As writer Christopher McDougal says, “We are born to run.” He describes running as “mankind’s first art, our original first act of inspired creation, … combining our breath and mind and muscles into fluid self-propulsion.”

As adults, we often think of running as a long, unpleasant grind that goes on for at least 20 minutes. However, kids intuitively find the fun in running by doing it in short bursts (watch and learn, parents!). While their short jaunts might appear to have little value, when you start adding it up, they can actually accumulate to quite a significant distance.

Students at my child’s school will attempt to run a marathon using this precise method. Over the course of eight weeks, third-, fourth- and fifth-graders will log miles on the track during recess with their friends and teachers. They will pool together, cheer each other on and individually strive to achieve an accrued distance of 5, 10, 15 or 20 miles, or even a marathon (26.2 miles). All the students will be recognized for their achievement with awards for the distances they complete.

Students who participate in a recess running program will benefit daily. They will be more positive and focused when they return to class, having gotten out all the wiggles and tapped into the after-effects of the feel-good hormone dopamine. They might also sleep better at night and feel more rested and ready to learn the following day.

By the end of eight weeks, these kids will have gained an understanding of how a great thing can be accomplished by chipping away at it a little bit each day. They will build relationships and camaraderie with their classmates through working together toward a common goal. Perhaps most importantly, they will glow with the sense of confidence that comes from physical achievement.

You might be surprised to hear such words as, “I am an athlete — I am a runner,” paired with a broad, self-satisfied smile, from the least likely suspect.

Kids who experience the joy of physical activity early in life are more likely to stay active through their teen years and into adulthood. Teens will continue to thrive off the social, academic and internal benefits of being physically active. As active kids grow into active adults, they will tend to have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, higher bone density and decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes than their sedentary counterparts.

If you want to start a recess running program in your child’s school and positively influence the lives of numerous children, simply connect with the Mileage Club program online at Fitness Finders. You will find a complete plan for how to implement the program at your school, along with supportive tools and associated learning opportunities.

For more tips on growing healthy children read Healthy kid food and 6 Ways to get your kids to eat healthier.

You may be skeptical, faced with the typical challenge of the “picky eater” and swayed by the undeniable convenience of packaged snacks and processed foods. These factors, along with multi-million dollar marketing campaigns aimed at convincing us that Froot Loops, Goldfish, Go-gurt, and Lunchables are healthy choices, often override our better judgment about what to feed our children (learn more about behind the scenes marketing tactics in Marion Nestle’s, What To Eat). What we’ve come to identify as “kid food” is truthfully mostly processed junk food made from poor-quality, cheap ingredients.

Children need fresh, nutrient-dense foods to support healthy development of their body, nervous system, and brain. By making a weekly trip to your local Farmer’s Market and sticking to the perimeter of the grocery store (and out of the isles) you can easily achieve this. The Farmer’s Market provides a great opportunity to get kids involved; let them sample the foods and help choose which ones to buy.

As for drinks, kids should mostly drink water. Limit juice to no more than once cup of 100% fruit juice per day and avoid soda, diet soda, sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages all together.

It is our job as parents to teach our children healthy eating habits that empower them to thrive physically, emotionally, and socially. In order to deliver on this important promise, we must set aside time to shop for and prepare fresh, whole foods.

Here is a sample menu of healthy kid-friendly meals, snacks, and desserts that have won star approval from my toughest critics. See notes below on salt, oils, and sweeteners and for additional helpful tips read  6 Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat Healthier.

Breakfast

• Warm oatmeal with a dash of salt, a drizzle of agave or pure maple syrup, and a small dollop of coconut oil. Use whole rolled or steel cut oats, not instant. You may also mix in a spoonful of nut butter for a little protein boost.
• Homemade Muesli: raw rolled oats, a handful of plain Joe’s O’s (or your low sugar cereal of choice), and slivered raw almonds topped with a drizzle of honey and unsweetened almond milk. I like Almond Breeze almond milk and prefer this to cow milk since it is easier to digest.
• Egg Taco. Cook 1-2 eggs omelet style in lightly buttered pan with a dash of salt and wrap in a warm corn tortilla. It is important to use pastured eggs from chickens that graze on a natural diet. Avoid conventional eggs.
• Quinoa with dried berries: Cook quinoa (2 parts water, 1  part quinoa) for about 15 minutes. When it’s about 1/2 way cooked, add dried berries, a dash of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Right before serving mix in 1-2 Tbs flax meal (for added fiber) and top with sliced almonds, a drizzle of agave syrup, and a small dollop of coconut oil or butter.
• Sprouted grain French toast: Soak slices of sprouted whole grain bread in a mixture of eggs, vanilla, almond milk, and cinnamon. Brown both sides in a lightly buttered pan, and drizzle with pure maple syrup.

Lunch or Dinner

• Scrambled eggs with brown rice and petite peas. I use frozen peas and run them under warm water to thaw.
• Turkey sandwich with carrot sticks. Use sprouted grain bread and turkey that is free of nitrates/nitrites.
• Hard boiled egg(s), 1-2 Ryvita sesame rye crackers lightly smeared with chevre goat cheese, and fresh sugar snap peas.
• Browned tofu with quinoa and steamed green beans. Cook quinoa (2 parts water, 1  part quinoa) for about 15 minutes. I usually add a little bullion or broth for flavor. To prepare the tofu cut into bite size cubes. In a mixing bowl combine soy sauce, a drizzle of honey, and a dash of powdered ginger and stir in tofu, evenly coating all sides. Melt coconut oil in non-stick pan over med-high heat. Brown tofu on all sides. Once the green beans are finished steaming and on the plate, drizzle with flax oil and add a dash of salt.
• Chicken pieces atop brown rice with steamed broccoli. I often pick up a pre-cooked whole rotisserie chicken at Whole Foods. Cook the rice with half water and half chicken broth to make it extra tasty and add a little butter and salt to the broccoli.
• Grass-fed beef burger with mashed sweet potato and corn on the cob. Bake the sweet potatoes for about 50min, remove the skins, put in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and a dash of cinnamon, and blend with the hand mixer. Grill patties and garnish with a swirl of organic ketchup (make sure it doesn’t have HFCS). Steam or grill corn on the cob.
• Teriyaki salmon with polenta and vegetable of choice. Marinate salmon in teriyaki sauce and bake or grill. Polenta cooks in only about 5 min and is easy to prepare with 3 parts water to 1 part corn meal (add a little bullion or broth for flavor).

Snacks

• Sliced apple with peanut butter. Your peanut butter should contain only two ingredients: peanuts, salt.
• Sprouted grain toast with almond butter and banana/honey/or 100% fruit jam.
• Homemade popcorn drizzled with either flax oil and salt or liquid aminos and brewer’s yeast.
• Hummus with a few sliced carrots and rice crackers for dipping.
• Fruit smoothie. Use any combination of these ingredients or your own additions: unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk, fresh and/or frozen fruit (banana, blueberries, blackberries, mango, strawberries, etc), nuts (raw cashews or walnuts), avocado, a little pure maple syrup to taste (may not be necessary), water.
• Fresh seasonal fruit such as melon, pear, plum, peach, grape, strawberries, etc.
• Frozen fruit such as mango, blueberries, grapes, or bananas. Perfect for a hot day.
• Ryvita crackers either plain or with a smear of chevre goat cheese.
• Nuts. I recommend raw, sprouted, or roasted & lightly salted.

Dessert

• Fresh seasonal fruit such as melon, pear, plum, peach, grape, cherries,  strawberries, etc.
• Frozen fruit such as mango, blueberries, grapes, or bananas.
• Chocolate covered frozen banana (I found these at Trader Joe’s).
• Homemade frozen juice popsicles. These are healthier and more economical than pre-packaged juice bars.
• Mango pudding: In blender, puree soft tofu, frozen mango, a dash of vanilla, and pure maple syrup to taste.
• Coconut milk ice cream (Coconut Bliss makes a great product).

Salt: Use unrefined (French Celtic) gray sea salt. In it’s unprocessed state, salt contains trace minerals which support optimal health. When we eliminate processed foods (which are loaded with copious amounts of pure sodium chloride) from the diet we can freely add a little salt to enhance the flavor of our food.

Oils: Cook with olive oil, butter, or coconut oil depending on flavor and cooking temperature. Olive oil contains healthy omegas and antioxidants and can be used for low to medium heat cooking. Butter from grass-fed cows contains greater amounts of vitamin A, D, K, E, and omega-3s than butter from conventional diary. Butter can tolerate medium to high heat. Coconut oil has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which boost the immune system and can tolerate high heat.

Flax oil is a good source of omega-3s and can be added to warm food but should not be used for cooking as the heat will damage and oxidize it.

Sweeteners: Use unrefined natural sweeteners such as pure maple syrup, agave nectar, and honey. So long as we are not feeding our children sugar laden “kid food” we can feel free to add a bit of natural sweeteners to make whole, healthy foods more exciting for them.

Go Go Squeeze generously sent me three varieties (Apple-apple, Apple-cinnamon, and Apple-strawberry) of applesauce pouches. As soon as I opened the box, my kids were immediately attracted to the packaging and just about got into a wrestling match for the first one. With super-mom skills, I held them at bay while fastidiously inspecting the label. I was impressed by the simple, pure ingredients and happy to see that there were no added sugars or preservatives. Satisfied, I doled out a pouch to each little monster, and chose Apple-cinnamon for myself. Enjoying the moment, I ate slowly while making mental notes of the pleasing, clean flavor and smooth texture. I was about to ask my 5 year old her opinion, when I realized that both she and her little sister had slammed theirs in less than one minute! No words necessary, they clearly loved it.

While I appreciated the fact that the packaging for the applesauce pouches afforded a convenient “no spoon, no mess” experience, I have to admit I felt a little guilty throwing away all that wrapping for a snack that took less than a minute to consume. My hope is that Go Go Squeeze will find a more environmentally friendly way to package their product, promoting both the health of our children and the health of our planet.

Overall, I enjoyed trying this product and commend Go Go Squeeze for being one of the few companies who are making quality pre-packaged snacks that specifically target and appeal to children. I am optimistic that they are front-runners in a timely revolution towards healthier kid food.

Where to buy Go Go Squeeze

Get them involved.

Let younger children help with simple cooking projects like adding pre-measured ingredients, mixing, and pushing the button on the blender. Older children can help plan and prepare dishes or whole meals. The more involved they are in making it the more interested they’ll be in eating it.

Don’t buy what you don’t want them to eat.

Why create a battle by having junk food in the house that you don’t want them to eat? If it’s not there they won’t eat it… and neither will you. Alternatively, stock up on healthy treats such as frozen banana, fruit leather, and sprouted grain cinnamon toast.

Sneak it in.

Add nutrient dense foods like avocado, walnuts, or blueberries to smoothies, spinach to lasagna, or finely chopped vegetables to soup. They’ll never know what’s hiding in there.

Let them go wild once in a while.

If you are too strict it will backfire and when they’re old enough to make their own food choices they’ll head straight for the foods you’ve deemed taboo – soda, candy, and pizza. Guide your children to eat healthy, fresh foods 95% of the time and allow them to indulge (guilt-free) once in a while. Next time you’re at a birthday party let them have the juice, chips, cake, and ice cream. It’s only one day.

Capitalize on their innocence.

If they’ve never had it they don’t know what they’re missing. I’ve seen mothers giving their toddlers sips of soda. WHY?! Give your children plain water for as long as you can get away with it.

Be a positive role model.

Your children are always watching you and mirroring your habits. If you obsess about calories, sneak sweets, pick at your food without really eating, or constantly talk about body image they will, without a doubt, be effected. Creating good eating habits for yourself is essential for teaching your children to do the same.