5 to 10 a day!

I am my daughter's chief nutritionist. It is my job to monitor what she eats and how she reacts to the food she consumes. Every day I try to create a menu that has a healthy amount of grain, protein, fruits, vegetables, and calcium. I make sure her diet is free of added sugar and salt. She is encouraged to enjoy foods in their unadulterated form.

Yet, at some point, parents introduce their children to the world of high salt, added sugar, and extra fat: french fries, chips, pop, candy, processed meats, cookies, donuts, chocolate bars, ice cream, etc. Hey, I indulge in these "pleasures" off and on. And I am not against completely eliminating the above foods from my child's diet (though I definitely will limit the intake!). However, I desire to model healthy eating habits for my daughter.

An example of this is the amount of fruits and vegetables we are supposed to eat: 5 to 10 servings a day! Sounds like a tall order. But feeding my daughter has inspired me to eat more nutritiously. So here are some tips that I am aiming to follow to increase my intake:
  1. Include at least one fruit or vegetable at every meal. Eat two snacks that include a fruit or vegetable. This will complete the minimum requirement of 5 servings a day.

  2. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables of different colors. Each kind and color has its unique health benefits. The main color groups are red, yellow/orange, green, blue/purple, and brown/tan/white. Dark green (ex: romaine, broccoli, spinach) and yellow/orange (ex: carrots, winter squash, sweet potato) are especially nutritious.

  3. During each weekly grocery shopping adventure, aim to buy at least one different fruit or vegetable than the usual purchases. While fresh foods are preferred, canned (packed in water or 100% fruit juice), dried, and frozen choices are also beneficial. Involve your children in picking the new fruit/vegetable of the week.
  4. Include blended veggies in foods such as spaghetti sauce, chili, and lasagna. For example, I have secretly blended mushrooms and added it to spaghetti sauce without my husband noticing. In addition, I have included shredded carrots, winter squash, and zucchini in my chili. Similarly, fruit can be easily added to baking. For instance, substitute half the oil in muffin recipes with applesauce.
  5. Buy local as much a possible. Or better yet, plant a garden if you have the space. Not only do these practices contribute to reducing greenhouse gases that are released in the process of shipping the food, it also assists the local producer. Plus, the food often tastes better! My daughter loves her Grandma's garden fresh carrots.

If you have any other tips, do tell me. Also, if you have any other tricks on how to reduce the amount of sugar and fat in baking, I'd like to know.

(Oh, by the way, I can't wait to introduce my daughter to chocolate. :) Dark chocolate, in small amounts, can lower blood pressure without increasing body weight!)

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