How to Eat Smart

Make time for meals.

Life can be very busy with school, after-school activities, friends and family. It’s easy to skip breakfast, have chips and soda for lunch and eat a lot of food later that night to make up for it all. Unfortunately, this way of eating isn’t healthy and can affect how you look and feel.

Eating regular, nutritious meals helps keep you healthy, energetic and at a healthy weight.

Start smart.

Skip breakfast and you could be skipping out on a chance to do better in school that day. Eating breakfast jumpstarts your metabolism (how your body burns calories) and gives you energy for the day. It can help you do better in school because you will pay more attention.

Start by eating something small, like a piece of fruit. After a while, you will feel hungrier and will be able to eat a full breakfast.

Healthy breakfast options:

• Go whole-grain
  • Whole-wheat toast, oatmeal, whole-grain cereal
• Choose low-fat/fat-free dairy
  • Milk, yogurt, cheese
• Add fruit and vegetables where you can
  • Add fruit to your yogurt, cereal, pancakes, or eat it alone
  • Add vegetables in your eggs, breakfast burritos, or eat them alone

Brain food.

Foods high in fat and sugar like chips, French fries and cookies can leave you feeling tired and sluggish after lunch. Being sleepy during class is probably the last thing you want at school! Healthier foods like sandwiches with whole-wheat bread, fruit, vegetables, low-fat yogurt or low-fat milk, can give you the vitamins and minerals you need to do well in school and even in after-school activities.

Make it a family affair.

Instead of snacking too much after school, try eating dinner with your family. Family dinners are often more healthy than snack foods and you’ll get a chance to spend time with your family. Cooking can be fun, too, so see if there is a way that you can help prepare dinner. Get creative!  Put veggies in cupcake molds and lift the mold up to make fun shapes on the plates, or cut whole wheat bread for sandwiches using a cookie cutter, Preparing a healthy meal can be fun!

Snack smart.

Healthy snacks can give you an awesome energy boost. If you get hungry during school or while away from home, pack something small and healthy to hold you over until mealtime.

Healthy snacks:

• Whole fruit, like a banana or apple
• Chopped veggies
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
• String cheese
• Dried fruit, like raisins or dried apricots

Rethink your drinks.

Switching from soda to water, 1% low-fat or fat-free milk or 100% juice can make a huge difference in your health. Drinking a lot of soda isn’t healthy because it is packed with sugar and caffeine and does not have the vitamins and minerals of other drinks. Sugar and caffeine can give you a short energy boost but can quickly make you feel sluggish and tired. Too much caffeine is also not good for your bones and can even affect your growth. Basketball players, you've been warned!

Water, on the other hand, has no calories and keeps you well hydrated. Water is what our bodies need to work properly, so drinking lots of water helps you be at your best.

Milk is also a great choice for a healthy drink. 1% low-fat and fat-free milk have all of the vitamins and minerals in whole milk, without all the fat and cholesterol. Milk tastes great too! Try choosing 1% low-fat or fat-free milk with your lunch at school.

100% fruit and vegetable juices can also be great to drink instead of soda. Just remember not to drink too much. It is recommended that 7-18 year olds should drink 1-1½ cups per day. One cup of juice a day provides great taste and lots of vitamins and minerals for you to stay healthy.

The fast food makeover.

Let's face it: There are times when most of us are going to eat fast food. The problem is that fast food is often high in fat, sugar and calories. It is possible to make healthy choices though – many restaurants now offer healthy drink choices and sides. Here are some tips to help you choose healthy options:

• Skip "value-sized" meals
• Try grilled chicken instead of fried or breaded
• Remove the skin from fried chicken
• Order fruit, nuts and low-fat/fat-free yogurt as a side
• Order a salad with light or reduced fat dressing instead of french fries
• Choose water or low fat/fat free milk instead of soda
• Order small or medium sizes instead of large