On the Right Track

The Benefits of Writing Down What Your Family Eats

By Teri Brown

Tracking your family's daily intake is one of the greatest tools you have when it comes to judging whether your family is eating nutritionally. With childhood obesity on the rise and so many overweight adults, it's important to know what we're putting in our mouths.

For Colleen Kessler, mother of one from Twinsburg, Ohio, tracking her family's nutrition began during a difficult pregnancy and she continued the habit after her baby was born. "When my son was born, I nursed and wanted to make sure he got the best possible nutrition since it was something I could totally shape," Kessler says. "I knew that if I could get him off to a good start, I would be building habits that would last him a lifetime."

Kessler keeps track of her son's nutrition by packing all of his food while in daycare and having his daycare provider track it as well. "His babysitter writes it in a journal," Kessler says. "She records what he ate, when and how much."

By tracking her family's diet, Kessler has a better idea of what her family is actually eating and when. Sometimes the results are surprising. Kessler has found that she and her husband tend to be instant-gratification eaters. "When we're hungry, we like something that can be eaten fast," Kessler says. "If there are cut-up fruits, vegetables and cheese cubes in the refrigerator, we'll snack on those instead of chips and cookies."

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