When I was working on a recent television interview in which I discussed school lunch, I was prompted to check on the progress of my daughter’s school lunches this year. I was pleased to find out that her school district has taken on the HealthierUS School Challenge!
What is the HealthierUS School Challenge?
The HealthierUS School Challenge is a government-to-school encourager to voluntarily...
Feeding behaviors are solidified early in life. In general, children are wonderful examples of listening to their hunger and satiety cues. Both of my children are great examples. My son is a really big eater in the morning and into lunch time and then has a tendency to pick the rest of the day. While other days, he eats very little. My daughter, on the other hand, eats a small amount at breakfast and...
Recently, I was honored to speak at the Texas PTA Leadership Conference in Austin, TX on the importance of family mealtimes. The benefits of family meals go far beyond nutrition. Did you know that young people who reported eating dinner with their family 5 or more times per week were much likelier to report receiving either all A’s or mostly A’s and B’s in school? Other key items from research...
The reality is that the Halloween tradition is about children receiving candy as they go door to door in their Halloween costumes. Halloween only occurs once a year, so I say, let the children enjoy some candy. Don’t get me wrong. I love the healthier ideas out there, especially the toy and sticker alternative. But remember, candy is not the root of all evil – it is the frequency in which it...
Many people believe that sending a school lunch is always the healthier alternative. Is it? School lunch has been under heavy scrutiny for good reason. However, I have done many diet recalls on children and have seen my share of issues with lunches brought from home as well.
Therefore, I put together the tips below and a chart at the end of this article that get you to think objectively about your...
