2016 Dietary Guidelines: How to Make it Latino Kid Friendly

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Earlier this month, the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) was released by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. According to the organization, it is designed to help Americans eat a healthier diet and subsequently live better lives. The report includes recommendations on saturated and non-saturated fat, added sugars, cholesterol, caffeine, and other factors that go into the food of the average American.

According to FOX News, the 2015 DGA retained the 2010 recommendations for fat, citing that people should avoid transfat and limit saturated fat intake. The organization recommends replacing saturated fat from butter, cream, and palm oil with unsaturated fat such as olive oil or polyunsaturated fat such as safflower, grapeseed and flaxseed oils.

For added sugar, the recommendations are limited to 10% of daily energy intake, or about one 16-oz bottle of soda.

Now the question lies in how parents and individuals can apply these recommendations to their family's every day meals. In fact, Metro Parent outlines a few points to consider. First is limiting sugar from sodas, juices, and prepacked beverages. Another point to consider is checking for other possible sources of protein, such as seafood. Too much meat has already been proven to be linked to various heart diseases, which is why the organization is subtly recommending a shift towards other protein sources.

Here are some ways to apply these recommendations to your family and your children's meals.

1. Replace french fries with baked fries. Fried foods are drenched in trans-fat, so make the move from french fries to homemade baked fries will save on calories and unwanted trans-fats. What's even better is you can make the fries with your kids, which makes for more bonding time in the kitchen.

In addition, Livestrong reports that deep fried foods cause starch to form Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE's), which react to form carcinogens and is linked to a variety of diseases such as diabetes.

2. Replace soda with freshly squeezed juice. The average American already consumes twice than the recommended daily allowance for sugar. To cut down on sugar, cut down on the most obvious culprit first: soda and other prepackaged juices that may contain added sugars. Secondly, look out for "health bars" and other "healthy cereal" that have hidden sugar contents. It's always good to read the label.

3. Replace cookies with homemade oatmeal bars or cookies. As with prepackaged food, it's most likely that these contain added sugar or sugar byproducts. Make cookies at home with your kids for a healthier alternative. This way, you know exactly what goes into their food, and into their tiny mouths.