Smart Options
Smart Options for Families
Get your family involved in living smart with the following tips:
- Use your family as a support system for your success.
- Get moving! Take a 30 minute walk before dinner with them every night. Talk about what you are grateful for that day and what challenges you might be facing.
- Eat six walnut halves before you start the walk so that you aren’t as hungry when you return home for dinner.
- Kids love dipping…if they won’t eat vegetables, offer dips such as hummus, salsa, bean and yogurt-based dressing with the veggies.
- To get family members excited to eat healthfully, involve them in food preparation.
- Encourage kids to have fun eating and learning about healthful foods. Consider a family trip to an orchard, fruit farm or a local famers market where can pick your own fruits and veggies.
- Create ambiance when dining. Add candles, music or unique table pieces to create an enjoyable eating experience.
- Snacks are a must – have plenty of nutritious munchies available and easily accessible.
- Make eating an adventure – introduce new foods regularly.
- Breakfast is key – make sure your family members don’t leave the house without a nutritious and wholesome start. These breakfast cookies are sure to start their day on the right foot!
- Make meals interesting – use fun colors, textures and shapes to increase appeal
- Set a healthy example – little ones watch what you eat and mimic actions, not words.
Fall’s arrival is the perfect time to get the family involved in food preparation and sneak in some outdoor activity before the cold winter hits. Consider experiencing the flavors of the fall harvest at local farmers markets, or pick your own produce at orchards or nearby farms. As you begin to embrace the wonderful flavors of autumn, be sure to check out our Smart Menus™ page for exclusive smart fall recipes from Mollie Katzen, which are sure to be a hit with family members of all ages!