FOOD AND HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

�Flavor counts far more than elaborate techniques and presentations, and flavor begins with the best ingredients.  Each separate ingredient should be the finest you can afford, but if you can't afford it or you've run out of it, don worry.  Mediterranean cooks are notable for making do with what's at hand.  That's an attitude I try to cultivate in my own kitchen."  

                            --Nancy Harmon Jenkins, The New

                               Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

What�s your favorite dish to make together at home this time of year?  Holidays are filled with family traditions and foods are a central part of many traditions.  Making your children a part of your family�s rich holiday traditions is a great way to ensure they know the kitchen is a safe place to learn that when people respect good foods and each other, they are learning the recipe for a great life.  

Teaching a young boy how to use local fruits at a Growing Healthy Kids event with one of our partners (Youth Guidance Mentoring and Activities Program)

One of my favorite sections in the middle of the store - dried beans and lentils!

"Yellow squash on purple rocker"

The original Growing Healthy Kid, my son, Edward

Great recipes start when you have all the ingredients on hand.  Having good foods in your fridge, pantry and on the table begins with shopping together.  Teach your kids where to look in the store and what to look for on food labels.   Did you ever hear to shop on the four walls first?  Around the perimeter of a grocery store is where you find the fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurts and cheeses, fresh fish and meats.  Start by shopping the perimeter, then move to the inside aisles.   The less processed your food choices, the better.  Fresh is best.  When you use the approach of �eat fresh, eat local�, you support your local farmers.  To learn about farmers in your community, go to click here.

While you and your kids make a list of your favorite holiday foods to make this month, here is a list of our family�s top 25 foods:

1. Almonds
2. Avocados
3. Bananas
4. Blueberries
5. Extra virgin olive oil
6. Eggplant* (see eggplant parm recipe link below)
7. Garlic
8. Kale
9. Lemons
10. Limes
11. Lentils
12. Onions
13. Oranges
14. Parsley
15. Pears
16. Quinoa
17. Pesto
18. Spinach
19. Squash (any kind � they are all high in dietary fiber!)
20. Strawberries
21. Tomatoes
22. Walnuts
23. Wild rice
24. Wild salmon
25. Zucchini

From A to Z, from Apples to Zucchini, family traditions revolve around foods.  Make your family�s favorite foods fresh and delicious!  *For a link to a delicious, easy, and healthy eggplant parmesan recipe to make this holiday season, click here.

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. 

FITNESS AND FAMILIES

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

 �We as parents are our children�s first and best role models, and this is particularly true when it comes to their health�We can�t lie around on the couch eating French fries and candy bars and expect our kids to eat carrots and run around the block.�

                                         --Michelle Obama at the Building 

                                         a Healthier Future Summit, 3/8/13

The facts are staggering:

• One out of every 7 low income preschool children is obese. 
• Kids spend an average of 8 hours a day in front of a screen.  
• Girls who are obese will have an earlier puberty than normal. 
• Obesity and physical inactivity are leading risk factors for type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. 
• Children who are obese are more likely to be obese as adults.

As parents, we need to take responsibility for our children�s health.  It is not the job of their teachers or doctors.  It is up to parents.  To add years to their lives, add life to their years.  Are your kids getting enough fitness?  Most kids are NOT getting the minimum of what they need at school.  The minimum recommendation for children ages 6-17 is 60 minutes every day.  

Family walks are part of my family's traditions.  Make them part of yours, too.  That's my brother, Bill, in the middle at a recent family gathering in Kentucky walking with his children, Erika and Neils (on left side) and our nephew Christopher and his girlfriend, Chen (on right side).

Kids need a mix of 3 different types of fitness:

1. Aerobic activity (this should be the majority of the 60 minutes/day, consisting of brisk walking or running)
2. Muscle strengthening (at least 3 days a week, consisting of gymnastics or pushups)
3. Bone strengthening (at least 3 days a week, consisting of exercise such as jump rope or running)

Take the lead.  Start by looking at yourself first.  Are you getting enough exercise?  Are you a good role model for your children?  As my friend, Sam, says, �Don�t talk, do.�  To learn more about the benefits of physical activity, click here.

 

Recently, I did a shoutout asking for ideas from you about what kids wanted to make.  My friend, Jill, responded that her daughter loves eggplant and she asked for eggplant recipes.  That started my quest for the perfect Baba Ganoush recipe (a Middle Eastern eggplant dip).  I found it and now you and your kids can enjoy Baba Ganoush plus 2 other amazing recipes that are super healthy, delicious, and fun to make with kids.  Click here.

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.