Ideas for family habits

Every day is an opportunity for families to focus on healthy habits together. This resource contains 7 tips for daily habits that focus on eating healthier, being active, sleeping well, and learning as a family. Download and print this resource so all the family can read it!

Reference:

1. Making changes as a family [Internet]. Brisbane (AU): Growing Good Habits; 2019 [cited 2023 Mar 03]. Available from: https://growinggoodhabits.hw.qld.gov.au/family-toolkit/making-changes/

Family dinner planning resource

Planning meals can be a great family activity. It provides a time to talk about food, decide on new things to try, and plan how to get all the family involved. This resource teaches the essential steps for dinner meal planning. Read through the information and then complete your family’s plan. Download and use on a device or print and fill it in.

Download the resource here

References:  

1. Meal planning [Internet]. Growing Good Habits, 2019. [cited 2022 Dec 07]. Available from: https://growinggoodhabits.hw.qld.gov.au/family-toolkit/meal-planning/
2. Our favourite meals [Internet]. Brisbane (AU). Growing Good Habits; 2019 [cited 2023 Mar 02]. Available from: https://growinggoodhabits.hw.qld.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/PDF/our-favourite-meals.pdf
3. Low salt diet [Internet]. Queensland Government – Nutrition Education Materials Online (NEMO), 2015. [cited 2022 Jul 05]. Available from: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/150577/renal_lowsalt.pdf 

Learning about fussy eaters

Fussy eating can be common in children as they learn to show their independence with foods. Fussy eating can also be present at other ages. For tips on feeding fussy eaters and advice on when fussy eating requires support, download the resource below to find out more.   

Download the resource here

References:  

1. Raise a healthy child who is a joy to feed. [Internet]. USA: Ellyn Satter Institute; 2023 [cited 2023 May 03]. Available from: https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/how-to-feed/the-division-of-responsibility-in-feeding/
2. How to tell if your kid’s fussy eating’ phase is normal [Internet]. Queensland: The University of Queensland. [updated 2018 May 04,; cited 2023 Jul 04]. Available from: https://public-health.uq.edu.au/article/2018/05/how-tell-if-your-kid%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98fussy-eating%E2%80%99-phase-normal
3. Feeding fussy eaters [Internet]. Brisbane (AU): Growing Good Habits; 2019 [cited 2023 May 03]. Available from: https://growinggoodhabits.hw.qld.gov.au/family-toolkit/feeding-fussy-eaters/
4. Queensland Government. Guidelines for fussy eaters [Internet]. Queensland: NEMO; [updated 2013; cited 2023 May 11]. Available from: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/151505/paeds_fussyeaters.pdf

Family sleep information 

Healthy sleep habits help everyone in the family feel their best every day. This resource helps your family to learn more about how much sleep is recommended, set goals, plan, and work together towards healthier sleep habits.   

Download the resource here

References:  

1. My health for life. My health for life Wellbeing book. Brisbane; 2021. 
2. Sleep guidelines [Internet]. Brisbane (AU): Growing Good Habits [cited 2023 Feb 28]. Available from: https://growinggoodhabits.hw.qld.gov.au/need-to-know/sleep-guidelines/
3. How much sleep do you really need? [Internet]. Sleep Health Foundation [updated 2016 Aug 05; cited 2022 Oct 25]. Available from: https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/how-much-sleep-do-you-really-need.html

Healthy food options to share as a family

If you are thinking about changing your eating habits, you may be looking at what and how you eat as a family. Making changes together can help to make new habits sick. Below are some activities to help you plan and track your healthy food intake. Download and use these on a device or print them and stick them on your fridge.

6 steps for building a healthy lunchbox

Involve your children in choosing 1 item or more from each of the 5 food groups (plus water!) to create a healthy lunch box. Parents and anyone else can use this to help them make a healthy lunch box too.

Download the resource here

Eat the rainbow!

Download the resource here

References:

1. Packing healthy school lunchboxes [Internet]. Brisbane: Growing Good Habits; c2019 [cited 2022 Dec 8]. Available from: https://growinggoodhabits.hw.qld.gov.au/children/food-for-growing-kids/packing-healthy-lunchboxes/Lunchbox ideas [Internet]. Brisbane; Growing Good Habits; c2019 [cited 2022 Dec 8]. Available from: https://growinggoodhabits.hw.qld.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/PDF/lunch-box-ideas.pdf
2. Healthy lunchboxes [Internet]. Victoria; Healthy Eating Advisory Service [cited 2022 Dec 8]. Available from: https://heas.health.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/pick-mix-lunchbox-poster.pdf
3. Recipes [Internet]. Brisbane: Queensland Health; c2023 [cited 2022, Nov 23]. Available from: https://www.healthier.qld.gov.au/food/recipes/
   Healthy recipes [Internet]. Brisbane; QLD Country Women’s Association Country Kitchens; c2021 [cited 2022 December 2]. Available from: https://qcwacountrykitchens.com.au/recipes/
4. 10 simple and healthy lunchbox snacks. [Internet]. Brisbane; Growing Good Habits; c 2019 [cited 2023 Jan 13]. Available from: https://growinggoodhabits.hw.qld.gov.au/children/food-for-growing-kids/10-simple-and-healthysnacks/
5. Healthy lunchboxes for healthy kids [Internet]. Brisbane: Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service; 2016 Jan 18. [cited 2023 Jan 13]. Available from: https://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/downloads/file/teacherschildcare/EatFewerSnacksAndSelectHealthierAlternatives.pdf
6. Healthy kids [Internet]. Healthy Kids NSW; c2010. [cited 2022 Jan 13]. Available from: https://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/downloads/file/teacherschildcare/EatFewerSnacksAndSelectHealthierAlternatives.pdf

Signs of success

When we are making changes, having support from those closest to you is important. Sometimes there are changes that you will want to make on your own, although there are times that maybe you have a change you want to make as a family. Making changes as a family helps you to support each other to work towards a family goal. It also gives an opportunity to work together to deal with challenges if they come up. To help your family to plan and see the changes you are all making, download the resource below and follow the instructions.

Download the resource here

Discretionary choices

Learning about food as a family can be very educational for everyone involved! By learning together, you can support each other to make choices together about what foods and drinks you have inside and outside of home to help you feel your best.

What is a serve?

Knowing what a serve of food is can play a role in what we consume and how much. Discretionary choices are high in energy, and low in nutrients, meaning they should only be consumed occasionally. Discretionary choices make up about 1/3 of the energy intake of Australian’s (this is higher for teenagers). (1).

Download the resource here

Everyday or Sometimes foods

This resource provides an opportunity for everyone to learn more about everyday and sometimes foods. You can print this resource or use it on a device. Try it as many times as you like! Use this with your children, and to learn more about everyday and sometimes foods, check out: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups

Download the resource here

References:

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Nutrition across the life stages [Internet]. Canberra: Australian Government; 2018 [cited 2023 Mar 24] 141 p. Cat. No.: PHE 227. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/food-nutrition/nutrition-across-the-life-stages/summary
2. The five food groups [Internet]. Brisbane; Growing Good Habits; c2019. [cited 2022 Dec 08]. Available from: https://growinggoodhabits.hw.qld.gov.au/need-to-know/the-five-food-groups/
3. Discretionary food and drink choices [Internet]. Eat for Health. [cited 2022 Dec 8]. Available from: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/discretionary-food-and-drink-choices

WANT MORE INFORMATION FROM THE PODCAST? 

During the podcast, the guests mention the ‘plate’ and the ‘plate guide’.  

The ‘plate’ as referred to by Roisin. This is the Australian guide to healthy eating. The Australian guide to healthy eating is a food selection guide which visually represents the proportion of the five food groups recommended for consumption each day.  To download the guide to healthy eating, visit the Eat for Health website.

The ‘plate guide’ referred to by Elizabeth and Kate. Using the portion plate guide at meals will help you to balance your food servings and keep you feeling fuller for longer with energy to help you get through the day.

Boost Your Healthy is a website by Health and Wellbeing Queensland that has information to help you eat healthy, boost your activity, and look after your wellbeing. Visit the website for recipes, guides, and lots of other information to help you look after you.

A resource for positive support

We all have the ability to provide support to the people around us when they need it. Support can come in many different forms depending on who needs the support and what they are trying to do. Making changes or doing new activities is easier when we have positive support. Positive support makes us feel good, and helps increase our confidence to achieve our goals. To learn more about positive support, download the resource below.  

Tips and Tricks to Being A Positive Support Person

Other useful resources

Here is a list of additional helpful resources:

• PodSquad Play-Centric Wellbeing Program
• esafety Screen-Time Guidelines
• esafety Cyber Bullying