Eight Habits of Healthy Kids
Healthy Children Have Healthy Futures!
Grades K-2
Do you want to stay healthy, look good, feel good and have the strength and energy to play each day? Well today we will learn about the 8 Habits of Healthy Kids, which help us achieve these goals.
1. Eat at least a total of 5 fruits and vegetables every day.
Remember to eat the color way. Fruits and vegetables are full of nutrients (vitamins and minerals our body needs to look and feel good. The darker in color your fruits and vegetables are the more nutrients you’ll find. Describe an example of broccoli and iceberg lettuce.
2. Snack on healthy foods and less “junk food” and sweets.
Eating non-nutritious or unhealthy foods can make you tired, overweight and unable to your best in school.
Can anyone name some snack foods that the tooth fairy would not like to see kids bring to school? Show high sugar drinks and snacks and review how they can cause cavities.
Can anyone name some healthy snacks?
Think fruit and vegetables, cheese, yogurt etc. for healthy snacks. Show food models.
3. Drink or eat at least 3 low fat dairy foods a day.
Dairy food includes 1% or non-fat milk, yogurt and cheese.
Milk is good for you and gives your body important vitamins and minerals. One mineral found in milk is calcium. Calcium helps you to grow strong bones and teeth.
Milk is an important part of a healthy diet but it can also be a big source of (saturated) fat. The kind of fat found in some milk is not healthy for our heart. That is why we recommend choosing non-fat milk or 1% milk. These milks give you the calcium you need and are low in fat. Show and explain using bacon strips the different fat contents of non-fat, 1%, 2% and whole milk.
One cup of whole milk has as much fat as 5 strips of bacon.
2% milk has as much fat as 3 strips of bacon
1% milk has as much fat as 1 strip of bacon
Non-fat milk is fat free
4. Drink at least 2 glasses of water a day instead of soda or other sweet drinks.
When you are thirsty drink water, drink milk with your meals and leave sweet drinks for only once in awhile, (special occasions).
Bring water to school not juice boxes, Capri sun, Gatorade etc. These drinks can cause tooth decay and extra weight gain. Show sugar content of drinks.
5. Eat smaller amounts- bigger is not better. Refer to poster, explain portion sizes. Focus on this for the older grades. Explain the portion size kit.
6. Eat less fast-foods (2 or less times per week) and make healthier fast food choices.
Lots of fast foods make for slow bodies. Choose 100% orange juice instead of soda. Buy a small hamburger. Try the salads with low fat dressing.
7. Spend less than 2 hours a day watching TV and playing video and computer games.
Studies show the more time kids spent watching TV or playing games, the less time they spend being physically active. These habits can lead to overweight.
8. Spend at least 1 hour a day being physically active.
Being active strengthens your muscles. It is good for your heart. It makes your bones stronger, too. Moving around makes you feel good, no matter what activity you do.
What are your favorite activities?
Lets look at how our muscles work for us. Stand up and let’s do these activities together:
· Arm muscles raise and lower your arms and bend your elbows.
· Shoulder muscles raise your arms and help you carry things.
· Diaphragm muscles help you breath, talk, sneeze, cough, hiccup and giggle.
· Abdominal muscles control your large trunk movements.
· Thigh muscles raise and lower your legs. Bend your knee joints. Help you to stand, run and climb.
· Calf muscles control your ankles, feet and toes.
· Your tongue is also a muscle that helps you to eat and speak. That muscle usually gets the most exercise.
Eat right and keep active it’s easy to do. If you take care of your body, it will take care of you!!