Help children 5–11 get the best start.
Eating healthy food and living an active lifestyle at a young age gives children a healthy foundation.
CHEAL supports work to help children and their families get easy access to affordable, equitable, and culturally appropriate healthy food and active living opportunities.
Eating healthy
Drink plenty of water and limit how much sugar is in your diet. Eat:
- Five or more servings of vegetables and fruit every day.
- Whole grain and high fiber like whole-grain bread, whole-wheat pasta, and brown rice.
- Lean meats and poultry like fish, eggs, tofu, beans, nuts, and seeds.
- Milk, yogurt, cheese or dairy alternatives like almond, rice, and soy milk.
Healthy living
- Eat meals together as a household.
- Don’t use food as a reward or withhold food as a punishment.
- Stock your kitchen with healthy snacks.
- Eat a healthy breakfast every day.
Resources
- Local Farmers Markets.
- Food resources map.
- Choose My Plate—United State Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- SNAP-Ed Connection—USDA.
- Recipes—MyPlate.
- Healthy Eating on a Budget—Nutrition.gov.
- Nutrition, storage, and handling information—Have a Plant.
- Food Allergy Research and Education—FARE.
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations—USDA.
Move more and stay active.
When you’re active with others—like your family or friend group—you will feel happier and improve your children’s health long term.
Children 3–5 years old should be active throughout the day. Children and adolescents ages 6–17 should be physically active for at least an hour a day.
- Check with your physician before you start a new physical activity plan.
- Encourage lots of safe and unstructured movement. Always provide protective equipment and ensure activities are age appropriate.
- Lead an active lifestyle yourself, so you can set a positive example for the children in your life.
- Go to places where you can be active, like public parks, community baseball fields, or basketball courts.
- Make it fun! Choose recreational activities like walking, running, skating, bicycling, swimming, playground activities, and free-time play.
Instead of watching TV after dinner, encourage kids to find fun activities to do on their own or with friends and family.
Resources
- Move Your Way Activity Tool—National Forum.
- Health trek—Snohomish County Health Department.
- Puyallup Walking Map—City of Puyallup.
- Pierce County Parks and Recreation—Pierce County.
- Community Walkability.
- ParkRX—Washington State Parks.
- Move with the Mayor—National Forum for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention.
Are you a family resource center, community organization, or group serving families in need?
We’re providing organizations cooking supplies and recreational equipment to give to families. Learn more about how you can help families eat well and stay active.
Questions?
Contact Monique Myers at mmyers@tpchd.org or (253) 377-3549.