So-- you've made it through the second week of school and are patting yourself on the back for a job well done--kids seemed to have eaten their lunches (at least the lunchbag comes back empty) and all is well. Only 60 more lunches to make until the Winter Holidays... but who's counting?
If you are already wondering how you can come up with healthy lunch ideas that your kids will actually eat, the following tips will help make sure your kids happily anticipate their lunch instead of tossing or trading it.
1. Get a kid's perspective. "Buy in" is not only necessary in the business world, it's also a big plus when getting kids to eat. Get your kid involved in the whole process--from making the grocery list to making choices on a daily basis. Do you want an apple or a fruit cup today? A wrap or a sandwich? Bring or buy? Kids have very little control over their day once they leave home--giving them a choice (but a choice you approve of) makes them feel more independent. There are also lots of teachable moments involved--your kid wants chips--explain the benefit of baked over fried... (FOR MORE TIPS SEE PART 2 OF THIS BLOG-PACKING A LUNCH--coming soon!)
2. Buy: When there is no time to pack a lunch, there are 2 options: buy or bring a pre-boxed lunch. While school lunches have gotten their share of brow-beating, it's not as bad as you think. School lunch does have to meet USDA nutritional guidelines, which admittedly are not as healthy as most dietitians would like, they do insure your child gets a balanced, nutritious lunch. Burgers and hot dogs on the menu--what about that? Here's what's not on the menu--hot dogs are reduced fat because they're made with turkey, beef is often a beef-soy mix--also to reduce the fat. There are also some teachable moments at the lunch line. Schools have the option of "offer" vs "serve". In our schools, it's "offer"--that means your kid needs to pick 4 things off the line. The good news, is again, if your kid picks it, he is more likely to eat it. The bad news is, he can walk away with the main entree, (which could be pizza), along with bread and corn. Yep it's definitely a starchy meal...here's where mom's or dad's influence comes in.
3. Pre-packaged meals. Lunch nirvana for kids and moms alike is often lunch in a box. Yes, I'm talking Lunchables. Over the years, Lunchables has decreased fat, sodium and calories—more than 20% . Now, some options include bottled water, fruit and bread made with whole grains. I see Lunchables as not an everyday thing, but a great option when all you have is 15 seconds to put lunch together. I also see some teachable moments for Lunchables. They are perfect portions for a kid--for overweight kids, they provide a moderate calorie, balanced lunch that has “cool” appeal.
4. Send a little love. (And I don't mean a candy bar!) Sending a little note in the lunchbag is a great way to let your child know you're thinking about him. A post-it note is perfect for this. Jot out a little poem, or just say I love you! You can help a Boys and Girls Club near you by making a promise to send a lunchnote! Go to lunchnotepromise.com and make the pledge and Lunchables will donate $1 to a Boys & Girls Club in your state. And there are lots of really cute notes to download too.
(Disclosure: I have a worked as a consultant for Lunchables for the last 5 years. Why? I believe they offer an acceptable lunch option for kids and they consistently strive to improve on the nutrient content of their products.)
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Six Ways to Eat Blueberries for Breakfast
Ah, summer...although officially it's not summer yet. We've got all the essentials--kids out of school, pool's open and it's definitely hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk. And let's not forget all the summer fruit arriving at your local market: strawberries, blueberries, cherries and melon (to name a few) are yours for the tasting. Adding the bounties of summer to your table also do some favors for your health. Summer fruits are packed with vitamin C, potassium, fiber and water. Potassium is good for your blood pressure, vitamin C is good for your immune system and we all need fiber and water to help the digetive system do it's thing. I must mention all the antioxidants in your summer fruit that you could never get by taking a vitamin supplement!
Which brings me to one of my favorite summer fruits, blueberries. That bluish color that we love so much (except when it's on your white shirt) is provided by an antioxidant called anthocyanidin. Anthocyanidins neutralize free radicals that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, heart disease, cancer and much more. Blueberries even contain 38% more of that antioxidant than red wine! Just imagine how healthy we'd all be if we had a cup of blueberries every night with dinner! Blueberries are also brain food--animals studies show they decrease oxidative stress in the brain, which could lead to Alzheimer's.
I just had a cup of them on top of my cereal, which inspired me to inspire you to eat them too!
Five Ways to Eat Blueberries at Breakfast:
1. On your cereal. What could be easier? (My personal fav is Kashi Go Lean Crunch) If you like your cereal hot in the summer, blueberries are great thrown in at the last minute of cooking. They burst and then you've got blue oatmeal. Yum!
2. Over a whole grain waffle. What I like to do is spread the waffle with natural peanut butter and then stick the blueberries in the holes. The berries stick to the peanut butter and you can pick it up with your hands. Fun for kids!
3. On your bagel. Spread some lowfat of FF cream cheese on that small, whole grain bagel and again stick the blueberries on. Make a smiley face to start your day on the right foot!
4. As a crisp or in a quick bread. OK so it sounds more like dessert, right? You can make a low sugar blueberry crisp with oatmeal and eat it for breakfast. Seconds anyone? Don't forget the milk!
5. In your pancakes--or crepes. I know what you're thinking--this dietitian likes sweets! Well, true, but here I'm advocating for a healthier pancake. Even Aunt Jemima makes whole wheat pancakes now. Or take the regular mix, throw in some wheat germ and oatmeal in place of some mix, and use milk instead of water. Mix in blueberries in the whole batch, or just poke them on top of the pancakes while they are cooking. Crepes are thinner so you can eat more of them and fill them to overflowing with berries and light whip cream.
6. In a race. Those with teenagers at home will like this one. See how many you can throw in the air and catch with your mouth. If you have a toddler at home, you can see who eats more--the baby or the dog waiting for the baby to throw them over the high chair!
7. I only promised 6 ideas, and here is the bonus. I don't count it in the official list because it is more of a thinking out loud idea. All the above are sweet ideas, but now that I'm trying to eat more protein (increases satiety, prevents muscle loss from aging etc) how could I fit blueberries into a hot, high protein menu? How about a blueberry omelette? A stretch to be sure, but you could put blueberries and cream cheese in the omelette. (Actually if you google this, you fill find lots of recipes!)
See you at Sam's--where I buy 2 quarts of blueberries a week! Enjoy!
More health benefits of blueberries.
Which brings me to one of my favorite summer fruits, blueberries. That bluish color that we love so much (except when it's on your white shirt) is provided by an antioxidant called anthocyanidin. Anthocyanidins neutralize free radicals that can lead to cataracts, glaucoma, heart disease, cancer and much more. Blueberries even contain 38% more of that antioxidant than red wine! Just imagine how healthy we'd all be if we had a cup of blueberries every night with dinner! Blueberries are also brain food--animals studies show they decrease oxidative stress in the brain, which could lead to Alzheimer's.
I just had a cup of them on top of my cereal, which inspired me to inspire you to eat them too!
Five Ways to Eat Blueberries at Breakfast:
1. On your cereal. What could be easier? (My personal fav is Kashi Go Lean Crunch) If you like your cereal hot in the summer, blueberries are great thrown in at the last minute of cooking. They burst and then you've got blue oatmeal. Yum!
2. Over a whole grain waffle. What I like to do is spread the waffle with natural peanut butter and then stick the blueberries in the holes. The berries stick to the peanut butter and you can pick it up with your hands. Fun for kids!
3. On your bagel. Spread some lowfat of FF cream cheese on that small, whole grain bagel and again stick the blueberries on. Make a smiley face to start your day on the right foot!
4. As a crisp or in a quick bread. OK so it sounds more like dessert, right? You can make a low sugar blueberry crisp with oatmeal and eat it for breakfast. Seconds anyone? Don't forget the milk!
5. In your pancakes--or crepes. I know what you're thinking--this dietitian likes sweets! Well, true, but here I'm advocating for a healthier pancake. Even Aunt Jemima makes whole wheat pancakes now. Or take the regular mix, throw in some wheat germ and oatmeal in place of some mix, and use milk instead of water. Mix in blueberries in the whole batch, or just poke them on top of the pancakes while they are cooking. Crepes are thinner so you can eat more of them and fill them to overflowing with berries and light whip cream.
6. In a race. Those with teenagers at home will like this one. See how many you can throw in the air and catch with your mouth. If you have a toddler at home, you can see who eats more--the baby or the dog waiting for the baby to throw them over the high chair!
7. I only promised 6 ideas, and here is the bonus. I don't count it in the official list because it is more of a thinking out loud idea. All the above are sweet ideas, but now that I'm trying to eat more protein (increases satiety, prevents muscle loss from aging etc) how could I fit blueberries into a hot, high protein menu? How about a blueberry omelette? A stretch to be sure, but you could put blueberries and cream cheese in the omelette. (Actually if you google this, you fill find lots of recipes!)
See you at Sam's--where I buy 2 quarts of blueberries a week! Enjoy!
More health benefits of blueberries.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Allergies? Eat This
For many allergy sufferers, this is a really annoying time of year. But for kids, it can be even worse since allergies often lead to painful ear infections. And, many doctors don't want to prescribe allergy medicines for young children.
So what's a parent to do? Feed your child allergy-friendly foods, of course!
1. Eat foods rich in folate. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found that people with the highest blood levels of folate have a 40% less chance to have antibodies to allergens in the bloodstream or to suffer from allergic skin rashes.
Folate Rich Foods:
Lentils (which can easily be made into baby food for babies)
Spinach
Black, navy and pinto beans
Artichokes
Beets (another baby favorite--just don't forget the bib because beet stains are bad!)
2. Eat yogurt. Researchers at UC Davis found that people who ate just 6 oz of yogurt a day had fewer days with hay fever attacks--especially from grass pollens, and they also had fewer symptoms. Why? Keeping gut flora healthy is important for maintaining the immune system. (Antibiotic therapy throws this balance of "good" bacteria" way off.) Yogurt smoothies anyone? Yogurt makes a great dip for toddlers to eat more fruit.
3. Eat coldwater fish like salmon. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish have anti-inflammatory properties which protect against the overproduction of some antibodies that can trigger allergies. They may also reduce the severity of allergies. The American Academy of Pediatric's view on introducing fish to babies has changed; unless you have allergies in your family, their policy says you can introduce any food after 4-6 months of age. (However, if you do have severe allergies in your family, check with your child's doctor, just to make sure.) If you do serve fish to your baby, make sure that it is the proper texture for her developmental stage. And make sure there are no bones. Some kid-friendly foods are also fortified with omega-3's--such as milk, yogurt and some infant cereals and baby foods.
4. Eat Fruits and Vegetables: Especially those rich in Vitamin C and beta-carotene. These antioxidants are said to also reduce inflammation in the lungs, which can contribute to asthma attacks. Think citrus fruit, and dark orange fruits and vegetables: mango, peach, apricot, sweet potato, carrots, red peppers.
So what's a parent to do? Feed your child allergy-friendly foods, of course!
1. Eat foods rich in folate. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found that people with the highest blood levels of folate have a 40% less chance to have antibodies to allergens in the bloodstream or to suffer from allergic skin rashes.
Folate Rich Foods:
Lentils (which can easily be made into baby food for babies)
Spinach
Black, navy and pinto beans
Artichokes
Beets (another baby favorite--just don't forget the bib because beet stains are bad!)
2. Eat yogurt. Researchers at UC Davis found that people who ate just 6 oz of yogurt a day had fewer days with hay fever attacks--especially from grass pollens, and they also had fewer symptoms. Why? Keeping gut flora healthy is important for maintaining the immune system. (Antibiotic therapy throws this balance of "good" bacteria" way off.) Yogurt smoothies anyone? Yogurt makes a great dip for toddlers to eat more fruit.
3. Eat coldwater fish like salmon. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish have anti-inflammatory properties which protect against the overproduction of some antibodies that can trigger allergies. They may also reduce the severity of allergies. The American Academy of Pediatric's view on introducing fish to babies has changed; unless you have allergies in your family, their policy says you can introduce any food after 4-6 months of age. (However, if you do have severe allergies in your family, check with your child's doctor, just to make sure.) If you do serve fish to your baby, make sure that it is the proper texture for her developmental stage. And make sure there are no bones. Some kid-friendly foods are also fortified with omega-3's--such as milk, yogurt and some infant cereals and baby foods.
4. Eat Fruits and Vegetables: Especially those rich in Vitamin C and beta-carotene. These antioxidants are said to also reduce inflammation in the lungs, which can contribute to asthma attacks. Think citrus fruit, and dark orange fruits and vegetables: mango, peach, apricot, sweet potato, carrots, red peppers.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Pesticides and ADHD: DON'T hold the Fruits and Veggies
A study published last week in Pediatrics showed a significantly increased risk of ADHD in kids who had higher levels of pesticide residues in their urine. The type of pesticides studied are organophosphates--a type of bug killer that kills insects by disrupting the insect's brain and nervous system. What is notable about this study is that it looked at kids with average exposure, while previous studies looked at kids with excess pesticide exposure.
There are 37 organophosphate pesticides used in the United States. Exposure can happen by:
*Eating or drinking something with organophosphate pesticide residue
*Breathing air that has organophosphate
*Skin contact through skin or open wound
What Can You Do to reduce your child's exposure to pesticides?
Don't, I repeat, DON'T stop giving your children fruits and vegetables; the nutrients in them are vital for growth and development, as well as short-term and long-term health.
1. DO Offer Your Child a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables; this will limit the amount of pesticide he consumes from any one food.
2. Wash all fruits and vegetables well before serving. Personally, I like to use a produce wash called Fit.
3. Buy organic produce when possible, especially for produce with the most pesticides:
4. Take a look at home pesticide use:
Are you using a lawn service that uses pesticides?
Do you use a Pest Control service that sprays pesticides inside or outside?
Do you use insect spray to kill roaches and other bugs around the house etc?
If you answered yes to any of these, carefully consider the risk/benefits to the practice of regular pesticide use to your family. You may want to discontinue or decrease your use of pesticides at home or restrict their entry into the home by only using them outside, taking shoes off inside, etc. You can also look for natural and less harmful methods/chemicals.
5. If your children are in school, take a look at your school's pesticide use policy, which must be made available to parents. If organophosphate pesticides are being used; challenge the school to find a safer alternative for children.
6. If you live in an area with mosquitoes (or in a farming community) make sure your children stay inside and you have the windows closed when your community is spraying for them.
Environmental chemicals can be toxic to children and the unborn. Do what you can now to reduce the chemical burden for the children in your life.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Starting Solids? Not So Fast!
One of the most anticipated milestones in the first 6 months of age is that first bite of solid food. I can still picture the faces of my kids with sweet potato or green peas smeared all over them!
Working with parents, I find that starting solids is still something parents and grandparents REALLY look forward to. It's also something to be touted in those conversations of "my baby's doing this--what's your baby doing?"
Well as exciting as that first bite might be, research shows that it's one Kodak moment that may be best put off--at least for a month or two. The research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at the BMI of 42 year olds and compared it to the age at which they started eating solids. The study showed that the later the introduction of solid foods,(up to 6 months) the lower the risk of overweight at age 42.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months--meaning breastfed infants don't need solids until about that time. That said, there are a small number of infants who are ready for solids before 6 months. In my experience, that usually includes babies who are born large and are developmentally ready for solids before then. On the other hand, when babies go through a growth spurt, it is easy to confuse this short period of increased demand in breastfeeding to a need for solids.
The bottom line: use your baby's developmental cues, not his age, to determine if he is ready for solids. If he has good control of his head and neck, is sitting with support and seems genuinely interested in what you are eating, it may be time to consider solid foods. Remember that rushing this milestone may not be good for your child's waistline in the future!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
HEALTHY KITCHEN HABITS FOR EARTH DAY--AND EVERY DAY!
Happy Earth Day!
Every year Earth Day becomes more top of mind as it becomes more prominent in the media. Habits that we start now for Earth Day can help save the planet for our kids and grandkids--and can improve your health NOW.
Let's face it--the kitchen is probably the one room in the house that produces the most trash and uses a whole host of unpronounceable chemicals too. We make hundreds of buying decisions for the kitchen--and they can either help or hurt the environment. Below are my favorite ways to help mother nature, while at the same time, putting money in your pocket and improving your health too!
1. Grow Your Own.
Growing your own vegetables, herbs or fruit not only gives you orgnically grown produce, it also dramatically reduces your carbon footprint for eating those foods. Think of the transportation costs saved--your personal ones and also the trucks that transport produce sometimes thousands of miles! Plant a peach tree today. It will be a few years before you can enjoy the fruits, but at that time you can enjoy organically grown peaches. (Peaches are one of the fruits with the most detectable pesticides.) The health benefit of growing your own? Gardening is great exercise and is very good for your mental health too! (for those gardening or time challenged: start with a cherry tomato plant on the patio!)
2. Decrease Your use of Chemicals.
Baking soda and vinegar or lemon make a great substitute for an abrasive cleanser. (and there are entire books on natural cleaning recipes.) There are many biodegradable, natural cleaning products on the market too. Seventh Generation (most grocery stores) Method (Target) and Meyer's Clean Day (Bed, Bath & Beyond and Natural food stores) are just a few. My personal favorite for the kitchen is Meyer's Clean Day--completely biodegradable and cruelty free. You can also have a single (natural) fragrance for the whole house. I like the Geranium scent.
3.
3. Be Picky about Packaging. Sometimes you just can't get away from individually packaged foods. Some of the single serving cookies, crackers etc can help save us from ourselves! It's best when you can get away from layers of packaging or purchasing larger or refillable packaging. For example, Method hand wash and Mrs. Meyers comes in a bag so you can refill your pretty soap dispensers. When you buy the Meyer's Countertop Spray, the bottle suggests refilling it with water and 2 Tb of their All Purpose Cleaner to have the same cleaning effects. Biodegradable packaging is also on the horizon. Sun Chips now comes in a biodegradable bag!
4. Use Reusable Bags. OK-I'll admit that I have the reusable bags in my car but I often forget them. I usually remember when I'm checking out, so I'll instead just put the food back in the cart and bag it when I get to the car. When I buy a few small items at Walgreens, etc, I'll just walk out with the product and receipt in my hand. If you find yourself forgetting the reusable bags more than remembering them, you can now recycyle the extras at Target and Walmart.
5. Buy Recyclable. In most communities that's #1 or #2. I've found that many of the organic products (box of organic greens at Sam's) are recyclable. Take advantage of curbside recycling and if you don't have it, encourage your community to start it.
6. Buy BPA Packaging. If it's BPA free it will most likely be labeled as such. Many plastic products have BPA, a chemical that has been found to have estrogenic effects on the body. (Hint-I've noticed that a lot of the plastic plates and glasses made in China specify that they are not dishwasher safe or only safe on the top rack. This probably means that they contain plastics that are more likely to come out with high temperatures.)
7.
Stop buying Water Bottles. We stopped buying individual water bottles a few months ago because it was just too easy to grab one on the way out the door. Instead I just take a glass of water in the car with me or use a reusable bottle.
8. Buy larger packages of food. True, a family of two may not be able to use 2 quarts of artichoke hearts that you can find at Sam's! Then, find a friend to share it with--which is exactly what I did with my artichokes!
9. Cut down on Plastic Wrap. Plastic wrap has been known to also contain BPA and other plasticizers not good for health. It's mostly a problem when it comes into contact with a high fat food. I'd guess that most of us use plastic wrap in the microwave at times--just don't let it touch the food.
10. Keep Baggies to a Minimum. What do you do with that half of avocado, lemon or onion? Well if you're like me, you probably put it in a zipper bag. Recently I began using a small refrigerator container instead. I've noticed that putting it in a container also keeps it from getting pushed back in the produce drawer and getting lost.
Enjoy Earth Day and remember: your choices today can make a healthier planet tomorrow!
If you have more ideas, please post a comment!
Every year Earth Day becomes more top of mind as it becomes more prominent in the media. Habits that we start now for Earth Day can help save the planet for our kids and grandkids--and can improve your health NOW.
Let's face it--the kitchen is probably the one room in the house that produces the most trash and uses a whole host of unpronounceable chemicals too. We make hundreds of buying decisions for the kitchen--and they can either help or hurt the environment. Below are my favorite ways to help mother nature, while at the same time, putting money in your pocket and improving your health too!
1. Grow Your Own.
Growing your own vegetables, herbs or fruit not only gives you orgnically grown produce, it also dramatically reduces your carbon footprint for eating those foods. Think of the transportation costs saved--your personal ones and also the trucks that transport produce sometimes thousands of miles! Plant a peach tree today. It will be a few years before you can enjoy the fruits, but at that time you can enjoy organically grown peaches. (Peaches are one of the fruits with the most detectable pesticides.) The health benefit of growing your own? Gardening is great exercise and is very good for your mental health too! (for those gardening or time challenged: start with a cherry tomato plant on the patio!)2. Decrease Your use of Chemicals.
Baking soda and vinegar or lemon make a great substitute for an abrasive cleanser. (and there are entire books on natural cleaning recipes.) There are many biodegradable, natural cleaning products on the market too. Seventh Generation (most grocery stores) Method (Target) and Meyer's Clean Day (Bed, Bath & Beyond and Natural food stores) are just a few. My personal favorite for the kitchen is Meyer's Clean Day--completely biodegradable and cruelty free. You can also have a single (natural) fragrance for the whole house. I like the Geranium scent.3.
3. Be Picky about Packaging. Sometimes you just can't get away from individually packaged foods. Some of the single serving cookies, crackers etc can help save us from ourselves! It's best when you can get away from layers of packaging or purchasing larger or refillable packaging. For example, Method hand wash and Mrs. Meyers comes in a bag so you can refill your pretty soap dispensers. When you buy the Meyer's Countertop Spray, the bottle suggests refilling it with water and 2 Tb of their All Purpose Cleaner to have the same cleaning effects. Biodegradable packaging is also on the horizon. Sun Chips now comes in a biodegradable bag!4. Use Reusable Bags. OK-I'll admit that I have the reusable bags in my car but I often forget them. I usually remember when I'm checking out, so I'll instead just put the food back in the cart and bag it when I get to the car. When I buy a few small items at Walgreens, etc, I'll just walk out with the product and receipt in my hand. If you find yourself forgetting the reusable bags more than remembering them, you can now recycyle the extras at Target and Walmart.
5. Buy Recyclable. In most communities that's #1 or #2. I've found that many of the organic products (box of organic greens at Sam's) are recyclable. Take advantage of curbside recycling and if you don't have it, encourage your community to start it.
6. Buy BPA Packaging. If it's BPA free it will most likely be labeled as such. Many plastic products have BPA, a chemical that has been found to have estrogenic effects on the body. (Hint-I've noticed that a lot of the plastic plates and glasses made in China specify that they are not dishwasher safe or only safe on the top rack. This probably means that they contain plastics that are more likely to come out with high temperatures.)
7.
Stop buying Water Bottles. We stopped buying individual water bottles a few months ago because it was just too easy to grab one on the way out the door. Instead I just take a glass of water in the car with me or use a reusable bottle. 8. Buy larger packages of food. True, a family of two may not be able to use 2 quarts of artichoke hearts that you can find at Sam's! Then, find a friend to share it with--which is exactly what I did with my artichokes!
9. Cut down on Plastic Wrap. Plastic wrap has been known to also contain BPA and other plasticizers not good for health. It's mostly a problem when it comes into contact with a high fat food. I'd guess that most of us use plastic wrap in the microwave at times--just don't let it touch the food.
10. Keep Baggies to a Minimum. What do you do with that half of avocado, lemon or onion? Well if you're like me, you probably put it in a zipper bag. Recently I began using a small refrigerator container instead. I've noticed that putting it in a container also keeps it from getting pushed back in the produce drawer and getting lost.
Enjoy Earth Day and remember: your choices today can make a healthier planet tomorrow!
If you have more ideas, please post a comment!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Become a Fan of Cereal!
I've been a cereal eater all my life. It's a quick breakfast and an easy way to start the day with a whole grain, a serving of dairy and it's a great vehicle for a fruit serving too. My bowl is usually a smorgasbord of cereals--some Cheerios, with a bit of granola and some ground flax seed to top it all off. Or Raisin Bran with a sprinkle of oats. I also love Go Lean Crunch with a sprinkle of ground flax seed or wheat germ.Generally I slice up half a banana on top in the winter or some fresh berries or peaches in the summer.
My new winter favorite is what I call blue oatmeal. You cook the oatmeal 'til it's just about done and then put in about 1/2 cup of fresh blueberries and cook another 30 seconds to a minute until the blueberries just start to pop.
So now you get the picture--a cereal breakfast doesn't have to be the same day in and out. And the good news is it's super healthy. Besides the benefits mentioned above, research says that it's a habit you should stick with:
- Frequent cereal eaters have healthier body weights--that includes men, women and kids--even if the cereal is pre-sweetened. In the 7-9 year old age group, 50% of kids who ate fewer than 4 servings of cereal in 14 days were overweight compared to only 16% of kids who ate more than 7 servings in 14 days.
- Eating cereal is associated with better nutritional status--especially calcium and fiber intake.
- Cereal can help lower your cholesterol. The soluble fiber found in oats, oat bran and Cheerios can reduce bad LDL cholesterol levels. I've always been a fan of cheerios--for toddlers, it's a perfect finger food, for kids, it's a fun to eat, low sugar cereal. For adults it's a tasty way to start the day.
- Girls who continue to eat cereal regularly are less likely to become overweight during adolescence.
- Because ready to eat cereal is quick to eat, it encourages breakfast eating. Kids who eat breakfast do better on test scores and have fewer problems paying attention in the morning and have reduced absenteeism and tardiness.
- People who have lost 30 pounds or more and kept it off have one thing in common--90% of them eat breakfast and 80% eat cereal and fruit for breakfast.
Just one more word of advice which I think I'll follow: Go Pour Yourself a Bowl!
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