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Does your child eat healthy lunches and snacks?

Our nutrition is determined early on in our lives based upon the food we eat. Studies have shown that metabolism is both genetic and developed, meaning that our youth have a higher likelihood of battling otherwise bad genetics–or supporting good ones!–through physical exercise and early healthy eating habits.

Unfortunately, school lunches have been a widespread debate that has led to an overall sub-par youth dining experience. Slow Down for School Lunches looks how lunches could be improved in today’s K-12 industry.

As a parent, what can you do to improve the diet of your child?

If you have a child that’s picky about the healthy foods you put in front of him or her–veggies, fruits, and such–get them into the kitchen! A child will stubbornly refuse food set in front of them, but if they are part of the cooking / preparing process, it suddenly becomes an adventure to try a new food out.

Do creative things with healthy foods. I’ve read about how moms will make “beancicles” with frozen green beans and how parents make homemade dried fruits that children love as fruit snack substitute. Next time your child wants a fruit roll-up, get an organic FruitaBu smashed fruit and hand that to them instead.

Then there’s the sneaky method. Cook healthy things into your spaghetti sauce, pancake batter, and baked pies, and your children will be eating things they’d otherwise turn their noses up to. Offering undesirable fruits and vegetables in a juice form is also a proven success.

Last but not least, the old saying “Don’t play with your food” is one of the worst things imaginable–if food’s a game, it’s bound to get eaten! For younger children, make eating healthy something fun and it’ll become a much-loved recreation.

One of the benefits of an economy’s downturn–the only benefit, really–is the price tags going down. Basic living expenses become marginally more affordable as people struggle to make ends meet.

But food isn’t looking like it plans on sticking to that trend. With only a glimmer of economic hope peeking out from the clouds, there are already discussions abound about how meat, eggs, and seafood could be climbing in 2010 by as much as 5%. Daily Finance is referring to this as “sticker shock,” where the consumer will be suddenly floored by the visible growth in prices on the labels of their foodstuffs and at the checkout line of their local grocer.

This is not a phenomena that is just affecting the United States, either. The UN is also reporting anticipated record growth for food prices in 2010. The economy is globally brushing upon the basic living needs that sustain us. And the news isn’t new; back in 2008, CNN predicted this would be happening for 2 years or more, meaning that we’re already around-about halfway up this hill, with no turning back.

In the education industry, rising food prices have had a visible impact on the nutrition of our K-12 students. The health of our future generations relies on the school lunches we provide for them, and yet we struggle to keep the standards high when it comes to the collision of K-12 student meals and the rising costs from the grocer.

What are your thoughts on the costs of food as the economy rolls into the next year?

Exercise and dieting can fight fat. There are weight-loss pills that also claim to reduce the size of your waistline as well. But did you know that there are foods that can aid you in the battle against the bulge? You can literally fight the good fight as you eat foods you enjoy. The secret is choosing the right fat-fighting foods; foods that can help curb your appetite as well as stimulate your metabolism.

Sushi

Sushi is a great meal choice – not only is it filling but it contains a lot of protein and is low in calories. However, try to avoid elaborate rolls that contain mayonnaise or fried foods.

Beans

Beans are very a satisfying addition to your meal without the calorie punch of some other foods. They are packed in protein and fiber, which helps keep you full. They’re versatile too; add them to salads, pasta, soups and more. Skip refried beans (the word “fried” should give a clue as to why) though.

Fat-free Plain Yogurt

Fat-free plain yogurt is a great alternative to mayonnaise. Substitute it for mayo in tuna salad or on sandwiches. The calorie count in yogurt is fewer than 10 calories per tablespoon.

Garlic and Onions

These flavorful additions to food contain phytochemicals that break down fatty deposits in the body. They also have other advantages for the body, such as breaking down cholesterol, killing bacteria and viruses, and protecting against heart disease

Not only do leafy greens taste good, they help fight fat!

Leafy Greens

Dark, leafy greens such as spinach and spring mixes are great sources of fiber while their high amounts of antioxidants and vitamins help prevent hunger.

Hot Spices and Peppers

Ingredients that lend a kick to your foods, like hot sauce, cayenne, and peppers, are wonderful at filling you up. In addition, peppers contain capsacian, which provides heat to the pepper and helps stimulate the metabolism after eating them.

Fruits

Fruits rich with vitamin C are effective fat burners. Examples include limes, lemons, grapefruit, oranges, guava and tangerines. Vitamin C dilutes fat and helps in keeping fat from being readily formed by the body from the food you eat.

Apples

Apples have pectin, which helps restrict the cells from absorbing fat. Pectin also encourages water absorption from the food. In turn this aids in releasing fat deposits from the body.

Integrating whole grain foods into your daily diet could be your next step to a healthy level of fiber. Whole grains have acted as a crucial part of our species’ history, from rice to cereals to bread. Whole grains are the seeds of grasses and come in many shapes and sizes.

Complex carbohydrates make up the central nutrition of a whole grain, but various vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fiber are also large-and-in-charge as your body processes this type of food. Whole grains contain important nutrients that refined grains (think wheat versus white bread) lack, such as selenium, potassium and magnesium.

When whole grains are refined, their bran and germ is removed, quintessential parts of plant-based foodstuffs to keep you feeling full longer. This is why whole grain is always the better choice, and there’s quite the list of whole grain products for you to choose in exchange for the “white” alternatives:

• Barley
• Brown Rice
• Buckwheat
• Millet
• Oatmeal
• Popcorn
• Wheat Bread
• Wheat Pasta
• Wheat Crackers
• Whole-Grain Cereal
• Wild Rice

The label on the food will give it away. Groceries are eager to advertise their healthy origin with the word “whole,” but whole grains will also appear as one of the first items on the ingredient lists if you feel the need to double check. Items with at least 3 grams of dietary fiber per serving are ideal.

There is such a thing as white whole wheat bread as well! It has the same nutritional benefits as standard wheat bread, but it is made from an albino variety of wheat that tastes a bit milder and sweeter than its bitter red wheat cousin. Albino wheat also has a naturally softer texture.

Try substituting your bagels next breakfast for whole-wheat toast or whole-grain bagels. Bran muffins are also an excellent alternative. Your tortillas, rice, pasta, and cereal all have wheat versions, so don’t miss out on eating something with a marginal taste difference a whole lot more “healthy!”