June Healthy Summer Challenge 2023

Published: June 2, 2023

School is out, and summer is here! Summer is a great time for kids to develop healthy habits for life. With all of the extra time, they can learn to cook their favorite dishes, explore different vegetables, and create a balanced eating pattern that will fuel them through their summer activities and beyond! Each month this summer, the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living is advocating for creating healthier habits with our Healthy Summer Challenge calendars.

This month, we’re starting with healthy and happy eating. We have 28 ways for your family to make nutritious swaps and choices, check out three of our favorites:

• Infuse your water with your favorite fruits and herbs: Infusing your water with your favorite flavors is a great way to make a healthy yet refreshing drink. As the days get hotter, it’s important to stay hydrated. Instead of grabbing a soda or sugary beverage, try adding sliced fruit or cucumber and mint to water. It’s the perfect thirst-quencher after playing outside, without added sugars! Not sure how to infuse your water, watch this YouTube video by the Nourish Program. 
• Eat a balanced breakfast: Did you know that breakfast eaters tend to be in a better mood, have more energy, and do better on memory tasks? Try a new fruit or add cinnamon to your oatmeal to change things up! 
• Take a healthy food cooking class: Eating healthier does not mean food has to be boring or bland, and neither does cooking! Take a cooking class or try a new recipe and learn all the ways that making nutritious food can be fun. Find some recipe ideas here! 

Don’t forget to try our three-day challenge! To encourage healthy habit-building, we challenge you to cook your meals for three days in a row. Looking for some fun recipes? Visit Brighter Bites. Our favorite meals are the Rainbow Omelet and the Italian Spaghetti Dinner with delicious zucchini. 

We also encourage you to read our Texas Child Health Status Report on Eating Away from Home to learn different ways we can increase healthy food choices when eating away from home. 

Joining our challenge to create more balanced meals this summer is easy. Download our pdf below, print it out, and hang it up somewhere you and your kids can see. With each completed challenge, cross it off or put a sticker on it, and see how many you can do this month! We’d love to hear how you’re staying healthy this summer, so follow and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Download here.