11 Tips For Raising Healthy Kids

Obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years -- yes, tripled. Colorado is the only state where less than 20 percent of adults are obese. The rest of American has surpassed that mark.

There are efforts being put forth to end this epidemic. The place to start is with our children, who are at greater risk of health diseases. While national campaigns are doing all they can to make America healthy, particularly Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign, the biggest impact will come from parents teaching their kids a better lifestyle. Try following some of these tips to guiding your kids to healthier habits.

1. Eliminate Snacks and Junk Food
Don't buy them! In fact, don't even go down the snack isle. Snacks are usually high in fat and calories, but low in nutritional value. If you're trying to feed your family on a budget, you'll want to buy the most nutrient-dense foods possible.

2. Avoid Sugary Breakfasts
Again, these aren't nutrient-dense and they're appallingly expensive. Oatmeal or cream of wheat make a great substitute. They're less expensive, better for you and you can get your kids involved in helping with breakfast. Set out a few ingredients like raisins, apples, nuts, brown sugar or chocolate chips and let them mix-in a couple.

3. Drink More Water
Our bodies are composed of about 65-percent water. The Mayo Clinic holds to the classic rule of eight glasses of water a day.  Drinks like sugary juices and soda really don't supply the amount of liquid a young body needs.
  
4. Skip the Sugary Drinks
It's a common misconception fruit juice is good for you. Fruit juice is mostly sugar, unless indicated on the bottle. Even then, labels can be deceiving so research before you buy. The first clue is to check to see if the bottle says 100-percent juice. The second clue is to check the ingredients. If the ingredients include a combination of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, aspartame or anything that isn't fruit, consider a different juice. You can get a complete list of sugar substitutes at Innvista.com so you won't be fooled by juice-manufacturer's tricks.
 
5. Plan, Plan, Plan
Planning your weekly meals before you go shopping will not only save you shopping and cooking time, but it'll also save you money. Compile your recent grocery receipts and figure out what you can eliminate and what your children will actually eat. Once you've shopped and are ready to prepare the meal, cook two or three times the amount you normally would and freeze the rest for easy meals down the road. Being creative with recipes will make kids more receptive to a variety of foods. DisneyFamily.com has some children-friendly recipes to enliven your menu.

6. Make Your Own Baby Food
There's no comparison when comparing the cost of store-bought and homemade baby food. Check out this article from WholesomeBabyFood.com for a cost comparison. Another benefit of making your baby's food is knowing exactly what they're eating. This also makes it easier to spot food allergies.

7. Grow Your Own Goods
If you have the time and the talent, grow your own fruits and vegetables. They will taste fresher and frugal gardening also saves money while allowing parents to spend time outdoors with kids.

8. Be Active
Kids need about 60 minutes of active and vigorous play each day. If this sounds like a lot, consider eight to 18 year olds spend on average 7.5 hours a day using such entertainment media as TV, video games, cell phones, Internet and movies. Still wondering why America is becoming obese?

9. Cut Back on Meat
Americans eat way more meat than we need. Plus, meat is one of the most expensive foods. Cut back to the FDA's recommended daily allowance and save money while bettering your health. Teens and adults need about 50 grams of protein a day; kids need about 16 grams. A three-ounce chicken breast has 21 grams of protein. See -- you don't need much to get your RDA.

10. Pack Lunch Instead of Buying
A recent study by the University of Michigan Health Systems found a positive correlation between school lunches and obesity. The study, as reported in The Washington Post, revealed students who eat school lunches are more likely to be overweight and have higher cholesterol. A survey of middle-schoolers found 39 percent of students who ate school lunch every day or frequently were overweight or obese, compared to 24 percent who brought their lunch from home.

11. Let's Move
Michelle Obama's nationwide "Let's Move" campaign, launched earlier this year, tackles the challenge of childhood obesity. The program gives help and support to parents; pushes schools to serve healthier food; teaches kids to be more physically active; and strives to make healthy, affordable food available in every part of the country. Many corporations have jumped on board. For example, Pepsi has pledged to pull all their sugary products from schools around the world by 2012. They one-upped Coca-Cola, who previously promised to pull all sugary products from elementary schools by 2012. But HispanicBusiness.com reports this policy doesn't apply to high schools.