We Can!® Parent Tip Sheets

Are you looking for ideas to help your family eat healthy, get active, and reduce screen time? Try using the helpful tips in We Can!’s parent tip sheets with your family.

To help families and communities reduce screen time, We Can!® has developed a variety of useful, evidence-based materials and information.

Note: Documents in PDF format require the Adobe Acrobat Reader®. If you experience problems with PDF documents, please download the latest version of the Reader®.

• Weight Management
• Nutrition and Healthy Eating
• Physical Activity
• Reducing Screen Time

Weight Management

Calories Needed Each Day (165 KB)

This tip sheet explains the calories needed each day for boys and men, and for girls and women by age and three levels of physical activity.

Energy Balance: ENERGY IN & ENERGY OUT (786 KB)

Use this worksheet to better understand how balancing energy in and energy out can help your family maintain a healthy weight.

Get Started! Eating Healthy and Moving More (91 KB)

Try these tips from We Can! to eat well and move more and see how easy taking small steps toward a healthier life can be.

Knowing What Your Weight Means (98 KB)

Body Mass Index—or BMI—and waist size are two numbers that can help you decide if your weight is healthy, or if you need to make some changes. This tip sheet explains how to find both and what they mean.

We Can! Parent Tips: Be a Good Health Role Model (835 KB)

Find tips for using your power as a role model to make your home a healthy eating zone, get your family moving, and limit screen time.

We Can! Parent Tips: Healthy Families, Healthy Weight (88 KB)

This tip sheet provides an overview of the We Can! program and tips for living a healthier lifestyle with their kids.

Words You Should Know (97 KB)

Learn the meaning of words related to maintaining a healthy weight, such as calorie balance, overweight, and portion size.

Visit the Weight Management Tools and Resources page for more resources.

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Nutrition and Healthy Eating

At the Store - Save Money and Shop Healthy (870 KB)

Find tips for saving money and eating better.

Compare and Save: Eat Healthy, Spend Less (115 KB)

Find examples of how healthy meals and snacks can save you calories and money.

Eat Healthy, Move More Chart (122 KB)

Use this chart to track what your family is doing to eat healthy and move more each week.

Get Started! Eating Healthy and Moving More (91 KB)

Try these tips from We Can! to eat well and move more and see how easy taking small steps toward a healthier life can be.

Healthy Snacks—100 Calories or Less (81 KB)

Find ideas for tasty and healthy snacks that will help you and your family stay at a healthy weight.

Help Your Kids Eat Healthy and Move More (1.2 MB)

Find tips for teaching your children to eat healthy and to be more active.

How to Use the Nutrition Facts Label (107 KB)

Most packaged foods have a Nutrition Facts label. This tip sheet shows you how to use the label to make healthy food choices.

Making Healthier Food Choices (1.3 MB)

Find tips to help you make healthier food choices for your family when eating in or dining out.

Portion Size Matters (111 KB)

Learn why portion size matters and how you can eat smaller portions.

Save Money By Cooking Smarter (125 KB)

This resource offers tips for cooking healthy meals for your family on a tight budget and healthy cooking and baking substitutions.

Secrets to Making Healthy and Fun School Lunches Tip Sheet (162 KB)

Use this We Can! tip sheet to learn how to create healthy and unique school lunches that your kids will look forward to eating.

U R What U Eat (2.3 MB)

This kid-friendly, easy-to-read chart from We Can! has vibrant colors and graphic images that will help children understand which types of foods are nutritious and can be consumed freely (Go), which ones they need to eat less often (Slow), and which ones they need to eat least often (Whoa).

USDA Food Pattern and the DASH Eating Plan (78 KB)

This tip sheet helps you find out what amount of food is healthy for you and your family.

We Can! Fats and Oils To Choose (260 KB)

Help your family eat better and balanced meals by choosing fats and oils that are low in saturated fats. Use this tip sheet to learn what products are low in saturated fats‚ trans fats‚ and cholesterol.

We Can! GO, SLOW, and WHOA Foods (136 KB)

This tip sheet explains the difference between "Go Foods," "Slow Foods," and "Whoa Foods." You can eat Go Foods almost anytime. Eat Slow Foods less often, and eat Whoa Foods only once in a while or on special occasions.

• Available in Spanish: We Can! Alimentos para consumir siempre, de vez en cuando y raramente (176 KB)

We Can! How Much Sugar and Calories Are in Your Favorite Drink? Tip Sheet (111 KB)

Many people don't realize just how much sugar and calories beverages contain. Use this tip sheet to help your family make smart beverage choices by substituting no- or low-calorie drinks for sugar-sweetened beverages.

We Can! Parent Tips: Picky Eaters (1.8 MB)

Turn the picky eater in your family into a healthy eater using these tips.

We Can! Parent Tips: Cooking With Children (271 KB)

Learn how to cook with your children because it is a good way to help them develop healthy eating habits. Most children enjoy helping in the kitchen. This resource was adapted from the “With Every Heartbeat Is Life: A Community Health Worker’s Manual for African Americans,” produced by the NHLBI.

We Can! Weekly Meal Planner (124 KB)

Use this tool to help plan healthier meals for your family. It also includes ideas for healthier breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.

Visit the Nutrition Tools and Resources page for more resources.

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Physical Activity

Be Active and Have Fun (80 KB)

Try these tips from We Can! to help increase daily physical activity and have fun at the same time.

Get Started! Eating Healthy and Moving More (91 KB)

Try these tips from We Can! to eat well and move more and see how easy taking small steps toward a healthier life can be.

We Can! Move More Every Day (94 KB)

Use this worksheet to record expected physical activity for your family including time, day of the week, and who will participate.

Visit the Physical Activity Tools and Resources page for more resources.

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Reducing Screen Time

Help Your Kids Reduce Screen Time and Move More (1.3 MB)

Follow these simple tips to help your children reduce their screen time and spend more time being active.

We Can! Screen Time Chart (141 KB)

Fill out this screen time chart to see how much time your family spends in front of a screen.

Visit the Reduce Screen Time Tools and Resources page for more resources.

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