Family Newsletter
March 2017, Volume 29
An Apple A Day…
We all heard the saying “An apple a day helps to keep the Doctor away”. Well, that
saying has some truth in it. However, it’s not just about eating apples to help keep
the Doctor away but it’s making sure our families have a healthy, nutritious and well
balanced diet. A healthy diet is important for a child’s growth and development
both physically and mentally. But we can’t leave it up to our kids to make the
healthy choices when it comes to food. To be honest most adults have a difficult
time making the healthy choices. So, it’s up to us as parents to teach our kids what a
healthy diet looks like. We may have to learn what a healthy diet is along with our
children but the benefits outweigh the consequences. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention people who eat healthy consume important
nutrients, obtain and maintain a healthy weight and reduce their risk of developing
conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and
even dental cavities. For kids eating a healthy breakfast is linked to better cognitive
function, mood, and reduced number of days absent from school. Let’s celebrate
National Nutrition Month by getting our families on the path to a healthy diet.
Budget Friendly Healthy Eating
 Canned and Frozen are Okay – fruits and
vegetables that are canned can be a great cost
savings option for your family. However,
watch the canned items to make sure the fruit
is in 100% fruit juice and the vegetables are
low in sodium.
 Look for the Sales – most grocery stores
places their weekly sale items in the local
newspaper and online. Before you head off to
the grocery store look to see what items are on
sale that week. If it’s a good buy consider
buying in bulk if you know the item will not
spoil in the near future.
 Understand the Tag – don’t take the price tag
at face value. You may get a better price in
the long run if you buy the larger size. When
you look at the price tag you will see the retail
price for the item you are looking to purchase,
but look a little closer and check out the unit
price. The unit price will tell you how much
the item costs per pound, ounce, quart, etc.
This is where it can lead to savings for you.
Source:
Take some time and compare the price of like

Childhood Nutrition Facts, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
items. The extra time could benefit you in the
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/nutrition/facts.htm
checkout line.

Healthy Eating on a Budget, USDA Choose My Plate.gov,
Most people think that eating healthy is going to mean a
higher grocery bill. All those fruits and vegetables and
organic foods cost a lot of money. But just because you are
trying to eat healthier doesn’t mean it has to hurt your
pocketbook. Here are some ways to eat healthy that are
budget friendly.
 Grocery Store Game Plan – before you go off to
the grocery store make sure you have an idea of
what you are going to buy. If you go in with a
game plan it will reduce the risk of mindlessly
walking around the grocery store and impulse
buying. When we do that before you know you
will have spent a fortune on your grocery bill. Get
your kids involved. Make up a grocery list
together that includes healthy options for the
whole family.
 Buy In Season – if you want to buy fresh produce
look for fruits and vegetables that are in season. In
season fresh produce is more cost effective and the
flavors are at their peak. But be careful, only buy
what you know you and your family will be able to
eat before it spoils.

https://www.choosemyplate.gov/budget
Community Services for Children/Northeast Regional Key
1520 Hanover Avenue, Allentown, PA 18109
www.cscinc.org
800-528-7222
Family Newsletter
Family Involvement
Being involved in your child’s education is so
important. This doesn’t have to start when your child
goes off to school. If your child is in an early learning
program it can start when they are infants and
toddlers. Early learning and school age programs can
do a number of things to ensure families are involved
in their child’s education. If your early learning
program is in Keystone STARS you most likely have
noticed them following these practices:
Decision making and goal setting – families
are invited by the teachers to participate in
decision making and goal setting for their
child.
Two-way communication – teachers engage
families in a discussions about their child. This
is open sharing and discussion about the child
where both teachers and families are providing
input.
Provide learning activities for home –
learning should not stop in the classroom it
should continue at home. Teachers provide
information to families to do at home to help
reinforce what was learned in the classroom.
Invite families into classroom – families are
given an opportunity to volunteer in their
child’s classroom whether it be for special
events, guest readers, or guest speakers.
Count the STARS!
The higher the STAR level, the higher the
quality.
Do you know if your program is participating in
Keystone STARS? Count the STARS on programs
STARS Certificate. If you don’t see a certificate
ask your Director about their participation in
Keystone STARS.
Page 2
Fun in the Kitchen
Snack or trail mixes can be a great healthy snack that is
easy to take with you on the go. Plus the best thing
about it is that you can have fun throwing it together
with your kids. Tailor the snack mix to things that your
family likes and that are healthy. Here are some ideas
on what to include in your snack/trail mix. Just be sure
when building your next snack/trail mix with your kids
that you keep in mind if there are any allergies and age
of your child to ensure there aren’t any choking hazards.




Nuts – peanuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds,
brazil nuts, pecans, pistachios, etc.
Seeds – sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
Cereal – use your child’s favorite low sugar
cereal. For example, Cheerios, Chex Cereals,
Shredded Wheat, etc.
Extras – pretzel sticks, dried fruit, popcorn, etc.
Let your kids pick out their favorite ingredients, put
them into a bowl and mix it up. Now you can divide it
up into snack size bags for them to grab as a healthy
snack or to take with you on your next outing.
Source:

Ultimate Trail Mix Recipe Guide, Super Healthy Kids,
http://www.superhealthykids.com/ultimate-trail-mix-recipeguide/
Win a 2017 PA One Book!
The 2017 PA One Book; Every Young Child has
finally arrived! This year’s selection, Daniel Finds a
Poem, written and illustrated by Micha Archer, is a
story about a boy who goes on an adventure through
a park trying to find answers to his question, “What
is poetry?”
Do you want a chance to win a FREE copy of this
year’s PA One Book? To help promote reading early
and often to children in homes and early learning
programs throughout Pennsylvania, one winner will
be selected at random EVERY DAY from March 19 to
April 30, 2017.
Click here for a chance to win a free copy of Daniel
Finds a Poem by Micha Archer.
Duplicate entries will be deleted. One winner a day
will be selected at random.
Community Services for Children/Northeast Regional Key
1520 Hanover Avenue, Allentown, PA 18109
www.cscinc.org
800-528-7222