Childhood obesity rates are soaring and several children have been diagnosed with diabetes due to poor nutrition and fitness habits. Elementary school children are in a key development phase and need proper nutrition and fitness habits to help them stay healthier. Proper diet and exercise not only helps them physically, but it improves their performance in school and it helps them emotionally. Paying attention to the food your elementary-aged child is eating will help you with your own diet as well. By re-creating the meals your entire family eats, you will all be healthier and happier.

You can do simple things to add healthy foods to the menu. One of the best ways to encourage healthy eating habits is to take your child to the grocery store with you. Let them pick out the vegetables, fruits, and meats that they like. By letting them choose the foods, it will be easier to arrange meals that fit their particular tastes. Search for activities you can participate in with your child that encourage fitness. Instead of sitting down and watching a movie, go outside, jump on the trampoline, throw a baseball together, do things that encourage them to stay active. Some children may not like sports, but there are other things they can do to stay active. Take the family dog for a walk, go for a bike ride with your child, or purchase a video-gaming system that makes them move. There are several gaming systems that teach children how to exercise and they make it fun and exciting for children and adults.

Several people state that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When you awake from the day, your body is filled with new energy. Schools often schedule harder classes in the morning, when they know the child will be alert and awake. A good breakfast should help your child get from their first class until lunchtime without needing a snack in between. Sugary cereals, doughnuts, and bagels are not great breakfast items. They only provide enough energy for about 45 minutes.

Instead of purchasing the sugary sweets for breakfast, focus on healthier foods that will help your child stay more awake and alert until lunchtime. If your child is a fan of fruit, encourage eating fruits for breakfast. You can easily get all your child's fruit needs in during breakfast by making a smoothie with bananas, strawberries, raspberries, apples, and milk. There are several fruit juices your child can drink along with dry cereal or oatmeal. Give your child a smoothie with 2 slices of whole wheat toast, this will give them enough energy and stamina to help them focus better in school and maintain a balanced breakfast.

Some children prefer cereal; there are several different types of cereal to choose from. Pick a cereal that is high in fiber and contains healthy things like fruits and nuts. If you like, you can even add fresh fruit to the cereal as well. Yogurt is a great side dish to a small bowl of cereal or a couple pieces of toast. If you have the time, make several different things for breakfast and give your children choices. Scramble some eggs, add a little bacon to it and make whole-wheat pancakes. Children love variety and they love to help themselves to good food that they like.

Instead of purchasing the sugary sweets for breakfast, focus on healthier foods that will help your child stay more awake and alert until lunchtime. If your child is a fan of fruit, encourage eating fruits for breakfast. You can easily get all your child's fruit needs in during breakfast by making a smoothie with bananas, strawberries, raspberries, apples, and milk. There are several fruit juices your child can drink along with dry cereal or oatmeal. Give your child a smoothie with 2 slices of whole wheat toast, this will give them enough energy and stamina to help them focus better in school and maintain a balanced breakfast.

Some children prefer cereal; there are several different types of cereal to choose from. Pick a cereal that is high in fiber and contains healthy things like fruits and nuts. If you like, you can even add fresh fruit to the cereal as well. Yogurt is a great side dish to a small bowl of cereal or a couple pieces of toast. If you have the time, make several different things for breakfast and give your children choices. Scramble some eggs, add a little bacon to it and make whole-wheat pancakes. Children love variety and they love to help themselves to good food that they like.

Most elementary schools serve school lunch, though most parents like to send their child to school with a sack lunch. The same old peanut butter and jelly sandwich just won't cut it on a daily basis. Give your child some variety. Encourage them to come with you to the grocery store and pick out new things that they would like to try. Some whole wheat tostadas with cooked chicken will add some variety to your child's sack lunch, but the chicken will need to stay in the fridge until lunchtime. Try changing from a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to a ham and cheese sandwich with some lettuce or a tuna fish sandwich. Keeping variety in their sack lunch will give them new things to try and it won't tempt them to try their friend's lunch that is packed with unhealthy foods like chocolate and potato chips.

You can purchase fruit cocktail in small cans or your can make your own and insert it into your child's sack lunch. Mandarin orange slices and yogurt make for a great side dish for lunch and they are healthy and nutritious. Cut up some carrots and celery and place them in a small plastic container. Add some peanut butter to the celery slices and you will be surprised to see that your child will eat it. The peanut butter will help to satisfy their sweet tooth and they are snacking on nutritious vegetables.

Remember to keep your home clean of junk foods like soda, potato chips, and sugary treats. Stocking your cabinets with whole-wheat crackers and sugar-free cookies will let your child satisfy their sweet tooth and it encourages good nutrition. Always keep carrots in the fridge and encourage your children to eat them as an after school snack. Carrots have natural sugars that will satisfy their cravings for something sweet. Make orange juice popsicles and encourage your children to eat them as an afternoon snack. This helps to curve their craving for food after they get home from elementary school. Sunflower seeds, pretzel sticks, and fruit chips all make a wonderful after-school snack too and they are nutritious.

Dinner time is a wonderful time to take a look at everything you have eaten for the day and decide what foods you need more of. Vegetables, dairy, and meat can all be consumed at this time since you don't want your child consuming too much sugar before bedtime. If your child has been eating nutritiously, they probably don't need a huge plate of food. Let them serve themselves at dinner time because they will know when they are full. If they are still hungry, they can get more food. Children love colors, so make food that is bright. Encourage them to try new things like squash, beats, and other vegetables. Dark green vegetables are very healthy and should be part of your child's diet. Use cookie cutters and cut up squash, cucumbers, and other vegetables. When the food looks appealing, children are less hesitant to try it. Offer milk as a beverage for dinner time, as this helps their dairy consumption. Cottage cheese and pears are another great side dish to go along with your dinner menu. When you are selecting the meat, be sure to change the menu often and try new things. Your child will have a balanced diet and they won't become bored with the different meals you prepare.

After dinner, spend some time with your children. It is understandable that children may have a lot of homework to do after dinner and they want to play after school. Encourage them to do activities outside to help keep them active and in shape. Don't allow them to play video games during the week, as this will only distract them from homework and they won't be doing things to burn off calories. If they don't like going outside, have them do active things in the home. Play hide and go seek with them, turn out the lights and play laser-tag. Do things that encourage them to run around and burn off the calories they have consumed. Even try exercising with your children, do yoga together, or kickboxing. Enroll them in Karate classes or other classes that teach physical fitness.

Most children like to go swimming, purchase a family pass to a local health club. Do things with your children that they like to do, but make sure you tell them that it has to be something active. Sitting around watching television and playing video games will not keep them active and it doesn't promote good fitness skills for the future. See if there is a Fun Dome around, they normally have rock climbing, miniature golf, batting cages, and other things that promote good fitness skills for children.

It is inevitable that children will be exposed to fast food and to other things that don't encourage them to stay healthy. Help your child stay healthy by being a good example. Even though you may work all day, come home and go outside and play with your kids. Go hiking on the weekends or go on camping trips as a family. There are great things you can do outside that promote good health and nutrition. You can go to the fast food restaurants once and awhile, just don't let it become a weekly thing. Greasy French fries and other foods are high in cholesterol and they promote obesity. Setting a good example for your children now will help them in their later years and it will help them stay strong. When you take your child to the grocery store, make sure they eat something at least 30 minutes before you go. Having a full stomach will help them avoid being influenced by all the different foods that are available.