HEAT: Healthy Eating & Activity Together

School Age Parent Tips

Healthy

Review your child's growth charts with your health care provider.
Be a good role model and make healthy eating and activity together a goal for all family members.
Remember this is a time that:
- Children begin their role as student learners and become involved in activities at school.
- Children slow down in their rate of growth.

Eating

Provide healthy choices for meals and snacks:
- Eat 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
- Eat 3 or more servings of whole grain foods per day.
- Use low-fat or non-fat milk, but limit intake to no more than 16 oz. per day.
- Encourage low-fat snack foods.
- Use soft margarine rather than lard, butter or stick margarine.
- Portion size and control are very important.
- Avoid fried foods and high-calorie, non-nutrient foods (e.g., donuts, French fries, chips, cakes and candy).
- Serve 100% fruit juice (not fruit drinks), but limit to 4-6 oz. per day.
- Avoid fruit drinks and sodas. Drink water instead.
Limit fast food meals to no more than twice per week.
Remind child to eat slowly.
Offer healthy traditional foods enjoyed in your culture (e.g., beans, corn, tortillas, fruits and vegetables).
Start each day by eating a healthy breakfast.
Do not have a "clean plate" policy for meals.

Activity

Ensure child participates in at least 60 minutes daily of intermittent, moderate to vigorous physical activity, such as jumping rope, basketball, kickball or dancing.
Limit TV, video and computer time to less than 2 hours a day.
No TV during meals.
No TV in your child's bedroom.

Together

Schedule times for family meals together and participation in physical activities.
Respect that your child is responsible for whether to eat and how much to eat.
Don't let TV advertisements influence food selection.
Begin teaching your child how to select and prepare healthful foods and drinks.
Work with your child to learn to avoid the use of food for comfort and to recognize emotional triggers for eating and subsitute other coping strategies.
Support healthy food choices and beverages sold or served in school.
Suport physical education times as a regular part of school activity.

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