Smart Choices
- Make it a family affair — switch the entire family to low-fat or non-fat milk. It provides the same amount of calcium per serving for your growing child with fewer calories from fat.
- Although fruit juice sounds healthy, it is mostly sugar. Limit your child’s intake of juice to 6 ounces or less per day. Whole fruits provide more nutritional benefits like fiber that fruit juice does not provide.
- Pay special attention to serving sizes on the nutrition facts label. Serving sizes on the facts label may not be the right portion for your child.
- Disband the Clean Your Plate Club! Serve smaller portions and let your child ask for more.
Healthy Activities
- Set aside some time for family meals. Children who participate in family meals are more likely to eat their fruits and vegetables.
- Enroll your child in organized sports or classes such as ballet, soccer or martial arts.
- Do active things together as a family — walk, bike ride, play in the park or swim.
- Limit screen time to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Co-view media with your children
Planning For Success
- Provide healthy choices at mealtimes and then let your child decide from those choices what to eat and how much.
- When making changes, keep them simple and incorporate them into your daily routine.
- Picky eating is a normal behavior for preschoolers. The best thing you can do is to continue offering foods that your child has rejected in the past. Consistency and patience is key!
