Healthy Recipe Ideas

Eating the right amount of fruits and vegetables as part of a low fat, high fiber diet may lower your risk of serious problems like obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer. The amount of fruits and vegetables that is right for you depends on your age, gender, and physical activity level. Don't forget to be active, too!

Being physically active gives you more energy. It helps lower stress. And, it helps you keep a healthy body weight. To take care of your health and lower the risk of serious health problems, adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day (like dancing, walking, or doing yard work). Children need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.

• Healthy Breakfast Recipes - Breakfast is the important meal of the day, make it a top priority! Breakfast fuels our body with nutrients and energy and is shown to help us maintain a healthy weight. Did you also know that kids who eat breakfast are more alert and typically do better at school? Enjoy these healthy habit recipes to start your day off right!
• Healthy Lunch Recipes - When children eat lunch at school they are more likely to consume milk, meats, grains and vegetables. They also have higher nutrient intakes - both at lunch and over the course of an entire day. Here are some healthy lunch recipes that you can make when they are at home!
• Healthy Snack Recipes - Kids often need snacks to help them get through the day. Choosing healthy snacks that add nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, to their diets is essential. Enjoy these recipes and the smart snacking ideas that will help your kids get their daily nutrient requirements.
• Healthy Dinner Recipes - Family meals are a great time for parents to connect with their kids and share the details of the day. Plus, kids who eat regularly with their families are less likely to snack on unhealthful foods. Try to eat meals together as a family at least 3 times per week.
• Healthy Dessert Recipes - Desserts don't have to be laden with fat, sugar and empty calories to taste good. Look to the natural sweetness found in fresh fruit for your next dessert. These recipes are quick, easy and healthy...and best of all, they'll keep your family coming back for more!

Recipe Sources: Network for a Healthy California, www.cachampionsforchange.net and the Chinatown Public Health Center, San Francisco Department of Public Health, and the USDA Food Stamp Program, through the California Nutrition Network for Healthy, Active Families.