Learn about: Nourished Kids! Active Kids! Happy Kids! Parents have the most influence over what their children eat, how they spend their time and what choices they make.	Get low-cost, local, seasonal tips and recipes coming to your inbox each month. Download a copy of The Busy Parents Guide to Healthy, Happy Kids
Here are some tips to get kids growing up healthy and feeling good about themselves: START SMALL!  Make simple changes that you know your family could adjust to.  Small improvements over time will add up to make a big difference to your family's health. PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH! Your children will be more likely to make healthy choices when they see you set a good example.  They are influenced more by what you do than what you say and will follow your lead.  Not to mention, you’ll be doing yourself good too!
YOU HAVE THE POWER!  As a parent, you have more control than you might believe.  You can have dinner together.  You can do the dishes later and go for a family walk.  You can set limits on screen time.  You can spend more quality time with your kids.  You can push for healthy changes at school. Once your kids are tuned in to health they’ll be on track to become healthy adults with a reduced risk of diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.  There are immediate benefits too.  Cooking, eating, and playing together will build your relationship and create fun memories.

Nourished Kids! 

Growing children need a routine of healthy meals and snacks every two to three hours to nourish their developing minds and bodies.

General information on healthy eating:

• Let Canada's Food Guide be your source for information on food groups and serving sizes.  You can even personalize a food guide for each person in your family based on the foods you each enjoy most.
• Beat the breakfast blues with Blast Off With Breakfast.
• Find snack ideas that make the grade with Snacking Smart for Kids.
• Rethink kids drinks with Battle of the Beverages.
• Get practical ideas for getting kids to eat good food.
• Find out about "BusyBodies" creative food and play ideas to try with preschoolers (aged 3-5).
• Find out more about nutrition and healthy eating at EatRight Ontario. You can also speak to a registered dietitian by calling the EatRight Ontario toll-free telephone information service at 1-877-510-5102, Monday - Friday from  9 - 5 pm.
• Visit The Student Body Promoting Health at Any Size to learn more about promoting positive body image and healthy lifestyles to kids at home and at school (grades 4 - 6) with information on media and peer pressure, healthy eating, active living, teasing, adult role models and school climate.

Healthy eating at school:

• Get fresh lunch ideas with School Lunch Your Kids Will Munch.
• Take the Healthy Lunches To Go Tour.  Find out how fast and easy it can be to pack healthy and delicious lunches for the whole family.
• Scan the list of local School Meal and Snack Programs and get information on how to get one started.

Local resources:

• Discover the local foods our region has to offer with Get Fresh! in Thunder Bay.
• Check out information on community kitchens and gardens, the Good Food Box, gleaning, food banks and soup kitchens.

Cooking with kids:

• Get kids in the kitchen with this Cooking Basics for Kids cookbook.
• Check out the Adventures in Cooking program for kids aged 8-12.  Download a copy of the Leader's Manual for yourself and consider setting up a fun program to help kids learn how to cook healthy meals and snacks.   To find out more about this program please call 625-5968 or toll-free 1-888-294-6630 ext. 5968.

New recipe ideas:

• Check out our Healthy Recipes for Life
• Get new recipes and a weekly meal planner from Suppertime Survival.
• Find simple and healthy recipe ideas at Healthy Living Info.

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