YMCA Healthy Living Magazine, powered by n4 food and health Spring 2018 | Page 17

It’s okay to have an occasional treat You’ll never hear a dietitian refer to a food as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. We prefer to use terms like ‘sometimes’ and ‘everyday’ foods. While an apple is a food that should be enjoyed regularly, a chocolate bar should only be consumed from time to time. It’s important to teach kids this philosophy from an early age and how to identify which food and drinks are for ‘everyday’ and which ones are for ‘sometimes’. Australian Guide to Healthy Eating Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious from these five food groups every foods day. Drink plenty of water. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating provides a simple visual guide to help kids understand this, and can be printed from www.nhmrc.gov.au Vegetables and legumes/beans Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties Muesli Polenta Quinoa Fettuccine Penne Lentils Red kidney beans Wheat flakes Red lentils Chickpeas Red kidney beans Mixed nuts Chickpeas Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans Use small amounts fruit, yoghurt, a glass of milk and baked beans or eggs on toast. Lack of time is a common excuse among those who skip breakfast; however, eating breakfast needn’t be a laborious task for you or your kids. Make the extra 5 to 10 minutes needed to consume breakfast quality family time – you may want to tackle the morning crossword together. Win-win. Fruit Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives, mostly reduced fat Only sometimes and in small amounts Practise good food safety Young children are more at risk of getting food poisoning as their immune systems are not yet fully developed. The bugs that trigger food-borne illness grow between 5°C and 60°C, so it’s vital to keep food cool. Using insulated lunch boxes or cooler bags, placing a frozen drink bottle next to foods that should be kept cool, and ensuring that packed lunches are kept out of direct sunlight will minimise the risk of food poisoning. Also, encourage your kids to consume at-risk foods like cheeses, eggs, dips and milks at morning recess, and to save their fruit, popcorn, crackers and other less vulnerable foods for their mid-afternoon break. By sending your kids to school armed with nutritional goodies, as well as ensuring they don’t leave home without breakfast, you’ll be maximising their potential in the classroom and on the sporting field – now that’s something every parent can be proud of. Make time for breakfast Research shows that Australian kids who skip breakfast are heavier than those who eat breakfast. The evidence also shows that kids who do skip breakfast may struggle to obtain their daily requirements of fibre, iron, calcium, zinc and riboflavin. Eating a nutritious breakfast reduces fatigue, facilitates learning and increases concentration. Some easy- to-prepare breakfast foods include porridge, whole-wheat and wholegrain cereals, multigrain toast with peanut butter or VEGEMITE, fresh SPRING 2018 YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE 17