Parents and Caregivers

The time that children spend outside of school has become a time when they are less active and eat more unhealthy foods, but it doesn’t have to be this way. 

Be a healthy role model:

• Eat healthy foods. 
• Limit use of handheld devices.
• Participate in physical activity.
• Drink water.

Below are some strategies and resources for you to use to help your child live a balanced and healthy life:

• Healthy Habits Toolkit for Parents and Caregivers — Tips and resources to help your family live 5-2-1-0.
• Spend Smart. Eat Smart. — Recipes, grocery lists and meal plans to help your family eat healthy on a budget. 
• 5-2-1-0 Goal Trackers — Practice the 5-2-1-0 healthy habits at home and track your progress!

Fact Sheets:

5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day

• Healthy Eating on a Budget
  • Healthy shopping on a budget: Use this document to lower you grocery bill
  • Eating healthy at convenience stores
  • Healthy tips for eating out
  • Tips to pick a better fast food option
  • Tips for eating fruits and veggies year round
  • Understanding food labels
  • Tips to eat healthy and stick to a tight grocery budget
  • Farmers markets accepting food assistance
  • Farmers markets offering Double Up Food Bucks
• Preparing Family-friendly Recipes
  • Making meals a family affair
  • Try healthy foods by texture
  • Healthy brown bag lunches: different recipe for every day of the week
  • Making sense of food portions
  • Handling a choosy eater
  • Getting to know fiber: easy tips for boosting your fiber intake
  • Iowa Seasonal Food Guide: simple guide to purchase in season fruits and vegetables
  • Kid-friendly snacks: quick and healthy snacks for energy
  • How to address eating problems in children with I/DD
• Kids in the Kitchen
  • Cooking with kids
  • Basic cooking concepts
  • Conduct taste tests
  • Make a 5-a-day bracelet
  • Non food rewards at home
  • Feeding toddlers and preschoolers
  • Feeding infants

2 hours or less of recreational screen time every day 

• Tips to Reduce Screen Time
  • Summer screen time "contract" for kids
  • Limit screen time
  • Promote healthy viewing habits
  • School vacation activities
  • Reading to young children
  • Step away from the screen
  • Screen time for kids under 3
  • Play ideas for infants
  • Healthy sleeping habits
• Provide Alternative Activities
  • Unplugged: tips to reduce screen time
  • Check out your local library
  • Screen-free play and activities
  • 5-2-1-0 crossword puzzle
  • Fruit and veggie word search
  • Physical activity word search

1 hour or more of physical activity every day  

• Fun Ways to Get Active
  • Story Walk
  • Move an hour every day!
  • Take it outside
  • Top 5 anywhere exercises
• Get Active in Iowa
  • 99 Counties, 99 Parks Family Fun Guide
  • Hy-Vee KidsFit
  • Get outside: Find a State Park
  • Get outside: Find your County Park
  • Get inspired with Travel Iowa
  • Live Healthy Iowa Kids

0 sugary drinks - more water 

• Choosing Healthy Drinks
  • Water is fuel for your body!
  • Choosing juice
  • Limit or eliminate sugary drinks
  • Best drinks for young children
  • Sports or energy drinks?
  • How much sugar do you drink?

Free Resources for Families:

   Iowa Family Support Network