August is Kids Eat Right Month™, when the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and its Foundation focus on the importance of healthful eating and active lifestyles for children and their families.
Created in 2014, Kids Eat Right Month mobilizes registered dietitian nutritionists in a grassroots movement to share healthful eating messages to help families adopt nutritious eating habits.
“Kids Eat Right Month is an opportunity for caregivers to reevaluate their family’s diet and make sure everybody is getting the right mix of healthy foods and exercise,” said registered dietitian nutritionist and Academy Spokesperson Kristi King. “It’s also an opportunity to involve children in planning for mealtime and getting them excited about trying new foods and flavors.”
Fostering healthy eating habits in children is especially important because children have very high nutrient needs to support growth and development. Offering a variety of fruits and veggies, eating together as a family, and teaching kids age-appropriate cooking skills are all great ways to incorporate healthy habits into daily routines.
“Because kids learn so much simply by observing others, Academy members consistently encourage parents to become good nutrition role models,” King said. “Choose healthful foods and beverages that reinforce those habits in your children. The good habits kids develop in childhood will last a lifetime.”
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the world’s largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.
Visit the Academy at www.eatright.org.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation is a 501(c)3 charity devoted exclusively to nutrition and dietetics. It funds scholarships and awards, public awareness and research projects and Academy strategic initiatives, and is the largest provider of scholarships and awards in the field of dietetics.
Visit the Academy Foundation at www.eatrightfoundation.org.
