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Reduce fat.
Opt for low-fat substitutes:
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Low-fat dairy - skim or 1% milk (after age 2), cheese with 2 to 6 grams of fat per ounce |
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Lean meats and poultry - 95% lean ground beef or turkey; remove visible fat from meat; remove skin from poultry |
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Low-fat or fat-free salad dressings, mayonnaise and margarine |
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Desserts - angel food cake, low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt, animal crackers, vanilla wafers, gingersnaps, graham crackers |
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Eat sugary foods in moderation.
If your child eats a healthy diet, one sweet a day is fine.
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Drink water, skim or 1% milk (after age 2) instead of high-calorie, sugary drinks |
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Check ingredients on nutrition labels. Foods with sugar listed as one of the first three or four ingredients may be high in sugar and should be eaten in moderation |
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Eat healthy snacks.
Keep healthy foods on-hand for snacks. Good snack ideas include:
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| • Fresh fruit |
• Cereal with low-fat milk |
| • Low-fat cheese with low-fat crackers |
• Graham crackers with low-fat hot chocolate |
| • Raw vegetables with low-fat dip |
• Applesauce |
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Serve appropriate portions.
Over-sized portions often contribute to weight gain. To get an idea of the right portions to serve your child, it might help to visualize the appropriate serving size by comparing it to objects you're familiar with:
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| Food |
Average Serving Size |
What it looks like |
| Meat |
2-3 ounces |
Deck of cards |
| Pasta or rice |
1/2 cup |
Tennis ball or ice cream scoop |
| Bread |
1 slice |
Computer disk |
| Peanut butter |
2 tablespoons |
Ping pong ball |
| Vegetables |
1/2 cup |
Light bulb |
| Cheese |
1 ounce |
Four dice |
© 2003, American Dietetic Association. "If Your Child is Overweight: A Guide for Parents, 2nd Ed." Used with permission.
  
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