Food Chart

I just did this in the last month or so. I did this for me. I figured if I was visually aware of the food I was eating each day it would help me make better choices.

I made my own chart and took the idea of the food group pyramid but changed it to be more of a chart with boxes. Each food group is listed out with so many boxes next to each so I can write in or just check off that box as I eat a serving from that group.

I plan to make one for my kids that has pictures rather than just text. This has CHANGED the way I eat because I am so much more aware of what I am missing each day and how much too much of another area. I can't wait for my kids to fill out a chart daily. I think it's important to get enough of each food group in each day.

Hello,
I think that's a great idea! The USDA has recently updated the super old food chart, but it is still not quite right, according to many doctors. If it is a food chart that you are looking to print out and use as a guide for healthy eating, this one is great. If you click on the pic, you can copy it to a word doc, then print it out. Maybe you could re-do it poster size for your little guy and the whole family could get involved.

https://www.drfuhrman.com/library/foodpyramid.aspx

Wonderful that you are being procative! Do not take this the wrong way at all- Stop buying any junk food...this will also cut down on the grocery bill. Most likely though, you are trying to do this already. If he like snacking, this is different. Start giving him smaller portions a little more frequently. Make homemade foods, smoothies, with that yogurt he loves, purchase plain yogurt and make smoothies, but remember if he is a snacker, put the smoothie in a kid size cup. Make up a simple chart and put it on the fridge...spaces for 7 days a week, breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, and if needed a light healthy snack before bed. He puts a sticker or checks off that he had that meal or snack. This way he does not over eat. For you and him it is important to get those fruits and veggies in, along with healthy proteins...so again a simple chart created on the computer can do this...take a marker and check off what you have made and ate. Make it fun and make it tasty! Things like Kale chips, avocado, pomegranate are a little different, very fun to eat and yummy! My kids love these. Think outside the box...for desert give him plain yogurt with blueberries and a few chocolate chips on top (we use Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips). Try bakeds apples, core and fill with dried fruit, honey or raw cane sugar, and some safe nut (if he is not allergic) or sunflower seeds, bake and enjoy! You are definately thinking right by making it visual and fun for him.
Check out
http://www.nourishinteractive.com/kids/
and
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healt...

He can't become addicted to junk if you don't have any in the house.
I don't even walk down the cookie/candy/chips/soda aisles in the store.
It gets harder when they are in school but you can keep it under control.