acceptable to put in the cart. Discussing acceptable behavior before going into the store can save a lot of headache later on.
4. Give your child a job. For example, ask her to help pick out five oranges or three tomatoes. Or let her choose if you get apples or pears. Kids who help pick out fruits and vegetables are more likely to eat them. Older children may like to hold onto the grocery list and cross off the items as you put them in the cart.
5. Set positive limits. When your child does something you do not want him to do, instead of reacting with a negative limit, such as “don’t throw the oranges on the floor,” tell your child what is expected in a positive way, such as “Keep the oranges in the bin.”
6. Make the shopping trip a learning experience. Keep kids entertained by asking them questions and having them searching for items. Teach toddlers about touch by asking how different items feel, like the skin of an apple or if the milk is warm or cold.  Teach preschoolers about colors by asking them to point out items of different colors like the green peas or the cereal in the yellow box. Have school-age children look at the labels and compare items based on nutrition.

What tips do you have for making grocery shopping trips enjoyable for both kids and parents?

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I am not against my children having cupcakes for a friend’s birthday or candy here and there…it’s all about teaching balance. However, I do feel that I have to be stricter about the snacks that I provide for them at home, just due to the fact of all the kinds of snacks they are exposed to when they are away from home. In addition, I have discovered the snacks that I have at home really have an impact on what they eat at mealtime. If they know that there are chips in the cupboard waiting for them after dinner, why would they want to eat their dinner? When it’s your family’s turn to bring snacks to school or activities opt for healthier options. You, along with the other adults, might be surprised at the children’s reaction.

But does healthier mean more money? Not necessarily! It’s all about being a smart and creative shopper. Here are some examples for classroom snacks:

Classroom Snacks – 24 children

Your Child’s Birthday Classroom Party – 24 children

Other ideas to get the most nutritional “bang for your buck:”

What do you bring when it’s your turn? Please pass along your ideas…

Additional Resources

• Kid-Friendly Fruits and Vegetables
• Make Celebrations Fun, Healthy and Active

Guest Blogger, Carrie Scheidel

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As a mother of a 2 and 4 year-old, I am quickly learning about how snacks are an integral part of growing up. It seems that snacks are not only available to children for nutrition, but are a necessity for social gatherings and fun.

We recently signed up our 4-year-old daughter for dance class. At the end of her first class she had the biggest smile on her face and I could tell she had fun. Then the teacher said, “Wait –everyone gets a piece of candy for doing such a great job!” A piece of candy for dancing? She got two tootsie rolls and since my younger daughter was with, I told her that she had to give one to her. This resulted in her crying all the way home over candy, when we could have been talking about much fun she had at dance. The teacher may have thought that candy added excitement to her class, but it really took away from the fact that the girls just had a great time dancing!

I realize some may say it’s just a piece of candy. However, it’s not just a piece of candy. Children are being exposed to treats all the time: snacks provided at preschool by parents, lollipops at the local bank, sports drinks after soccer, candy at daycare for behavioral rewards, classroom parties, ice cream parties for reaching a class goal, free samples at the grocery store, and the list goes on and on. And this is on top of the treats that parents provide at home.

It has gotten to the point that snacks are considered treats. And it’s hard not to think this way. Treats tend to be provided with much more excitement and star appeal. Have you looked at the “snack food” aisle at a grocery store lately? There are not very many healthy options. Have you seen the different kinds of fruit snacks (a.k.a. glorified gummy bears)? They take up a good portion of the aisle and almost every cartoon character has its own box! And the number of Pop Tart flavors available is breathtaking.

Children need snacks throughout the day; this goes for adults too! However, it’s all about the kinds of snacks that we consume and provide for our children. When thinking of what snacks to have available, think of what you would serve during a meal, as snacks should be just as nutritious, just in smaller portions. It really comes down to the food groups: fruits, vegetables, lean protein, low-fat dairy, and whole grains. Take the guesswork out of what snacks to have around and you will be surprised at the choices your children make when you make choosing healthy foods the easy choice.

Some tips:

• Make snacks available to them at their level. Is your fruit bowl on the top of your counter?  Younger children cannot see the bowl, let alone reach it to make it a selection.
• Have a plastic bin in your fridge towards the bottom full of snacks that are ready to eat, such as cheese sticks, yogurt tubes, reusable drinking containers filled with milk or water, sliced apples, oranges (cut in “smiles”), fruit cups, small bags of baby carrots, cooked noodles, small sandwiches, etc.
• Choose whole-grain items. There are more and more of these available each week, it seems.
• Move less healthy snack options to a higher shelf so they are less tempting and eventually just remove them from your home and save them for road trips or special occasions.
• Avoid pre-portioned snacks, as you are often paying for the packaging (not additional food). You can portion out servings at home in resealable snack bags that your children can decorate with stickers to get them involved in the process.
• Take your children with you to the grocery store. By allowing them to a part of the selection process within certain parameters it provides them ownership for the snacks that are available at home.

Additional Resources

• Snack Tips for Parents
• Cut Back on Your Kid’s Sweet Treats Tip Sheet

How do you handle snacks at your house? Do you have ideas to share?

Guest Blogger, Carrie Scheidel

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A few weeks ago I invited myself to lunch at three different middle schools in Central Iowa.  My “hosts” were  two of my nieces and a friend’s son.  I learned a lot about the changes to school lunches during those visits. I also had a chance to observe some of what I call ‘sack lunches’, although hardly anybody uses paper bags anymore.

The majority of the sack lunches were not very healthy.  Most of them included some sort of bread (rarely whole grain), some protein food, crackers, chips, cookies, and fruit drink or fruit.  Vegetables were rarely included.  I wish I would have taken more pictures, but I was so busy taking pictures of the school lunch trays that I didn’t get any of the sack lunches.  I did find a couple of images on the internet that are very close to what I observed.

I think some suggestions on lunches to take to school plus packing lunches the night before might improve the quality.

My colleagues, Ruth Litchfield and Cathy Strohbehn, collaborated on two new publications about lunches to go.  Whether you are packing lunches for yourself to take to work or for your children, these are free and worth a look.  Both can be ordered or downloaded from the ISU Extension and Outreach Online store.

The one page abbreviated version is called MyPlate Lunch Bag Ideas. In this publication, you will find great menu ideas to pack your child’s lunch bag with MyPlate healthy foods. You’ll find kid-friendly foods for fruits, veggies, protein, grains, and dairy.  You will also find preparation and packing tips to keep foods at a safe temperature.

The longer, more detailed version is What’s for Lunch? It’s in the Bag.  It will give you ideas and know how for packing healthy lunches your child will want to eat. It contains tips for preparing and packing food safely as well as menu tips for lunch bag meals. It also includes research data on best methods to keep foods at safe temperatures.

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For the first time in 15 years there are major changes in school lunches that will result in healthier meals for kids. What’s changing? The new school meals will contain more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; low-fat or non-fat milk; and less sodium and fat. The meals will also be “right sized”– portion sizes will be based on a student’s age.

The most economical meal at school is the full meal, also called the reimbursable meal. A reimbursable meal includes at least three of the five components (meat or meat alternate, fluid milk, grains, fruits, and vegetables). One of the components must be a fruit or vegetable for the meal to count as a full meal and qualify the school to get some of the costs for the meal reimbursed.

High schools and an increasing number of middle and elementary schools have “Offer versus Serve”. This helps reduce waste by not making students take food that they don’t like or won’t eat and also provides more choices. However, students will now be required to have 1/2 cup of fruit or vegetable on their tray for it to count as a full meal. If the tray doesn’t have the fruit or vegetable component, students will be charged separately for each item on their tray (called ala carte) which is much more expensive.

Parents need to discuss lunch choices with their child so the bill for student meals isn’t a surprise….or even better go to school and eat with your kids.

Schools are doing their part by offering healthier foods. Now, we need to support the effort by encouraging children to give the healthier meals a try. Here are some new resources to help educate parents and kids on the meal changes:

• School Day Just got Healthier Parent Tip sheet – Key messages for parents
• Building Healthy School Lunches Videos – 4 videos by the Iowa Department of Education for kids and parents
• School Meals are Changing – quick guide on new lunch requirements for K-12 students

What are your thoughts on these changes?

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WOW, what an easy salad and one that kids love (it’s the marshmallows).

Because you can use almost any fruit, Waldorf Summer Salad is a great one to use with seasonal fruit. Right now, in Iowa, we have lots of luscious peaches, plums, cherries, berries and melons in the markets, so I probably wouldn’t make it with the apples and bananas shown in the picture.

Don’t make this salad too far ahead, but do let the kids help. If you need a few more servings, just add another fruit or two and a little more juice.

Waldorf Summer Salad

Ingredients

• 1 medium apple, diced*
• 1 banana, cut up
• ¼ cup raisins
• ¼ cup fruit juice (any kind)
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• Optional: ¼ cup coarsely chopped walnuts or peanuts

Instructions

1. Place apple, banana, and raisins in a bowl. Pour juice over and stir to coat.
2. Stir in marshmallows and, if desired, chopped nuts. Serve.
   *Invite your family to experiment with flavor combinations, such as pears, peaches, kiwi, canned pineapple, and other dried fruits.

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Kansas State Extension has a great website for school-age “chefs-in-making” called Kids a Cookin’. The website includes videos of pint-sized chefs who work with Host Karen to prepare recipes that kids can easily make at home. The recipes are not only simple to prepare and affordable, but are an excellent way to share the joys of cooking with your kids. Besides being able to print a recipe on a recipe card, email the recipe to a friend, or play a video or podcast, there are fun polls and lessons for Kids a Cookin’ & Movin’ which could be done as community or church summer vacation activities. 

Children enjoy helping in the kitchen and often are more willing to eat foods they help prepare. Plus, helping with the preparation of foods promotes independence and develops self-confidence. Children can be involved in all aspects of cooking, from gathering or purchasing ingredients to “reading” the recipe, measuring, cutting, stirring, and serving the completed food.

If you would like to see more, check out the Kids A Cookin’ website. It’s available in both English and Spanish.

Free Summer Meals for Kids
Children have the opportunity for nutritious meals in the summer through USDA’s Summer Food Service Program. Call 211 or the Iowa Department of Education, 515-281-5356, to see if there is a Summer Food Service Program site in your neighborhood.

-pointers from Peggy

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Families in Iowa are getting ready for summer vacation. I’ve heard several discussions concerning how old children should be to stay home by themselves part or all of the day, household rules, and how to get siblings to get along when the parents are gone.

Eating is another routine that changes during the summer. Kids often get up later since they don’t have to go to school, they may skip breakfast, and just snack all day instead of eating meals.   

Sitting down to plan lunch meals with your kids is a good idea. This way the menu includes foods they like and can make themselves. As for snacks, consider preparing two snack boxes—one for the refrigerator and one for the cupboard. Parents or adults choose what goes in the box and children choose what they would like to eat from the box. The University of Missouri Extension has a handout called Pack a snack box with healthy ideas for getting started. 

Remember, you are in charge of buying food. If you only buy healthy foods, that’s what the kids will have to eat.

Next week, recipes for kids…

-pointers from Peggy

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I was browsing the library and noticed a small book full of glossy food pictures called Eat This Not That! for Kids! It’s a takeoff on the earlier book for adults. The book is about opting for some popular foods over others. With calorie, fat, sodium and (sometimes) protein and sugar contents of each food to demonstrate why certain food swaps are beneficial, chapters are dedicated to fast-food and chain restaurants, supermarket foods, and school cafeteria and vending machines. The book also includes a week of sample home-cooked meals with some recipes; tips for packing a healthy school lunch; and fitness pointers with fun games for kids. The first chapter outlines some basics of nutrition including a table on the nutrient needs of kids and a colorful section dedicated to eating the rainbow of fruits and vegetables. You can see a sample from the book in an article in USA Today, New ‘Eat This’ tells parents what not to feed kids.

The book is interesting, but some of the choices they give fall in the category of the lesser of two evils for me. If the book encourages parents to investigate their children’s fast food favorites, that’s a good thing. And soon, thanks to the health care reform bill, that will be easier. Starting in 2011, restaurants with more than 20 franchises will have to post calorie counts for all regular menu items.

I still say that eating fast food should be a ‘once in a while’ treat. You can feed your kids healthier, cheaper meals at home.

-pointers from Peggy

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Have you ever visited your kids’ school lunchroom. Imagine the New York Stock exchange–only with yogurt being exchanged for a sack of chips instead of stocks being bought and sold.

One of the most important tips for packing lunches that your child won’t trade away is to involve them in the planning, shopping and preparation of their meals. Children who help select items are likely to remain interested in their selections…and will probably look forward to trying them. This is also true for meals at home, but even more important for meals eaten away from you. For more tips on packing sack lunches kids will enjoy, check out Tips for packing lunches……for kids and others.

-pointers by Peggy

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