Heart Healthy Meals and Holiday Tips
Living a Heart Healthy life is a topic that has long been near and dear to the KC Parent team. We're very excited to be joining Children's Mercy Hospital (CMH) and The American Heart Association on a live Twitter chat on ‘Heart Healthy Meals’ #MWAHeartChat on November 16 at 12 p.m. CT, hosted by The American Heart Association. Share your comments using #MWAHeartChat and you will be entered in the drawing for a $50 HyVee Gift Card!
Healthy living is always important, but it can be especially challenging during the holidays as schedules are busier and activities often include big meals, parties, and treats. How can health-conscious families make heart healthy choices during the holidays?
Some of our favorite ideas include:
- Schedule at least four nights a week to eat together as a family. Sitting down together at the table is a great way to encourage conversation and quality time as a family, and meals prepared at home are typically healthier too. As holiday calendars fill, be sure quality time and healthy meals at home don't fall off the calendar.
- Stock the freezer with meals that are ready to go to simplify the process. Dream Dinners in Overland Park is one of our favorite go-to resources to prepare freezer meals in advance and they offer a variety of nutritious choices.
- Make it a habit to "eat the rainbow" - incorporating a variety of foods from a variety of colors in your diet. Incorporate veggie trays, healthy salads, and fruit in your holiday menu plans.
- Be active. Include fun opportunities for exercise in your holiday traditions. Go on a scavenger hunt walk in the neighborhood, toss a football outside after Thanksgiving Dinner, have an indoor "snowball fight" with giant white pom poms, and include active games like Twister or Hide and Seek in your party plans. Remember to keep moving.
- Include kids in the kitchen and talk to them about the healthy choices you make. Create your own smoothies. Encourage your kids to make fun designs with veggie or fruit trays creating holiday shapes like Christmas Trees and Snowmen. Let them brainstorm and come up with fun ideas.
- Don't forget the outer aisles of the grocery store. While all the holiday marketing is luring you to the baking aisles and center sections for quick snacks, really canvas the produce section first and keep the fridge stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables to stave off potato chip and cookie temptations.
We know you have great ideas to share too! Please comment below with your favorite recipes and tips.
And, as you're looking for more ideas, be sure to join us in the conversation! Children’s Mercy and the American Heart Association hope to set you up for success during the #MWAHeartChat on November 16 at 12 p.m. CT. Share your comments using #MWAHeartChat and you will be entered in the drawing for a $50 HyVee Gift Card!
For even more ideas check out:
You can participate in the conversation by sharing your comments and questions below. We’ll be picking some of the questions to ask the experts during the chat! And, exclusively for KC Parent readers, we’ll be giving away a prize to a reader who shares a tweet on the #MWAHeartChat hashtag during the chat, so tune in for the fun! Registered dietitian Shelly Summar and the American Heart Association will be live answering your questions during the Twitter chat on ‘Heart Healthy Meals’ #MWAHeartChat on November 16 at 12 p.m. CT!