Posts Tagged ‘healthy’

A recent study shows that kids are now seeing fewer advertisements for sweets, such as candy, soda, and cookies. This should be a good thing, right? That’s what I thought at first too. However, the amount of ads they are seeing for fast food has gone up by 4.7% for children ages 2-5.

So, what can you do to make sure your little one is not easily influenced by the fast food commercials? Have healthy eating habits at home; you are child’s biggest influence!

Tips for Healthy Eating Habits (For children 2-5 years old)

1. Set a good example: Kids learn from watching you. Eat fruits and veggies and they will too.
2. Offer a variety of foods: introduce your child to new foods often.
3. Start with Small Portions: teach them to take small amounts at first; tell them they can get more if they are still hungry.
4. Help them know when they’ve had enough: avoid pressure; provide them with healthy options, and let them decide how much.
5. Follow a meal and snack schedule: plan for 3 meals and 1-2 snacks for the day and stick to the schedule as close as possible.
6. Make mealtime a family time: turn off the TV; cook together, eat together, and talk together.
7. Help them try new foods: it may take many times of trying a new food before they will actually like it.

If you do decide to take your child out at a fast-food restaurant, encourage them to make lower-fat selections, to start their meal with a salad, to choose grilled rather than fried, and to choose low-fat milk or juice rather than soda or shakes.

For more tips on developing healthy eating habits, call or visit the website of your local Cornell Cooperative Extension:

Jefferson County: 315-788-8450

Lewis County: 315-376-5270

St. Lawrence County: 315-379-9192

You can also visit MyPyramid.gov

Sources: MyPyramid.gov; Healthy Children; Womenshealth.gov  

During February, we shared information about a new program called “Text4baby.” If you haven’t tried this free service for cell-phones, and are currently pregnant or the mother of a new baby, we wanted to encourage you to sign-up. Text4baby is a free service that provides you with text messages with timely and useful tips to help your baby and you stay healthy.

Think you already know it all? You’d be surprised how helpful the text for baby tips can be even for a mom of 7! Watch the clip below to find out more.

Eye on New York: On Family

 For more information visit www.text4baby.org

 Have you tried this service? What did you like best about it? What did you like least about?