Catch Your Own Food

Kids tend to shy away from seafood and it's usually one of the things parent struggle to feed their kids. Fish is a great source of protein and certain fish contain healthy fats that are difficult to get from other food products. A great way to get kids to enjoy more seafood is too take them fishing.

Fishing is a good way to get your kids outdoors and an fun way for them to find out where food comes from. Plus if they catch their own food, they might be more inclined to give it a try. If your just starting out, some fishing organizations in local areas hold kids tournaments throughout the summer where they fill a lake with small fish. Your almost guaranteed to take some home!

Here are a few tips for fishing with kids:              

1. Keep it simple. Don't make anything too hard if your already an experience fisher

2. Go for the action spots. Kids get bored easily so catching a bunch of little fish is going to be more fun than one really large one.

3. Make sure you always tell them when their doing something right and explain to them when they're doing it wrong.

4 Keep the trip for the kids. If they get tired of fishing and start skipping rocks, let them have fun and come back to fishing when they're ready.

For more information about fishing as a family, or with your kids and tips on starting up, visit the links below.

http://www.takemefishing.org/fishing/family/fish-with-your-kids
http://phoenix.about.com/od/fishing/a/fishing.htm

A Cold Snack for a Hot Day

These Frozen Yogurt Pops are quick to make and can be just what your child needs after a long day of playing out in the sun. They're a healthier version of popsicles that can be made as a cold treat for a sports team or simply a sweet desert after a family BBQ.

Frozen Yogurt Pops

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:
- 1 8-oz. container of your favourite flavour of yogurt

Utensils:
- Small paper cups
- Wooden possible sticks (available in craft stores)
- Plastic wrap

Directions:
1. Pour yogurt into the paper cups so that they fill almost to the top.
2. Stretch a small piece of plastic wrap across the top of each cup.
3. Using the popsicle stick poke a hole in the plastic wrap. Stand the stick straight up in the center of the cup.
4. Put the cups in the freezer until the yogurt is frozen solid.
5. Remove the plastic wrap, peal the paper cup off and enjoy!

Tips:
You can use ice-pop holds instead of paper cups and popsicle sticks.

To switch it up, you can make 2 or three layers using different types of yogurt to have more colourful treats.

You can find the recipe, nutritional information and links to other recipes on the link below

http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/recipes/yogurt_pops.html#cat20229

Lunch Box Blues

Are your kids complaining about their lunches? Packed lunches aren't always kids favourite and making them healthy and enjoyable can be a challenge, especially when on a budget or short on time.

Kids will be much more excited about their lunches if they participate in its making. Listen to there ideas and let them have a say in what their eating, whether it's the main course or a choice between snacks. Bringing them to the store and letting them pick some fruits and vegetables they'd like to snack on will make lunches a meal they'll enjoy much more!

Textures and flavours of food vary by temperatures. Make sure cold packs and thermos are used when they are needed to keep lunches safe and your kids happy!

For more ideas on on some packed lunch ideas an how to spice up your kids lunch box, visit these links below!

http://raisinghealthykidstoday.com/lunch-box-ideas/#more-191

http://www.healthyalberta.com/HealthyPlaces/622.htm

Growing your own food!

Getting your kids involved in the food growing process is a great, fun way of promoting healthy nutrition!  It's much likelier that your child will be excited about eating a veggie they helped grow than a store bought one.  Vegetable gardening is fun, educational, and a great way to get kids involved in healthy nutrition.

Don't have a whole lot of space in your yard for a garden? Most vegetables can grow great in a container!

Here is a link to a pdf file, which makes vegetable gardening in containers easy! It explains everything, from which containers to use, to how much light and water is needed!

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/publications/guides/e-545_vegetable_gardening_containers.pdf

Take the time to read this resource, and get your kids excited about homegrown vegetables!

Make Breakfast Fun!

Want to get your kids interested in a healthy breakfast? Why not try this Fruit Pizza that is sure to be a hit in your household!

Breakfast fruit pizza

Serves 1

Children will love this twist on a favourite food. Play it up!

Ingredients

• 1 small whole wheat pita (about 4 inch / 10 cm diameter)
• 1½ tbsp (22 mL) light spreadable cream cheese, plain or flavoured
• ¼ cup (50 mL) chopped fresh fruit (blueberries, bananas, cantaloupe, apples, grapes)

Directions

1. Toast pita on light setting.
2. Spread with cream cheese.
3. Top with fresh fruit. Cut in pieces and serve.

Nutritional information per serving

• Calories: 147
• Protein: 5.4 g
• Fat: 5 g
  • Saturates: 3 g
  • Dietary Cholesterol: 13 mg
• Carbohydrate: 22 g
  • Dietary Fibre: 5 g
• Sodium: 216 mg
• Potassium: 113 mg

Find this and other great kid friendly recipes on the heart and stroke website below!

http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3805907/k.456C/Recipes__Breakfast_fruit_pizza.htm

Eating Well With Canada's Food Guide

Canada's Food Guide is a resource everyone, especially parents, should have! It provides serving sizes for different food groups based on age and sex.  It also gives examples of what servings of certain food looks like, along with many other tips for living a healthy lifestyle!

The below link to Health Canada's website provides links to various versions of Canada's Food Guide; a pdf version, a HTML version, and the option to order a food guide:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/order-commander/index-eng.php

Facts parents should know!

Here are some important statistics provided by the Heart and Stroke Foundation:

•                Rates of obesity amongst children and youth aged 2 to 17 in Canada are increasing. In 1978/79, 3% of Canadian children and youth were obese. By 2004, 8% or an estimated 500,000 were obese.

•                An additional 18% of Canadian children and youth are overweight. Combined, one quarter (26%) of Canadian children and youth are either overweight or obese.

•                Weight gain during adolescence and young adult life may be one of the most important determinants of future development of heart disease and stroke. Eating a healthy diet from a young age and continuing throughout life are important to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Unhealthy eating during childhood may interfere with optimal growth and development and contribute to poor eating habits during adolescence and adulthood.

Between the ages of six and twelve, children are learning to make decisions and beginning to make more choices on their own. They are developing eating habits and attitudes they may carry with them for the rest of their lives. Peer pressure influences children and youth of all ages and is particularly strong in the early teen years.

Link:

http://www.heartandstroke.on.ca/site/pp.aspx?c=pvI3IeNWJwE&b=4521153&printmode=1