INVOLVE KIDS IN MEAL PREPARATION
Kids love to help out in the kitchen and getting them involved in meal preparation will educate them on healthy foods and how they get from “field to plate”. Engaging your children in meal preparation can be a lot of fun and gets them “bought into” the meal – i.e. it’s hard to turn their nose up at something they helped create. Some examples of kid friendly meals are make-your-own pizzas, tacos, fajita or quesadillas. Breakfast foods are also fun to prepare with children – specially shaped pancakes, french toast, different types of eggs. Take it one step further and involve your children in the grocery shopping – enjoy a morning at a local farmer’s market to really immerse them in local seasonal produce.
FITNESS TIP: Create challenges out of chores…how fast can you clean? 
EAT A RAINBOW OF FOODS
A general rule when it comes to food is the brighter the better because the color pigments of foods are where all the vitamins and phytonutrients are found. Potatoes and jicama are some of the few natural white foods. Most often, if a food is white, it has been processed in some way, i.e. white bread & sugar. White is not a color of the rainbow, so eating a rainbow of foods will help you increase fruits and vegetables in your diet and reduce the processed foods in you diet. What foods make up the rainbow?
* Red: tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, beets, red peppers, radishes, pomegranate
* Orange: oranges, persimmons, yams, butternut squash, carrots, apricots
* Yellow: onions, yellow peppers, Yukon potatoes, spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, bananas
* Green: kale, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, lettuce, green peppers, herbs, peas, green beans, kiwi
* Blue: blueberries, blackberries, blue potatoes, acai berry
* Purple: eggplant, grapes, figs, plums
Challenge your kids to find the rainbow on their plate!
FITNESS TIP: Take the family dog out for a walk together, or if your child is old enough, give him this daily task (or more than once a day – even better for both child and dog!). If you don’t have a dog, help your child arrange to walk a neighbor’s dog.
DRINK MORE WATER
When pregnant and breastfeeding you need 60+ ounces of liquid a day. You will hear this so much that water will begin to not sound good anymore. Try making yourself a spritzer when you have had enough of the plain tap version. Add a splash of juice to sparkling water for a refreshing, hydrating change. Always carry water with you when you are on-the-go so you can sip throughout the day (using an aluminum or stainless steel reusable water bottle is best for your health and that of the environment – brands such as SIGG or Klean Kanteen are great options).
FITNESS TIP: Train for a “child friendly race/walk” with your child. Set periodic, attainable, goals (distance, time, exploring new terrain like a hilly park) to keep it interesting and challenging.
These tips have been provided by the LUNA Moms Club Moms with a Mission (MWAM) program, which is focusing on women’s and children’s nutrition and fitness in the 4th quarter of 2008. To join a LUNA Moms Club near you today, complete the online application at http://www.lunabar.com/momsclub. It’s free and you get a free gift!
Stroller Strides, the country’s largest fitness program for new moms, powers the LUNA Moms Clubs and Playgroups. Stroller Strides offers innovative stroller workout classes for mom and baby. For more information, visit http://www.strollerstrides.net/mechanicsville. Though including a workout in your routine is a powerful tool to maintaining energy and overall health, there is no requirement to enroll in Stroller Strides exercise classes to participate in the associated LUNA Moms Club.
Thanks for letting me share!
Anna - MommieInMotion
