🍎🥕 After-School Snack Ideas for Healthy, Happy Kids! 🥪🍊

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Hey parents! When the school bell rings, it’s snack time! Providing nutritious snacks not only fuels your kids but also supports their active lifestyles. Here are some tasty and fun snack ideas that your kids will love:

Pump up the fun:

  • Popsicle smoothie: turn your favorite smoothie into a popsicle by pouring it into a popsicle mold and freezing overnight.
  • Yogurt Parfait: top Greek yogurt with granola and berries 
  • Hummus Fondue: Mix low-sodium vegetable broth into hummus. Serve with whole-grain bread cubes, crackers, pretzels or sliced veggies
  • Snacky Sushi: spread peanut butter on a tortilla, wrap a banana in it and slice into “sushi” pieces
  • Frozen Yogurt Fruit Bark: Line baking sheet with parchment paper, pour yogurt onto baking sheet, sprinkle chopped fruit and freeze. 
  • Orange Bowl: Scoop out an orange half, fill it with whole-grain cereal and milk, and arrange orange segments around it for a sunny snack.
  • Burger Kebabs: Cook a veggie or turkey burger, cut into pieces, and thread onto skewers with cherry tomatoes and pita triangles. Drizzle with ketchup or mustard.
  • Smoothie Soup: Blend frozen fruit with vanilla yogurt and 100% fruit juice. Serve chilled in a bowl or a cantaloupe “bowl.”
  • Ant Attack: Spread peanut butter on celery and top with raisins.
  • Fruit Sundae: fill waffle cone with strawberries, drizzle with nut butter and top with slivered almonds.
  • Apple pizza: slice apple and top with nut butter, fruit, seeds and drizzle with honey.

Keeping it simple:

  • Trailmix
  • Banana + peanut butter
  • Hummus + pretzels or sliced veggies
  • Yogurt drink
  • Cheese stick + grapes
  • Baby carrots + peanut butter
  • Roasted chickpeas
  • Hard boiled egg + crackers
  • Popcorn + nuts
  • Edamame 
  • Yogurt cup and fruit

Remember, snacks can be delicious and nutritious! Help your kids meet their nutrition goals with these creative ideas. 🌟 #HealthyKids #AfterSchoolSnacks

Toddler Milk Trends

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Toddler Milk

What better way to kickoff Kids Eat Right Month than to take a closer look at one of the newest toddler food and beverage trends hitting the shelves!

If you haven’t heard of “toddler milk” yet, you soon will. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), toddler milk is the fastest-growing category of break milk substitutes currently on the market. As a parent or caregiver, you may be wondering what exactly toddler milk is and if this product is a good choice for your child. To help answer this question, the WHO, the American Heart Association (AHA), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) are all weighing in and the answer may surprise you.

What Exactly is “Toddler Milk”?

Toddler milk, also known as “growing up” milk, is a category of products marketed to children between the ages of 12 and 36 months. They can be found alongside infant and transition formulas and are often made by the same manufacturers that we as consumers know and trust. Their nutritional make-up consists primarily of powdered low-fat milk, corn syrup solids or other caloric sweeteners, and vegetable oil. They often have added nutrients such as DHA, vitamin E, and probiotics, to name a few, and many come with statements such as “no artificial growth hormones”, “organic” and “non-GMO” that consumers may be intrigued by.

Current Nutritional Recommendations for Toddlers

So how do toddler milks stack up against current nutritional recommendations? Presently, the recommendation for children 12 months and older is plain whole cow’s milk and the introduction of healthy and appropriate solids. Whole milk provides an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D for strong bones as well as protein and fat for overall growth and brain development. In addition, the American Heart Association recommends avoiding added sugars (including the corn syrup solids in toddler milks) for children under the age of 2 years.

What’s the Big Deal?

Compared with plain whole cow’s milk, research is finding that a large majority of toddler milks on the market today contain added sugar, more sodium, and less protein. One concern that experts share is in regard to the development of long-term taste preferences. This comes from the idea that the first 1,000 days of life are the most important in terms of the development of healthy eating patterns and preferences. Because of this, children may be more inclined to consume sweetened beverages, which may result in negative outcomes for weight down the road. In addition, packaging may contain claims, such as ‘probiotics to help support digestive health’, which are not supported by scientific research at this time.

Additional Food for Thought…

As breastfeeding rates have increased, the demand for infant formula has dropped dramatically. Because of this trend, many formula manufacturers are turning to alternative products to make up for the lost revenue. In terms of marketing, toddler milks tend to look very similar in color, branding, logo, and graphics compared to infant formulas and often cost less by volume. Interestingly, the U.S. has a regulatory body responsible for food labeling and policy-making for infant formula, but unfortunately has no laws specific to toddler milks at this time. Based on research published in April of 2020 from the Journal of Public Health Policy, one can see that “advertising spending on toddler milks increased fourfold during a 10-year period (2006-2015) and volume sales increased 2-6 times”. As a result of less demand for infant formula, increased marketing of toddler milks with lower prices and unfounded health benefits, the question is raised as to whether or not parents of infants may opt to purchase toddler milk instead of formula, putting infants at risk for inadequate nutrient intake.

Lastly, while the AAFP notes that toddler drinks hold no “advantage” over whole milk and a nutritionally adequate diet, food sensitives and allergies may cause one to turn to alternative milk products. In this case, we suggest talking with your Pediatrician and Registered Dietitian about the best options for you and your family. For more information on nutritional recommendations for toddlers and children, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov.  

AS

Healthy Lifestyle Opportunities during Social Distancing

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Over the past few weeks, it’s become easy to focus on things we’ve lost- 24/7 grocery store access, Barre classes, dining at our favorite restaurants, and even taking our children to the park. As the days turn into weeks, we grieve the loss of control in our daily routines.

This forced slowed down lifestyle gives us the ability to pause and be intentional about our health and fitness goals. We’re staying home, living a much slower pace, we have suddenly found ourselves with opportunities to be present and intentional.

Healthy Lifestyle Opportunities during Social Distancing

Time and necessity to plan meals and grocery shopping lists

  • Increasing interaction with the public is definitely a risky business. A quick trip into the convenience store when all you really need is gas could put you at a higher risk of contracting the coronavirus but also lead to a few moments of misguided pleasure down the candy aisle. With recommended interactions outside of the home being brief, it’s a necessity to plan in advance to prevent multiple trips to the store and to decrease impulse choices such as convenience items. This is the perfect time to save on your food dollar plus trim your waistline by decreasing portions. Instead of the larger portion or a second serving, save it for the next meal.
  • Our best defense is a strong offense. Live the strongest healthiest version of yourself you can.  Be absolutely intentional with getting in at least six servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Purchase a rainbow of colors to assure you are incorporating a variety of nutrients. Don’t neglect to keep frozen fruits and vegetables on hand for when you run out of fresh.

Teachable cooking moments for your family

  • Food prep and cooking at home can bring healthy options to your table in a fun and creative way. Try new recipes or experiment with new ways to cook to make cooking a fun family affair. More opportunities for family meals mean more opportunities for everyone to learn this essential life skill eliminating some of the feelings of, “I don’t want to cook, I don’t like to cook, I don’t know how to cook.” While we hope to never experience another pandemic, your children will benefit decades down the road for learning this important life skill.

Learning physical hunger over emotional hunger

  • Embrace this time to figure out physical vs emotional hunger.  Is your hunger coming from your gut or possibly your head? Is your hunger tied to the current freeway of anxiety, worry, fear, panic? This is the perfect time to look into the emotions you are feeling with curiosity, not shame or blame.  Identify your negative feelings and respond to them with compassionate words such as “isn’t this interesting.” Take the time to explore your feelings and learn more about yourself and your relationship with food. Remember, food will not fix fear, anxiety, worry or panic. COVID-19 will still be here after you polish off the chips, nuts, ice cream or cookies, then how will you feel? If you choose to indulge in reckless eating you will be layering more “icky” feelings on top of your “icky” corona feelings.

Feel your feelings and get moving

  • Everything about the coronavirus feels pretty awful. Thank heavens we can still be outdoors to exercise for our mental health. The weather has been challenging with days that have felt too hot, too cold or too wet to get outside. Realize you may need to adjust to the weather, you can dress cooler, wear a coat and even carry an umbrella—- MOVING is a necessity to maintain mental health. A dance party in the house would also work, I couldn’t live without my hula hoop during these trying times.

Seize the day! The stage is set! This is the perfect opportunity to create that healthy and fit version of you. Go forth and be intentional.

CB

5 Tips for a Healthful and Happy Halloween

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There are so many fun-filled activities that go along with Halloween. This year we want to help parents incorporate enjoyable experiences for the kids and the entire family. Here are 5 Tips for a Healthful and Happy Halloween.

1. Emphasize the non-food related aspects of the holiday

Emphasize activities over the consumption of sugar-filled treats that are commonly consumed around Halloween.

Examples of non-food related activities that can be done for Halloween include:

  • Visiting a local pumpkin patch to pick pumpkins
  • Feeding animals then taking a hayride
  • Hosting a costume contest
  • Decorating for the holiday
  • Reading It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
  • Watching a spooky movie, such as Spookley the Square Pumpkin

2. Balance

Serve a balanced meal or snack before trick or treating, while sorting through candy and every time you break out leftover candy. This will encourage having these sugar-filled treats in moderation. 

Some easy Halloween Snacks to try include:

3. Make it a moving holiday

Help balance out the eating by getting active. Increase activity by having a costume parade, walking door to door to collect candy, have a monster dance party and/or play games like costume tag or bobbing for apples. 

4. Avoid Allergies

There are several candies that have nuts or other common allergens in the ingredients. Handout out or having other treats available can be a great option for kids with allergies. Stickers, Play-Doh, applesauce, raisins, temporary tattoos, and spider rings are great alternatives to hand out instead of candy.

5. Pick Favorites

After trick or treating, have your child make a pile of his or her favorite candies to enjoy. Get your child involved and pack up the rest to be donated to a local shelter or send in a care package to those serving overseas. 

LN

Slice of Life- Folate and Pregnancy

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citrus-slices-on-tray

We often associate citrus fruits with vitamin C. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that aids in the growth and repair of body tissue. Vitamin C helps heal wounds and repair and maintain healthy bones, teeth, skin, and cartilage.

Let’s talk about folate!

Folate is also known as folic acid and is vital during pregnancy. Folate helps to reduce the risk of spine and brain deformities (known as neural tube defects).

Citrus fruits also provide a rich source of folate. Pregnant women need 600 mcg of folate each day, and breastfeeding women need 500 mcg per day. An average orange contains about 30 mcg of folate and an 8-ounce serving of 100% orange juice provides 15% of the recommended Daily Value for folate, due to fortification.

Some other foods rich in folate include beans, avocados, and spinach and fortified foods such as grains.

If you are considering getting pregnant, our dietitians at Banister can talk to you about a folate-rich diet during preconception for the optimal spine and brain development.

KD

Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 1998:150- 188.

Blueberries help in the fight against cancer.

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Summertime is the best time to explore in-season fruits.

Blueberries are in abundance and offer a wide variety of options when it comes to meals and snacks.

At 80 calories per one cup serving, blueberries provide a great source of antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and magnesium.

A handful of blueberries can be added to yogurt, mixed in pancake or waffle batters, and even pureed to compliment a salad vinaigrette. The possibilities are truly endless.

Blueberries are rich in flavonoids (mainly anthocyanidins), which have anti-cancer properties. The anthocyanins and polyphenols in blueberries are major functional ingredients for preventing disease.

A 2017 study in Pathology & Oncology Research, demonstrated that blueberries also exhibit inherent abilities to prevent carcinogenesis, inhibit the proliferation of neoplastic cells, and reduce the risks of recurrence in patients in remission. 

Many cancer research studies support that blueberries may be one of the best functional fruits in the health role of preventing chronic disease. Anthocyanins encourage our immune system to function properly, prevent DNA damage and regulate our hormones.

KD

Davidson, K.T., Zhu, Z., Balabanov, D. et al. Pathol. Oncol. Res. (2018) 24: 733. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12253-017-0376-2

August is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ first ever “Kids Eat Right” month

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With childhood obesity on the rise, making sure kids eat right and get plenty of exercise is vital.
Parents and caregivers can play a big role in children’s nutrition and health, teaching kids about healthy foods, being a good role model and making sure physical activity is incorporated into each day.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is encouraging families to take the following steps:

Shop Smart. To encourage a healthy lifestyle, get your children involved in selecting the food that will appear at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table.

Cook Healthy. Involve your child in the cutting, mixing and preparation of meals. They will learn about food and may even be enticed to try new foods they helped prepare.

Eat Right. Sit down together as a family to enjoy a wonderful meal and the opportunity to share the day’s experiences with one another. Research indicates that those families who eat together have a stronger bond, and children have higher self-confidence and perform better in school.

Healthy Habits. You can help kids form great, healthy habits by setting a good example. Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, choose lower-sodium options, and make at least half the grains your family eats whole grains. For beverages, choose water over sugary drinks, and opt for fat-free or low-fat milk.

Get Moving. Aside from being a great way to spend time together, regular physical activity is vital to strengthen muscle and bones, promote a healthy body weight, support learning, develop social skills and build self-esteem. Kids are encouraged to be active for 60 minutes per day.

Getting kids to eat right can sometimes be a challenge, particularly if they are picky eaters. Please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with Banister Nutrition for help with your family’s health.  We can help you with healthy meal and snack ideas, make sense of the feeding relationship and insure your children grow into healthy adults. mk

Importance of Family Meals with Adolescents

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Did you know that family meals have a great impact on your children becoming overweight? When families have dinner together at home, they tend to eat more fruits and vegetables. When younger kids eat healthy dinners with their families, they are less likely to become overweight. By practicing dining at home with fresh cooked meals at the dinner table, the child will most likely start making better healthy choices as they become older. If a parent is constantly buying fast food for their child, they will only demand fast food over time.
Two cross-sectional, direct observational studies examining interpersonal dynamics at family meals with overweight children found that families with an obese child had difficulties with interpersonal dynamics during the family meal time, such as managing family members emotions, interpersonal involvement, parental discipline, and role division during family meals as compared to family with non-overweight children.
Here are some key points to induce great family dinners:
  • Make it enjoyable. Leave the serious discussions for another time. Family meals are for nourishment, comfort, and support.
  • Use the crock pot. Put everything together before leaving for work in the morning. You’ll come home to the delicious smell of a cooked meal.
  • Avoid portion distortion. Keep serving sizes under control, whether you’re at home or eating out.
  • Get the family involved. Let kids help prepare meals and set the table.
  • Keep it simple. Family meals don’t have to be elaborate. Work salads and vegetables into meals. Focus on familiar favorites!

 

Posted by: SSG

Sources: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23567247
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/family-dinners-are-important