Recently Read: The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood

The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood by Drs. Sears

I've been feeling that our family's diet could use some improvement, and this book gave a pretty decent nutritional review and suggestions. One thing I liked was teaching your kids about "grow foods", the kinds of food that will help them to grow stronger and smarter. What kid doesn't want that? Using the term grow food is a better tool in a parent's backpack thank saying "eat your veggies".

Here are the important points I think are worth remembering.

Here are the 10 changes every family must make:
1. Shape young tastes early.
2. Feed your family the right carbs.
3. Feed your family the right fats.
4. Feed your children grow foods.
5. Feed your family fill-up foods.
6. Begin the day with a brainy breakfast.
7. Raise a grazer.
8. Feed your child's immune system.
9. Raise a lean family. Get active as a family.
10. Teach your children to be wise supermarket shoppers.

Avoid the "Terrible Threes"
1. High-fructose corn syrup (I've been checking labels, and this is in everything. It's going to be tough to completely eliminate this).
2. Hydrogenated oils, or "trans fats"
3. any color additive with a number symbol attached to it (e.g. blue #1, yellow #5, red #40)

Best carbs: fruit, beans, soy foods, veggies, whole grains

Best fats: avocados, eggs, flaxseed oil, hummus, olive oil, seafood, wheat germ

Multiple times the authors said this: Eat Fish.

Best grow foods: eggs, fruits, lean meats, seafood, vegetables, whole grains, beans, cinnamon, low-fat milk, raw nuts, low-fat yogurt, poultry

Top Twelve Superfoods for Kids: salmon, blueberries, spinach, nuts, eggs, tofu, yogurt, avocados, oatmeal, flaxseeds, beans, tomatoes

Super Snack List
-carrot sticks dipped in hummus
-apple slices dipped in peanut butter
-whole-grain cereal with peanut butter
-edamame
-string cheese and a piece of fruit
-cottage cheese and fruit
-a handful or raw nuts or trail mix
-pita bread spread with hummus
-rice cake with peanut butter and banana
-parmesan cheese melted on a slice of whole grain bread
-blueberries in yogurt
-popcorn
-celery sticks with peanut butter
-cherry tomatoes with cheese cubes
-fruit and yogurt smoothie
-hard boiled egg
-bean dip and veggie sticks
-any fruit
-whole grain, preferably homemade muffins
-cut-up vegetables with salsa and corn chips

At the least this book offered lots of healthy suggestions for my grocery list!