Can Grandparents Who Are Raising Grandkids Fix Healthy Meals for Kids and Themselves?

I never thought I would be a GRG, a grandparent raising grandkids. But three months ago my twin grandkids, who just turned 16, moved in with us. The adjustment has been hard on me, my husband, and my grandkids. Fixing meals for our family turned out to be a challenge.

My husband and I eat a healthy -- lots of fresh fruit, lots of veggies, whole grains, lean meat (and less of it), fish twice a week, and occasional desserts. Our diet is low in fat, sugar, and salt. We want to continue this diet, but the kids don't like it. I needed more information, so I logged onto the US Government Web site mypyramid. According to the site, teens need to eat lots of calcium for growing bones. They also need to get vitamins from fruits and vegetables, and eat whole grains. For more information on whole grains I printed out the "Get on the Grain Train" brochure.

The brochure says whole grains are important because they contain vitamins, minerals, and complex carbohydrates. Whole grains also contain fiber, which is necessary for good health and may protect the body against chronic disease. Could I fix healthy meals for my grandkids and us? I decided I was up to the challenge. The twins eat more than we do and I needed a system to fix healthy meals. Here's my system.

I MAKE OUT MENUS. The twins' schedule is erratic and, since I never know how many of us are going to be home for dinner, I make out menus for four days only. I cook extra food because the twins may have invited a friend for dinner.

I SHOP OFTEN. Minnesotans crave fresh produce in the winter, but it gets picked over quickly. To get fresh produce I shop late on Monday morning, after the trucks have delivered produce. Because I read food labels (which takes time) I shop every other day. I buy milk in bags at a local gas station.

I PUSH FRUITS AND VEGGIES. After I discovered the twins love fruit I put it in every dinner menu. I serve slightly warm, unsweetened applesauce with chunks of fresh apples in it, and a little cinnamon. I serve refrigerated pink grapefruit or grapefruit and orange sections. Refrigerated fruit is pricey, but worth the money. The kids also love green pears and grapes.

I TALK ABOUT SERVING SIZES. According to the US Government brochure, "How much are you eating?" a serving of spaghetti is only half a cup. Many servings are smaller than we think. I give the twins a cup of spaghetti (a double serving) and point this out to them. I also tell them to stop eating the instant they feel full.

I EMPHASIZE NUTRITION. Fats, oils, and sweets are at the top of the food pyramid. In other words, they should be eaten sparingly. The kids know I buy low-sugar, low-sat, and low-fat foods. They also

know I read food labels and are starting to read them, too.

Cooking for two generations is a challenge and I welcome it. Part of my job as a GRG is to feed my grandkids healthy, balanced, tasty meals. Every meal has a secret ingredient. That ingredient is love.

Copyright 2008 by Harriet Hodgson

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 29 years. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and th Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com - A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. You will find other reviews on the American Hospice Foundation Web site and the Health Ministries Association Web site.

Please visit Harriet Hodgson's Web site and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.

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Planning Healthy Meals for Kids

After twelve years the USDA restructured the information provided in its Food Pyramid for Healthy Eating. They realized that they needed to make the information easier to use for everyone, especially kids. They literally turned it upside down. Instead of boxes that divided the food groups, they added brightly colored stripes that represented each of the foods. Ultimately it became much easier for parents to plan healthy meals for their kids.

Along with the redesign they included different food intake patterns which address individual needs. Children that are very active or have a higher metabolism need more calories, compared to a child that is less active or has a slower metabolism. The suggested amounts of foods that we need to consume each day are derived from all the individual food groups. This includes Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Meats and Meat Products, Milk, and Oils.

The estimated daily calorie needs are divided into twelve intake patterns ranging from 1000 calories to 3200 calories. These calorie levels were set to help people in a wide range of categories. For example a calorie range for children between two and 18 will differ according to age, sex and activity level.

Counting calories can be a tedious task, but they made it really easy for us by taking the guess work out of the picture. Here is what they did, they took the components of each food group, then placed them in a chart that tells us exactly how many servings of each food we need.

Example: In order to stay within the guidelines for 1200 calories we would need to serve:

1 cup of Fruit

1 cup of Vegetables

3 oz. of Grains

2 oz. of Meats and Meat Products

2 cups of Milk

3 teaspoons of Oils, or Fats

Plus we can include another 165 calories at other times of the day, for instance snack time.

When they redesigned the pyramid they did not make drastic changes to the Dietary Guidelines. The best nutritional advice has always been to eat a variety of foods. In combination with physical activity that balances the amount of foods eaten compared to the amount of exercise we do. Be sure to eat foods from each of the food groups, and choose foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Plus we need to watch the amount of salt and sugars we consume.

In conclusion, the messages they are trying to convey to individuals, families, and children is eat right everyday, be physically active everyday, and to have fun while doing so.

[http://yourhealthylife.info]

[http://www.yourhealthylife.info]

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