Parents and Caregivers

Resources

What YOU do makes a difference! 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. Providing a positive environment at home and encouraging kids to join community activities allows them to build healthy habits and interact with peers as they learn and grow during this important period of their physical and mental development.  

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. 

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
  • 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
  • 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