by Chrishonda Brown
September. It’s the month of shifting out of summer and settling into the school schedule. Even though it’s chaotic, don’t forget to make nutrition a family priority. It’s not too hard. Just take it back to basics.
Basic Food Groups – Are you getting all five food groups every day? Make sure your grocery list includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, protein and dairy.
Basic Snacks – Healthy snacks don’t have to have a long list of ingredients. Keep it simple: chopped fruit and veggies (see how many colors they can eat), peanut butter or hummus, boiled eggs, cheese sticks or popcorn.
Basic Safety – Demonstrate good hygiene by always properly washing hands before cooking or eating. Help kids practice all five steps every time: water, soap, 20-second scrub, rinse and dry.
Autumn is just around the corner. These basics are a great start to a healthy, fun-filled fall.
Chrishonda Brown, M.S. in kinesiology, is a guest columnist for Kansas State Research and Extension, Wyandotte County. For more recipes visit www.kidsacooking.org The Facebook page is at www.facebook.com/KSREWyco and follow us on Twitter @WyCoSnapEd.
Pizza Cake
Makes: 1 pizza cake
2 tablespoons pizza sauce
1 rice cake
2 tablespoons shredded cheese
Additional toppings, optional
Directions:
Heat oven to 350° F. Spread sauce over rice cake. Sprinkle on cheese.
Sprinkle on additional toppings, if desired.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or heat in microwave for 15-30 seconds.
Refrigerate leftovers immediately.
Nutritional information for each serving: 92 calories, 3g total fat, 1.6g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 8mg cholesterol, 11g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 1g sugars, 229mg sodium, 5g protein, 3% Vitamin A, 5% Vitamin C, 11% calcium, 4% iron.