You can take steps to promote your kids’ eye health every day by making a few simple changes to your children’s diet. Simply eating foods high in lutein, vitamin C, vitamin E, omega-3s, and zinc can protect the eyes from vision-threatening diseases. These minerals are present in all sorts of fruits and grains and can easily be turned into delicious snacks for your kids’ lunch boxes. Here are a few ideas from the American Optometric Association, all of which are quick to prepare and will encourage your kids to eat healthily.
Fruit Cocktail
Cut up a few of your kids’ favorite fruits, add whipped cream, and top with a cherry. Good fruit choices include strawberries for vitamin C and lutein-rich tangerines.
Peanut Butter Sandwiches
Make classic sandwiches even more delicious and nutritious by combining peanut butter with an equal amount of wheat germ and adding a little honey. Spread over wholewheat bread for even more vitamin E, zinc, and healthy fats.
Apple Slices
Increase the vitamin C in your kids’ diet by slicing up an apple and dusting the pieces with cinnamon sugar.
Chocolate Berries
Berries like blueberries and strawberries are another great source of vitamin C. Make them even more appetizing by coating them in chocolate syrup.
Banana Pudding
Turn regular vanilla pudding into an eye-healthy snack by using low-fat milk fortified with vitamin D and DHA (an omega-3 fat). Pour the mixture over sliced bananas, refrigerate until set, and then add a few semi-sweet chocolate chips for a real treat.
Angel Food Cake with a Twist
Spice up your store-bought angel food cake with a sprinkling of fresh berries.
Fruits
Remember that all the above fruits — blueberries, strawberries, tangerines, apples, and bananas — also make a tasty snack eaten on their own.
Eating well is not enough to protect the eyes from conditions like age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma — you also need to protect your kids’ eyes from the sun. Find a range of children’s sunglasses with 100 percent UV protection in the Real Kids’ collection.