Finding The Perfect Portion Size For Kids

Have you ever wondered if that giant glob of mac & cheese you packed your kid for lunch was enough for lunch? Food portions have become a lot bigger, and because of this determining the right portion size for our children has become a little distorted. Children need the same variety of nutrient rich foods as adults, just in smaller quantities. I often see children with enough food in their lunch bags to feed a grown man. Defining your child serving size is actually not as complicated as you may think. A child-size portion of meat is about what would fit in your little boy or girls palm. For whole-grain carbs, such as brown rice or pasta, a serving is roughly the size of his/her fist. -- This measurement also applies to fruits, veggies, and dairy products such as yogurt. A serving of cheese is about thumb-size, and for munching on snack foods, think a handful. The great thing about this system is that it works no matter what your child's age is. As his/her hand grows so does their appetite, so you don't have to memorize portions.

Most 2–3-year old's need to consume about 1,000 calories per day. Here’s how to distribute those calories in a healthy eating plan:

• Grain Group: 3 ounces per day, preferably half of them whole grains, (3 regular slices of bread or 1 slice of bread plus 1/3 cup cold cereal and 1/4 cup cooked pasta or rice.)

• Vegetable Group: 1 cup raw/cooked per day.

• Fruit Group: 1 cup fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and/or 100% juice per day. (I would emphasize whole fruits rather than juice because the fiber in the whole fruits help to slow down the sugar rush and insulin spike.)

• Dairy Group: 2 cups of whole milk per day is recommended for children younger than 2. Older children can have low-fat/fat free milk, yogurt and cheese.


• Meat and Beans Group: 2 ounces total per day. Options include one ounce of lean meat or chicken plus one egg or 1 ounce of fish plus 1/4 cup of cooked beans (black, pinto, etc.)

• Oils: 3 teaspoons or less per day.

For younger children you should minimize sweet drinks, snacks and desserts. Children have small stomachs and these foods take up space needed for nutrient rich foods. 

Movement & Story Time

The Words Dad And Mom Are Not Meant To Be Opposites

Like most men when I was blessed with a family I went directly into provide and protect mode. My attention was solely on finding problems and fixing them. I got caught up in being just the provider,just the protector and I left all the nurturing up to my kids mother. Society has taught us that men and women have to stay in these gender role boxes but it doesn't have to be this way. Now a days both parents are working, or the children are being raised in two households. This means that the parenting duties need to be split somewhat equally or the children will be missing something.

It took me awhile to learn to directly focus on my kids. Even now I still have to work at just being daddy. I’m still working on listening to my kids and talking to them. It is harder for most men then you would think ladies to be an active participant in raising children. I’ve learned that I don’t really have to say a lot to my girls to be nurturing. I just have to be near them and they’ll do most of the talking. Guys you’ll be surprised how easy it is to bond with your kids just by asking them to help you with simple task, like handing you a towel to dry off a dish or throwing your scrap piece of paper away while you’re creating a workout or working. To your kids you are SuperMan, even if you’re really Clark Kent lol and they want to be your side-kick. My girls love helping me with things. Just the other day I was practicing MMA and they jumped up to join in. You might not ever be as good as mommy but that doesn’t mean you can’t be involved and have a meaningful relationship with your children. Women go to play dates with kids all the time and they automatically form these packs with other moms. You can do the same thing but with the dads. Remember Birds of a feather flock together. Seek out other dads to be friends with and spending time with your children will become more fluently.

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For people who believe in a well-rounded childhood, DC SCORES is the quality, team-based approach providing youth with the arts, athletics, and academics that will engage, enrich, and improve their lives. DC SCORES builds teams through after school programs for over 800 low-income DC youth at 27 schools by instilling self-expression, physical fitness, and a sense of community. DC SCORES accomplishes this in an innovative model combining poetry and spoken word, soccer, and service-learning year-round. Where the money goes: •On average, DCPS provides 45 minutes of PE per week; DC SCORES provides 6 times that. •DC SCORES gives kids the skills to connect with and give back to their community. •For many of kids, DC SCORES is the only chance they have to be on a team or play a sport. DC SCORES: Building Teams, Improving Lives

How To Make Chicken Nuggets Without The Ammonia

Are chicken nuggets your kids' default meal every time you take them out for dinner or fix their lunch? Have you ever wondered what was really in those chicken nugget or how healthy or unhealthy they really are?
It all starts on a chicken farm. Usually, only retired chickens (no longer egg layers) are destined to be a nugget because their meat is really cheap. Tendons, tissue, cartilage, organs, and other chicken extras are ground up into a fine poultry paste. Because that paste is typically crawling with bacteria, it's washed with ammonia, and treated with an artificial flavoring. To get rid of that pink color, the paste is dyed. Doesn't sound too tasty now does it?

This is how you can make your own chicken nuggets at home instead of buying that mess. Grill a chicken breast and cut it into small dipping size pieces with a knife or cookie cutters. Dip the chicken breast in a beaten egg mix, and then roll it in cornflake crumbs before you bake it. You get the crunch and healthy goodness without all the extra. Plus you get piece of mind knowing your child is getting more than just a breaded paste.

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