Healthy foods for healthy kids:

Healthy food can give children the energy to learn and take advantage of the opportunities around them each day. In contrast, high-fat foods that are low in nutrients can contribute to the development of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. More than 15% of all North American children y more than 23% of Mexican-American children are obese (“Key Facts About Childhood Obesity in the Latino Community”, Concilio Nacional de La Raza, 2006). Therefore, parents now have the important responsibility to help children stay at a healthy weight. Here we present a few ideas to ensure that your children are active and eat healthy foods with many nutrients:

• Keep only healthy foods in your house. Instead of potato chips, buy pretzels. Instead of sodas, keep a pitcher of fresh water or 100% fruit juice without added sugar in the refrigerator.
• Be sure that there are fruits and vegetables, like oranges and carrots, in the house.
• When your children get home from school, offer them a healthy snack, like:        

            • Apples with yogurt

            • A sandwich with wheat bread, ham and cheese, or vegetables

            • Celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins

            • A fruit salad with your child’s favorite fruits

            • Low-fat crackers with cheese

• Know which foods are healthy. Look at the “Nutrition Facts” label to know the amount of fat, calories, vitamins, and minerals in each food before buying it.

With these suggestions, you can begin today to improve your family’s health.

Try this activity at home . . .

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