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Grocery Shopping With School-Age Kids
Grocery shopping with children in tow may be tough from time to time, but the jury's in and experts agree: grocery shopping with kids fosters skills they need for life.
"The more often your kids shop with you, the better it is for their development," says Tanya Remer Altmann, MD, a pediatrician. School-age children can sharpen a variety of skills in the supermarket, including those that will help them to make savvy food choices on their own in the years to come.
But what about the whining, begging, and boredom? There will always be some of that. The trick is to make kids part of the process, long before you head out to the store.
Grocery Shopping With Kids: It Starts With a Plan
Before setting foot into the store, you want to lay a little groundwork. One key is to get children involved in the grocery shopping process. Try:
- Talking about what to buy for healthy meals and snacks, then have kids make a list of what you need, suggests Janice Bissex, MS, RD, co-author of The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers.
- Get everyone involved in checking store flyers for sales, or new and different healthy foods to try.
- Keep kids involved emotionally. Allow them to pick a few items for school lunches and other meals.
Ready, Set, Grocery Shop!
Once you're in the store, give your kids as much to do as they can handle for their age. Here are some ways to keep kids busy and hone their skills.
- Let Kids Help. Dole out coupons to kids and let them find the relevant foods. Or delegate part of the grocery shopping list and have kids locate the items. They can also help by crossing off items as you toss them in the cart. And stick to the list as much as possible to curb costs and set a good example.
- Make Up Some Math Games. School-age kids are capable of tracking grocery costs with a calculator. Have them enter the price of each item. It's fun for them to see how close they come to the final cost. In the produce section, try:
Asking kids about how much six apples might weigh, then weigh the fruit to see if they were close.
Ask kids to place 2 pounds worth of oranges in a bag for you.
Give older boys and girls the price per pound, and have them guess at the total price. See how close they come at checkout.
- Play "I Spy." When grocery shopping with older kids have them play detective, searching out certain items for you, such as:
Cereal with at least 4 grams of fiber and fewer than 8 grams of sugar per serving
Pineapple canned in its own juice
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Health & Diet Guide
VIVELLE-DOT (estradiol transdermal system) IS AVAILABLE BY PRESCRPTION ONLY.
INDICATION
Vivelle-Dot is used after menopause to: reduce moderate to severe hot flashes; treat moderate to severe dryness, itching and burning in or around the vagina; help reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis (thin weak bones); and treat certain conditions in which a young woman's ovaries do not produce enough estrogens naturally. Vivelle-Dot 0.025 mg/day is only used to prevent osteoporosis from menopause. If you use Vivelle-Dot only to treat your dryness, itching, and burning in and around your vagina or if you use Vivelle-Dot only to prevent osteoporosis from menopause, talk with your healthcare professional about whether a different treatment or medicine without estrogens might be better for you.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Estrogens increase the chances of getting cancer of the uterus (womb). Report any unusual vaginal bleeding right away while you are taking estrogens. Vaginal bleeding after menopause may be a warning sign of cancer of the uterus (womb).
Do not use estrogens with or without progestins to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or strokes. Using estrogens with or without progestins may increase your chances of getting heart attacks, strokes, breast cancer, and blood clots. Using estrogens with progestins may increase your risk of dementia (decline in memory and thinking skills).
Vivelle-Dot should not be used if you have unusual vaginal bleeding; currently have or have had certain cancers, including cancer of the breast or uterus; had a stroke or heart attack in the recent past (for example, in the past year); currently have or have had blood clots; currently have or have had liver problems; or think you may be, or know that you are, pregnant.
The most common side effects that may occur with Vivelle-Dot are headache, breast tenderness, and back pain.
You and your healthcare professional should talk regularly about whether you still need treatment with Vivelle-Dot.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Full Prescribing Information for Vivelle-Dot.
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