Spot the Block
Preventing overweight and obesity in the early years can help young people stay healthy and prevent health problems in adulthood. Parents who encourage their kids to Spot the Block every day can guide them toward lifelong healthful dietary management. “The Block” is the black-and-white Nutrition Facts Label on food packages. It provides easy-to-see, easy-to-understand nutrition information that tweens can identify, read, and use before making food choices.
Kids who Spot the Block follow three simple steps as they use the Nutrition Facts Label to compare and choose foods:
1. Check out the serving size on food packages – One package may contain more than one serving. Kids can use the serving size and servings per container to discover the total number of calories and nutrients they are consuming.
2. Consider the calories – When looking at a food’s calories, remind children that 100 is moderate and 400 is high. The Nutrition Facts Label is based on a 2,000 calorie diet, but your child’s calorie needs might be different. Click her to help your child find his or her “target” calories per day.
3. Choose nutrients wisely – Kids should select foods that are lower in certain fats, cholesterol, and sodium when making daily food choices.
- When comparing nutrients, kids should remember that 5% Daily Value (DV) is low; 20% DV is high. Whether a kid should aim for 5% or 20% depends on whether it is a nutrient to get more of or a nutrient to get less of.
- Kids should know the nutrients to get less of (trans fat, saturated fat, sodium, and sugar) and the nutrients to get more of (potassium, fiber; vitamins A and C; iron; and calcium).
- Urge your child to also visit the Spot the Block Web site, where he or she will find cartoon network characters, interactive videos, games, ringtones, downloadable desktop widgets, and free music downloads that encourage dietary management and smart choices for tweens
- Find plenty of ways to talk to your children about making smart food choices on the For Parents page.
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Loïs Mailou Jones:
A Life in Vibrant Color
 The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) showcases “Loïs Mailou Jones: A Life in Vibrant Color,” the first major retrospective surveying Jones’ wide array of subjects and styles, through Sunday, January 9, 2011. The exhibit explores Loïs Mailou Jones (1905-1998) over the impressive length of her career by showcasing more than 70 works, including paintings, drawings and textile designs.
NMWA is at 1250 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC and is open Monday–Saturday, 10a –5p and Sunday, noon–5p. For information, call 202-783-5000. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for visitors 65 and over and students, and free for NMWA Members and youth 18 and under.
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