From the School Nurse
Encouraging your family's health
Childhood is a time of learning. Children and young people who grow up in a family where healthy foods are eaten are more likely to make their own healthy choices as they get older.
You can help by teaching your family to:
- Choose foods everyday from the five food groups
1 - vegetables & legumes,
2 - fruit,
3 - grain or cereal foods,
4 - lean meats & poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts & seeds and legumes/beans,
5 - milk, yogurt, cheese and other dairy foods.)
- Save “Red Occasional” foods for special occasions.
- Have a variety of types and colours of fresh vegetables and fruit that are in season.
- Use reduced fat varieties of milk, yogurt and cheese.
- Eat mainly wholegrain cereal foods and bread.
- Drink plenty of water instead of sugary drinks like cordial, energy drinks, sports drinks, fruit drinks and soft drink.
- Eat a healthy breakfast every day.
- Learn about how foods are grown and where they come from.
- Try new foods and recipes and help with cooking and preparing foods and drinks.
- Turn off the TV and computer at mealtimes and make it family time.
- Wash their hands before eating or preparing food.
- Be physically active – play outside, walk the dog, kick the footy or run around at the local park.
Reference - www.eatforhealth.gov.au
Hearty veggie soup
Hearty veggie soup
Hearty veggie soup
Category: Everyday (green)
Serves: 12 cups or 4 medium bowls.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (20ml) olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 650g butternut pumpkin, peeled and diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 leek, washed and sliced
- 3 cups (750mL) vegetable stock, salt reduced
- 3 cups (750mL) water
- 1 can (400g) brown lentils, drained and rinsed
- Crusty wholemeal bread or grainy rolls
Method
- Heat oil in large saucepan.
- Add onion, pumpkin, carrots, potatoes and leek. Cook over a medium to high heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in stock, water and rinsed lentils.
- Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.
- Serve the soup with a slice of crusty wholemeal bread or a grainy roll.
Tip: Can be frozen. Defrost and reheat to serve warm on another day.