Guest Post | Fun Healthy Printables | Healthy Restaurant Food Choices Tips
The hectic holiday season is often a challenging time for managing kids' food choices- there may be more 'eating on the go' at restaurants with limited healthy choices and holiday party foods that are high in sugar, fats and calories.
As part of our series on holiday eating tips for families, we are sharing guest posts from parents who offer suggestions that have helped them to keep their kids on track to healthy nutrition and physical activity during the holiday season, recipes, and fun nutrition printables for kids from our website.
Holiday excitement, more events, less free time and more stress can make it harder for parents to juggle meals and set limits on children's requests for unhealthy menu choices. This is especially challenging when eating out at restaurants, traveling, or at holiday parties.
Eating healthy snacks, being active and planning for balanced meals while eating out, and healthier holiday party foods can help kids avoid the sugar overload high and lows. Eating healthy food and being active can help to make the season less stressful and healthier for the whole family.
With a little planning, intention (and some fun thrown in!) we can encourage our kids to eat healthier and avoid some power struggles about food choices during the holiday season. This series will cover practical strategies to help kids eat healthier balanced meals, snacks, holiday party foods and gift ideas that promote wellness.
Our first in Healthy Holiday Food Tips for Families takes a look at 'healthy eating on the go with kids' and restaurant food choices with guest blogger Dee Peak- mom of Cat a 9 year old. A blog diary from the field, as she takes steps to balance food choices on days when her daughter had to go to work with her.
Speaking of choice...
Because of my lack of child care for two days off from school this week, Cat had to come with me to work. We have no cafeteria but there are plenty of restaurants nearby, so this means I had to plan ahead and discuss with Cat the choices for lunches at local restaurants.
Snacks are easy (nuts, popcorn, apple, whole grain crackers, cheese, or yogurt). But lunch was tougher. Ordering from a kid's menu is almost like walk through a mine-field. "Healthy" choices are usually in small quantities and the "Good" items (tasty but loaded with fat and salt) are in large quantities.
How to get a 9 year old to eat healthy on the go? Choice and compromise.
Since I know it's my responsibility to at least to promote a healthy lifestyle, Cat and I compromise. Both days, we both found items off the menu we could share.
Since I also believe that most people know the difference between what is "good" and "bad" ordering off the menu really is simple. I've been teaching Cat about healthy choices and balanced meals since she was young. We've done this in conversations in the grocery store, in the kitchen, and at the dinner table. We have also discussed marketing of food and products since she was quite young to help her gain an understanding of this over time.
We both stayed away from heavily sauced/condiment-topped and fried foods, a vegetable was a must, milk or water as a drink.
Since most of us have McDonald's of other fast food menus memorized, as parents we know are in for a fight if we try this. But a little bit of compromise may go a long way. Since companies are posting more of their menus online and at least trying to offer healthier choices, even looking up menu choices and figuring what would work out for a balance of healthy choices for everyone and discussing choices beforehand might make you feel a little bit healthier when leaving the table of a restaurant with your child.
What we ate:
Resources from our Website Nourish Interactive:
★ Print healthy eating activity pages and bring on car trips or to restaurants for some fun! Choose from:
Eating Healthier at Restaurants PDF Tips for Families 
Plan Healthy Meals Tips for Dining out with your Child Printable version with additional tips for ordering healthy foods at ethnic restaurants and delis.
★ Talk to your child before ordering a meal, so that healthy substitutions are already agreed upon
★ When ordering remember the new guidelines offered in the MyPlate icon - blog post about the new MyPlate
★ Let your child know that they can ask for food items prepared a specific way. For example, salad dressing on the side, baked or grilled instead of fried, brown rice rather than white rice
★Find out if the restaurant has nutrition facts on their menu or website to help you to choose healthier options
★ Discuss the menu and offer lower fat protein choices such as: chicken, turkey, fish, or vegetarian
★ Agree on at least 1 healthy substitution with your child
★ Decide ahead of time if you’ll be ordering a dessert- bring a few pieces of fruit to eat after dinner or prepare a dessert for when you return home. Or if you plan to order a dessert, make a plan that the dessert will be shared–this is a great way to have a treat, limit the portion size and enjoy the same food together. *Try to order a naturally sweet dessert such as fruit pies or low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Use Portion Control:
★ Ask for child’s size, even for á la Carte side order items ★ Order the regular size and split the order and share it
★ Avoid ordering extra large portions just because they are a deal!
★ Avoid foods with the words jumbo, giant, super sized or deluxe in the name ★ Share a meal with your child
★ Order a full size meal from the regular menu instead of the kids meal, when the meal comes split meal in half to take some home for leftovers.
Make healthier food and beverage choices
★ If ordering a kids’ meal- Don’t be shy about making healthy substitutions even in Kids Meals (usually comes with a toy)
★ Ask for fruit instead of fries or chips ★ Drink nonfat or low fat milk or water instead of whole milk
★ Choose water, milk or 100% fruit juice instead of soda
★ Order prepared foods steamed, broiled, grilled, poached, or roasted- not fried
★ Choose a regular size, single patty hamburger without cheese and mayonnaise
★ Order a baked potato instead of fries
★Use salsa or mustard instead of mayonnaise
★ Order salads with ‘lite’ or non-fat dressing instead of regular dressing
★ Minimize the use of gravy, sauces and dressings; have them served on the side
★ Look for vegetarian options on the menu- or use this tool to find a vegetarian friendly restaurant
Avoid or eat less of these breaded or fried foods (higher in fat and calories) ➡ chicken nuggets ➡ fried chicken ➡ fried fish sandwiches ➡ onion rings ➡ french fries
★ Set a good example by ordering a healthy meal for yourself, and spend some time talking about why they are healthier choices!
Check back for more healthy holiday food tips, recipes, gift ideas, and ideas on how to encourage kids to be active during the holiday season!
Did you enjoy the tips from Dee or have your own strategies for eating healthier at restaurants, 'on the go' or holiday food choices with your kids? If so, please share a comment below, we love to hear from you!
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