We all have moments when we think “my family is going to start eating healthier!” But what seems like a fairly simple goal quickly becomes overwhelming. It might be helpful to break “healthy eating” into several parts: making sure healthy food is available to your family throughout the day, choosing healthy foods when presented with many options, and preparing and trying healthy foods.
Let’s focus on making healthy food available to your family throughout the day. As a parent, you make decisions about what foods come into your home, and you also influence what your kids eat while at school. Here are some tips for home and school!
Make healthy foods available at home:
- Plan meals for the week, then make a shopping list and stick to it. Impulse buys can blow your food budget. Visit extension.umd.edu/eatsmart for recipes and serving ideas!
- Find the best deals. Shop store brands, sales, and use coupon and store loyalty programs to save money.
- Spend all of your food supplement benefits like SNAP and eWIC to stretch your healthy foods budget. At the farmers’ market, boost your fresh produce budget with SNAP, eWIC, FMNP checks, and double dollars like Maryland Market Money.
- Keep washed and cut fruit or veggies in a designated snack container for a "no-brainer" healthy snack.
- Instead of a sit down restaurant, buy a rotisserie chicken or a pizza. Pair it with a salad, rice, or vegetables.
- All forms count. Canned, frozen, and fresh in-season fruits and vegetables are all healthy choices and may cost less.
Make healthy foods available at school:
- Complete a Free and Reduced School Meals form at the start of the school year.
- Get kids excited about school meals - read the school meal menu together and circle favorites and new foods to try.
- Pack healthy lunches including washed and cut fruits and veggies like carrot or celery sticks, mini sweet peppers, and apple slices. Kids like bite-sized, ready to eat foods.
- Bring healthy snacks for classroom parties. Cheese and whole grain crackers, veggies and low fat dip, and washed and cut fruit for kids to make their own fruit kabobs.
There is a time and place for less than healthy “sometimes foods”. However, parents can work to make sure schools are prioritizing healthy foods throughout the school day. Here are some ideas for being a healthy food champion at your child’s school:
- Ask to add school-wide healthy celebrations to the next PTA or PTO meeting agenda.
- Connect with the cafeteria manager to see how you can help promote school meals.
- Work with the PTA or PTO to promote healthy fundraisers, such as Mother’s Day flower sales, selling pumpkins at the fall festival, or selling other non-food items.
- Ask school administrators to create a no food as rewards policy and suggest these ideas instead:
- Extra outdoor recess time
- Classroom physical activity break
- Student of the week award
