NUTRITION INFORMATION
Healthy nutrition choices are important for your overall health. This page provides links to resources and information that can assist individuals with making healthy nutrition choices.
Resources for healthy nutrition:
For help calculating Body Mass Index (BMI), proper portion sizes, and other nutrition information visit Choose My Plate
To learn more about the importance of fruits and vegetables in your diet and ideas for how to prepare them, visit Fruits and Veggies: More Matters
USDA Food and Nutrition Services provides information on healthy nutrition choices, visit their page at http://www.fns.usda.gov/
American Dietetic Association: www.eatright.org
For healthy, affordable recipes, search Recipe Finder
For information on portion sizes, visit Portion Size Health Tool
Kentucky WIC Program
The Laurel County Health Department also provides the WIC Program and follows the procedures and protocols set forth by the Kentucky WIC Program at the Kentucky Department for Public Health. If you would like more information on the WIC Program, visit the wic section of our website or visit the Kentucky WIC Program website at https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dmch/nsb/Pages/wic.aspx
Other Resources
This Is What 200 Calories Look Like: Junk vs. Healthy Food Video (5 min)
Whole-Grains
Whole-grains are rich sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients that keep your body healthy. Consuming whole-grains as part of a healthy diet can help reduce the risk of some chronic diseases. It is recommended that you “make half your grains whole grains”. For more information about the importance of whole grains in the diet and tips on how to include whole-grains in your meals, download our local WIC handout on Whole-grains or visit the grains section of the Choose My Plate website. Both links are listed below:
The Benefits of Whole Grain Video (3 min)
Low-Fat Dairy – Choose 1% or Less
Consuming dairy products provides health benefits and foods in the dairy group provide nutrients that are vital for your body’s health. Nutrients in dairy products include: calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein.
Dairy products can have large amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol, two types of fat that contribute to health problems such as heart disease and obesity. Because of this, it is important to make choices from the dairy group that include low-fat and fat-free products.
Some examples of low-fat dairy products include:
Low-fat (1%) milk or fat-free (Skim) milk
Low-fat or fat-free yogurt
Low-fat or fat-free cheeses
You may also choose soymilk that has been fortified with calcium if you are unable to tolerate milk products.
Parents can be a positive influence on their children by purchasing and consuming low-fat dairy products. It’s important to teach children healthy nutrition habits when they are young so they continue those habits into adulthood.
For more information on healthy dairy choices, visit the dairy section of the Choose My Plate website or download the USDA’s Tip Sheet entitled “There’s No Power Like Mom Power”. Both links are listed below.
There’s No Power Like Mom Power – Make The Switch to Low-Fat Milk
5-2-1-0 is Kentucky’s prescription for significantly reducing childhood obesity.
Five: Eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Two: Limit screen time to no more than two hours a day.
One: Be physically active at least one hour per day.
Zero: Don’t drink sweetened beverages.
For more information visit: Kentucky’s 5-2-1-0 Webpage
Family Meals
Parents/caregivers are the most influential factor on their child’s nutrition and activity. Be a positive role model and let your children see you being active and making healthy food choices.
Let kids help you in the kitchen. When they help create meals, they are more likely to take pride in, and want to eat the foods they have a role in preparing.
Eating together as a family is one of the most important activities a family can do. Children have an opportunity to talk about things that are important to them as well as learn about foods and manners.
Research shows a decrease in high-risk behaviors is related to the amount of time spent with family – especially during family dinners.
Research has demonstrated that a child may have to try a new and healthy food up to 15 times before liking it. Try preparing the new food in different ways. It also might help to serve the new food alongside a familiar food that your child enjoys. The more often you try these new foods, the more routine they will seem.
For more information on the Importance of Family Dinners, visit the webpage of University of Florida Extension Service