Lunch Ideas from One of Our Facebook Moms

One of Dayton Children's patient’s mom, Kristi Enz, recently posted pictures and ideas to make healthy lunches for her kids on her facebook page. I saw how much feedback she got and thought, “What a great idea for Dayton Children’s blog!” So, with Kristi’s permission, I have included some great ideas on healthy lunches to make your kids. Kristi even admits that it’s hard to get her kids to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, but she found some fun ideas to try.

From Kristi:

I decided to pack Zach and Taylor’s lunches because it saves money, it produces less waste, it's healthier and fun for me. It only takes 10-12 minutes to make two lunches every day. I want my kids lunches to be visually appealing and contain a fruit, veggie, protein and carb. We also use BPA free, stainless steel reusable containers to drink out of.

Idea #1

Cantaloupe, maple leaf cookie (you can find these at Trader Joes), peanut butter and strawberry preserves dino sandwich on whole wheat and fish crackers

Idea #2

Half banana and a Clementine orange, Baby Bel cheese round, peanut butter and strawberry preserves dino sandwich on whole wheat and a homemade brownie bite (made with applesauce instead of oil)

Idea #3

Halved cantaloupe and grapes, homemade brownie bite (made with applesauce instead of oil), peanut butter and jelly star sandwich on whole wheat, hardboiled egg and a cheese kabob

Idea #4

Cheese and cucumber rolled in turkey, Clementine orange and some blueberries, and two homemade brownie bites (made with applesauce instead of oil)

Idea #5

Carrots with a small container of ranch dressing, halved grapes, peanut butter and jelly pinwheels on whole wheat (use a rolling pin to flatten the bread, roll and cut), multi-grain crackers with laughing cow cheese spread and some cat cookies (can get these at Trader Joes)

Zach's green and blue lunch box is called a Laptop Lunch Box. You can find them at local stores. More information here: http://www.laptoplunches.com/. View more ideas on Kristi's blog at http://lunchboxmama.blogspot.com/.

Guest post by Kristi Enz,Troy

Healthy Eating on Vacation

Golden memories from family vacations are wonderful reminders of the special connection between family members. Each new place opens our horizons and provides a shared experience that keeps families close. Nothing can make you feel closer than spending 24hrs a day together in a small space such as a vehicle or hotel room, but it all seems worthwhile for a new adventure. Images from the movie, National Lampoon’s Vacation, remind us how exciting it is to finally reach our place of interest. The glorious run of Clark Griswold and his son, Russ, from the parking lot to the opening gates of the amusement park exhibits the rise of emotion upon reaching our destination during our travels.

While these new and magical places provide us with fun and excitement, sometimes being away from home can interfere with our daily routines and nutrition. Eating on the road can leave us feeling slow, tired, and irritable. We can avoid some of the discomfort of being away from home by planning ahead so we are able to sit back and enjoy the ride. Here are some nutrition tips to make travel more comfortable:

Plan Ahead

• Bring snacks/meals along for the ride: If possible pack a cooler for more options.
• Some great snacks that won’t leave you feeling bloated and weighed down like those fast food or convenience store items include:
• Fresh fruit- grapes, cherries, pre-sliced apples and oranges, bananas and berries in individual baggies hold up well.
• Sliced veggies- carrots, celery, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas and cherry tomatoes are easy and crunchy snacks. Take along some hummus or low-fat ranch for dipping.
• Trail mix- buy prepackaged or make your own with dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
• Granola bars- there are so many varieties; choose one with fiber and/or protein
• Peanut butter sandwiches or crackers - graham crackers or baked snack crackers can provide fiber. Peanut butter provides protein and healthy fats to keep you feeling full.
• If you have a cooler- try low fat yogurt, string cheese, sandwiches with lean meats and bagels and low-fat cream cheese
• Bring along lots of water!! Try sugar free flavor pouches for variation without the calories of soft drinks.

Eat out With Care

• Part of the fun of being on vacation is trying local cuisine that is unavailable in your area. Choose these local foods as part of your shared experience.
• Research what is available in the area; there may be a healthier option than fast food if you know where to go. Ask around or plan out options before you leave.
• Choose meals wisely. Restaurants tend to give us larger portions that we need, and if you’re eating out 3 meals per day that can really add up. Try sharing meals or desserts, take advantage of the snacks you brought, and the continental breakfast at the hotel. Choose items from each food group and eat only until full rather than cleaning your plate.
• If eating fast food, choose fruit and milk as sides versus fries and soda.
• At restaurants- ask about how the item is prepared and ask for substitutions. For example, ask for salad dressing on the side, steamed veggies versus fries and hold the mayo.
• Find local supermarkets at your destination to get some items for your hotel room and become a real local.

Keep Up Activity

While most of us don’t go to the gym while we are on vacation, there are many other ways to keep ourselves moving and have fun. Many amusement parks and nature parks that we encounter on our travels require walking. We can add extra movement by picking up the pace every once awhile, which allows us to see even more in less time. We can also build in more activity by parking farther out, walking to nearby sites when possible or renting bikes for the family. If you bring along the DVD player or video games, try and keep your kids active by allowing them to only be used when on the road. Some destinations naturally provide more activity such as camping and hiking. Others may require a more deliberate approach such as choosing a hotel with a swimming pool or stopping for a stroll on the drive.

From Marisa VanSchuyver, clinical dietician at Dayton Children's.

In the World of Convenience Foods

With our current fast paced lifestyles, we often depend more than we would like to on convenience meal options. About half of our food dollar is spent on eating outside the house and at least one meal a day is eaten outside the home.

Fast food, vending machines, carry-out and gas stations all are places we grab a quick bite plus processed foods at the grocery store, and without meaning to, we are then eating meals that are high in fat, calories, sodium and low in fiber.

Planning meals and stocking our pantries and refrigerators will allow for more nutritious meals and likely will reduce the meals we eat outside our homes, along with saving a buck or two.

 

Ideas for planning:

•  Write a menu for the week and have the ingredients on hand
•  Assemble tonight’s dinner this morning and cook all day in the crock pot
•  When time to cook, cook extra and freeze
•  Pack breakfast/lunch/snacks the night before
•  Keep on hand easy-to-grab foods

Ideas for stocking your pantry and refrigerator:

• Fruit: seasonal fresh fruit in bowl on table/ready to grab in refrigerator , fruit cups (Natural and packed in own juices), dried fruit packets
• Veggies: carrots (and low fat dip) ready to eat, wash and cut veggies for stir fry/snacking/steaming, frozen vegetables
• Dairy: (choose low fat items) yogurt cups/drinks, string/cubed cheese, milk, cottage cheese cups
• Grains: (choose whole grain) keep cooked pasta/rice in refrigerator, baked chips, pretzels, low fat popcorn, wraps/bread
•  Meats and other proteins: hummus, cooked/canned beans, low fat refried beans, roasted/rotisserie chicken, hardboiled eggs, salt free nuts and canned tuna in water

Ideas for when eating outside the home:

• Choose grilled, baked, steamed foods more often and fried foods less
• Order kid sized menu items (but be wary of kid’s menu items which are often less nutritious than adult options)
• Choose low milk/dairy options vs. high sugar sodas
• Consider fruit/side salad vs. fries
• Split your order. Take home half of your meal. Share fries with the family.
• Add veggies to your sandwich. Top baked potato with veggies vs. the calorie laden alternatives (margarine and sour cream).
• Choose lean meat menu items and whole grain breads
• Choose fresh fruit for dessert. Or, split the dessert with a friend/family.

About our Expert: Becky Gonter-Dray, RD CSP LD
Becky has been a clinical dietitian at Dayton Children's since 2000. Currently, she works in the Pediatric Intensive Care and Intermediate Care Units and for Children's Home Care. Becky received her BS in Dietetics from the University of Cincinnati and completed her dietetic internship at Miami Valley Hospital. She is also Board Certified as a Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition. Becky has worked in adult hospitals, with the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC), and as an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Dayton. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and working with the pediatric population. She loves dietetics because she loves food and how it can help people to perform their best. Becky and her husband Alex are proud parents of 3 children, Patrick, Matthew, and Edward.

Spring Food Safety

Spring is here and summer is upon us, which is the time for cookouts and picnics with friends and family. During warmer weather, it is important to protect our family and ourselves from foodborne illnesses (FBI), which are diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, yeast, and parasites in our food. Symptoms of FBI are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, head ache, and fever. Some bacteria, such as botulism, can cause symptoms that can be severe and life threatening, such as problems swallowing and breathing. To keep FBI away from your picnic, here are some tips from our pediatric experts:

• Wash hands with soap and water for 15 seconds before and after preparing food and eating.
• Cook meat to proper temperature
• Turkey Thigh-180°F
• Turkey Breast-170°F
• Beef Roast/Prime Rib well done-170°F
• Hamburgers-160°F
• Pork Roast well done-170°F
• Ham 140°F
• Chicken breast-170°F
• Chicken drumstick/thigh/wing-180°F
• Sausage uncooked-160°F
• Sausage cooked-165°F
• Venison-160°F
• Fish-145°F
• Egg dishes-160°F
• Seafood-145°F
• Leftovers-165°F
• Hot foods should stay above 140 °F and cold foods below 40°F. Use ice to keep foods cold and food warmers to keep foods hot.
• Avoid keeping foods out of the temperature danger zone (40-140°F) for greater than 2 hours or 1 hour if temperature is above 90°F.
• Never thaw meats at room temperature. Thawing food in the temperature danger zone creates an environment for bacterial growth. The outside thaws before the inside, which increases the outside portion to temperatures above 40°F while the inside portion remains frozen.
• Meats should be thawed before cooking, unless food package states otherwise. This ensures that the meat cooks evenly.
• Avoid cross contamination. Use separate cutting boards for raw meats and vegetables.
• To avoid insects from coming into contact with your food, keep your meats and other dishes covered.

Enjoy the summer and keep your foods safe!

About our Expert: Shannon Burkett, RD, LD, dietician at Dayton Children's

Shannon is a gradute of Purdue University with a BA in elementary education and a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago with a DPD Dietetics and Nutrition. She completed a dietetic internship at Miami Valley Hospital and worked at WIC and long term care before coming to Dayton Children's. Shannon has worked with the Hematology and Oncology population at Dayton Children's for two years. She also has certificate in childhood and adolescent weight management through the American Dietetic Association. Her favorite hobby is cooking. She loves trying new recipes and creating meals from scratch. She says, "There is just something that is so rewarding about eating a delicious healthy meal that I have created, without using prepacked, processed foods. It’s both good for my body and my family's health!"

Eat Together, Eat Better: 10 Tips for Great Family Meals

Eating meals together has many nutritional and social benefits for children. Kids who eat regularly with their families have healthier diets that contain more fruits, vegetables, calcium, iron, and fiber and less fat and soda than those who rarely join their families around the dinner table. Studies have suggested other advantages of eating together, including improved communication, better school performance, and decreased risk of substance abuse and unhealthy weight control practices.


Despite the many benefits of family meals, busy schedules can make it difficult for families to sit down for dinner together. Learn how to make family meals easy, fun, and meaningful affairs with these tips:

1. Make family meals a priority. If your family never eats meals together, start by scheduling family meals twice per week. Make time for dinner on your schedule just like you would for soccer practice or piano lessons.
2. Keep food simple. Family dinner does not have to be lots of work. Grilled cheese and tomato soup with a salad or spaghetti with meat and veggie sauce are both healthy, kid-friendly meals that take less than 20 minutes to prepare.
3. Offer balanced meals. Each meal should contain foods from every food group. A complete meal contains meat or beans, fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy.
4. Practice portion control. Encourage children to limit meat portions to the size of the palm of their hand, and grain portions to the size of their fist. Fruits and vegetables should fill half of the plate for a healthy meal. 
5. Eliminate distractions. Meal times are more meaningful when family members can focus on each other. Turn off the TV, put cell phones in another room, and enjoy spending time with the people you love.
6. Keep stress away. Avoid using meal time for serious or stressful conversations. Arguments, criticism, and unpleasant topics have no place at the dinner table.
7. Promote meaningful conversation. Go around the table and give each family member uninterrupted time to talk about their day. Encourage and support your children as they recall their successes and challenges.
8. Make it fun! Make meal time fun and special. Try having a picnic on the floor, eating by candlelight, or using a bit of food coloring to make your mashed potatoes blue. These changes are memorable and fun, especially for younger kids.
9. Forget about the clean plate club. Encourage kids to try all of the foods offered, but don’t force your child to eat something he doesn’t like or to eat more than she wants. These practices turn meal times into a battle and may promote an unhealthy relationship with food.
10. Let your child help. Encourage your child to participate by setting the table, helping prepare food, or washing dishes. This teaches useful skills and helps your child to take ownership in family meals.

About our Expert - Leah Sabato
Leah Sabato, RD, LD is clinical dietitian in the Lipid Clinic and on the 3 West General Pediatrics floor at Dayton Children's. She loves working with children and their families and believes that good nutrition should be easy, tasty, and fun!

The Health Benefits of Antioxidants

Are you tired of hearing your child’s pediatrician or dietitian preach about increasing fruits and vegetables? Replacing refined carbohydrates with whole grains? Why not just give them a multivitamin? Perhaps you don’t eat fruits and vegetables and do not buy whole grain pasta or bread products. Are you thinking that the idea of making changes in your family’s eating habits is too much to handle right now? Besides, aren’t fruits and vegetables more expensive? Well, read on and learn!

Cardiovascular disease and cancer are the leading causes of death in the United States. The cost for treatment of these diseases can put families in dept due to medical costs. Antioxidants, which are abundant in fruit, vegetables and whole grains, have been shown to reduce risks related to these diseases.

Is it worth paying an extra penny to include more of these foods in your diet? The answer is YES!

Food sources high in antioxidants:

• Vitamin C: Broccoli, oranges, watermelon, red bell peppers, kiwi, mango, pineapple, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes
• Vitamin E (easily destroyed by heat): Vegetable oil, salad dressing, seeds, nuts,  and peanut butter
• Beta-Carotene: Apricots, broccoli, pumpkin, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and carrots
• Flavonoids: Whole grains, berries, black tea, celery, citrus fruits, green tea, olives, onion, oregano, purple grapes, purple grape juice, soybeans, and vegetables

Tips to include more antioxidants in your child's diet:

• Make it a habit to include fruit with your child’s breakfast, give them a choice between different fruits to increase acceptance.
• Although fresh is best, if you find that fruits and vegetables age quickly in your home before use, buy canned or frozen instead to avoid waste.
• Always include a vegetable with lunch and dinner, even if your child chooses not to eat it. Someday, they will surprise you! If they are never offered these foods, they will likely not choose them as they grow and become more independent…so start now!!!
• Pasta sauce is a good source of antioxidants, dip bread sticks and pour onto meats/vegetables.
• Do not spend an arm and leg on supplements, spend it on food, whole food!! Your child is worth it!

About our Expert: Shannon Burkett, RD, LD, dietician at Dayton Children's

Shannon is a gradute of Purdue University with a BA in elementary education and a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago with a DPD Dietetics and Nutrition.  She completed a dietetic internship at Miami Valley Hospital and worked at WIC and long term care before coming to Dayton Children's. Shannon has worked with the Hematology and Oncology population at Dayton Children's for two years.  She also has certificate in childhood and adolescent weight management through the American Dietetic Association. Her favorite hobby is cooking.  She loves trying new recipes and creating meals from scratch. She says, "There is just something that is so rewarding about eating a delicious healthy meal that I have created, without using prepacked, processed foods. It’s both good for my body and my family's health!"

Countdown to Good Health the 5-2-1-0 Way!

This week Dayton Children's launches our next installment of the Kohl's A Minute for Kids campaign with tips from our very own Dr. James Ebert, lead physician in the lipid clinic.

For the next two months those in our service area will hear a radio clip featuring Dominique Samuels and his mother, Diana. They discuss how small steps can make big changes for your health and share with listeners the 5-2-1-0 tips from Dr. Ebert.

Here are the 5-2-1-0 tips that your family can use:

• Children should get at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
• Along with eating healthy, children should spend less than 2 hours in front of the TV, computer, or video game screen each day.
• To stay physically fit, at least 1 hour of aerobic activity everyday will keep your heart strong.
• Finally, 0 is the amount of sugary drinks that should be consumed on a daily basis.

These four easy steps create a simple way for families to maintain their overall health and will be a great start to a healthier 2010!

For a sneak preview and additional resources, check out our Kohl's microsite at: http://kohlsminutes.childrensdayton.org/Topics/Healthy_Eating_5-2-1-0.html.