"What kind of ranch dressing is the healthiest?"
Joseph, age 10

Joseph... Ranch Dressing isn’t just for salads anymore!  Kids and adults enjoy ranch on things like pizza, chicken nuggets and sandwiches.  Ranch dressing tastes great on lots of things, but if you don’t choose the correct type of ranch you can really add lots of calories and fat to your food.  The entrees that many people tend to add ranch dressing to may not be the healthiest anyway so choosing a low fat or fat free ranch is the best.  There is a taste difference between full fat, low fat and fat free ranch.  You many have to teach your taste buds to enjoy the “better for you” ranch.  This can be easy to do by mixing full fat ranch with low fat ranch and keep doing this until you are enjoying just the low fat or fat free.  Remember that serving size is important when enjoying condiments.  Don’t slather your food in ranch dressing, but use just enough to enjoy the taste.
 

"How many grains should we eat in a day?"
Alexis, age 9

The grain group is a very important part of everyone’s diet.  The amount of grains that you eat in a day changes based on your age, activity level and if you are a boy or a girl.  To find out how many grains and how much you should eat from the other food groups you should go to www.mypyramid.gov.  When you get to the site, put in your information and see what you should eat!  For a girl your age you should try to eat 5 ounces of grain everyday.   Examples of a 1 ounce serving of grain is 1 piece of bread, 1 cup of cereal, or ½ cup of rice, pasta or cooked cereal.  It is important that you try to make at least half of these grains, whole grain.  Try whole grain breads, pastas and cereals.  YUM! 
 

"What is better for you, baked or fried foods?"
Alexis, age 9

Great question Alexis!  Baked foods are definitely better for you than fried foods.  Fried foods taste great, but are high in fat and calories.   Deep fat frying foods cooks food by taking a food and dunking it in very hot fat.  The fat that is cooking the food is absorbed into the food and this is why fried food is high in fat.  You can still enjoy fried food once in a while, but try to eat baked food when you have the chance.  You can eat more baked food by choosing baked chips, grilled chicken sandwiches and baked French fries. 

"Why is milk good for your bones?"
Stephanie, age  10

 Stephanie...Milk is indeed good for your bones.  Did you know you have 206 bones in your body?  The main mineral that is present in your bones is Calcium.  Vitamin D is also important for your bones because it helps Calcium get where it is supposed to be and do what it is supposed to do.  Guess what, Milk is a great source of both Calcium and Vitamin D.  This is why Milk is so good for your bones.  At your age you should have about 3 cups of milk or milk products each day.  Milk products include things like yogurt, cheese and even pudding. 

 
"How much candy should you eat at lunch?"
Grant, age 9

 Grant… Good question.  Candy is a yummy food, but it doesn’t provide your body with many of the things that it needs like vitamins and minerals.  Enjoying candy every once in awhile is not bad for your body, but having too much candy is not good for you.  Candy is full of sugar, low in vitamins and minerals and can give you cavities if you don’t brush your teeth after you eat it.  When Halloween comes try to limit yourself to a small piece each day rather than eating all of it at once.    Eating too much candy takes up space in your belly when you could be eating food that is better for you!

 
"Why is fruit good for you?"
Xavier, age 7

 Xavier… Fruit is a very important part of everyone’s diet, kids and grown-ups.  Fruit provides lots of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.   Vitamins and minerals help your body work better and stay healthy.  Fruit also provides your body with fiber.  Fiber is important in your health for your digestive system…it keeps things moving.  Fiber is also important for you overall heart health.  Someone 7 years old should try to eat about 1 ½ cups of fruit everyday.  Check out www.mypyramid.gov to find out how much of each food group you should try to eat each day.