As school lets out for students across Milwaukee, more time will be spent at home, and many families will look to prepare quick and affordable meals.
“During the summer, many families experience disruptions to their normal routines, which can make healthy eating more difficult,” said Carmen Baldwin, community nutrition manager for the Hunger Task Force.
Disruptions in healthy food habits during the summer include increased grocery costs and less-structured meal times, which lead to unhealthy snacking, limited access to healthy foods and more.
Here are some tips and recipes to try with your family over the summer.
Simple at-home recipes
According to Children’s Wisconsin, children should eat three meals and approximately one to three snacks a day.
In case you’re looking for healthy meal ideas, Baldwin and Community Nutrition Educator Leah Kostos, manage a collection of recipes with the Hunger Task Force, which includes foods like vegetable lo mein, parmesan chicken burgers, chili pasta and more.
When making healthy food choices, Baldwin suggests paying attention to serving size, added sugars, sodium and fiber on the nutrition labels as a guide.
“A simple tip is to compare similar products and choose the option that has more fiber and less added sugar and sodium,” she said.
Baldwin also encourages families to ensure children stay hydrated since weather will be warmer and activity is increased.
“Water, milk and fruits with high water content help prevent dehydration,” Balwin said.
Foods with calcium, electrolytes, vitamin D and iron serve as an additional support for growth and staying full and active during the day.
For more balanced meals with fruits, vegetables, grains and protein, click here to view the Hunger Task Force’s full collection of recipes.
Making mindful food choices
Bridgett Wilder, founder of Perseverance Health & Wellness Coaching and nutritionist contracted with the County of Milwaukee for nutrition and behavioral health programs, wants adults and children to understand why they eat the way they do.
“A lot of the time when we have a cultural preference, that’s sometimes associated with highly salted foods, soul food and other recipes,” Wilder said. “I’m more about sustaining a healthy lifestyle.”
To help create positive experiences around food, Wilder takes existing recipes and transforms them into something healthier.
“If we’re making greens, we can stop putting pork in it and add smoked turkey instead,” she said. “It’s like tweaking it to keep people engaged in healthy eating and also having people still enjoy food that’s culturally relevant.”
Click here to watch Wilder make healthy recipes like sweet heat potatoes, watermelon cucumber salad and banana pudding parfait.
For nutrition education, collaborative menu planning, emotional eating support and other nutrition and behavioral services, Wilder can be emailed at perseverancewellness@gmail.com
