Publix Supports Youth Soccer
Better choices from bowl to goal.
When you see them having fun at practice, you know signing them up was a good decision. And when you think of all the other benefits, you know it was a great one. While your young players are out on the field showing off their skills, they’re also learning positive exercise, nutrition, and character habits. That’s why Publix proudly supports youth soccer.
We know that being a soccer family means keeping busy, and providing proper nutrition can be a challenge. We’d like to offer some solutions. Whether you want to register your kids with your state’s youth soccer association or you’re looking for recipe ideas—and everything else in between—we’re here to help.
If you’re not yet a soccer parent, register your kids today! When fitness is fun for them, the future will be full of victories.
Associations
Click on your state’s youth soccer association logo to learn more and register a player.*
*By clicking these links, you will leave publix.com and enter a state soccer association site operated and controlled by the association named in the link.
Recipes
These recipes have the ingredients you want to support your soccer players’ active lifestyle, and they’re easy to make. Good news for the kids—they taste great too!
Servings:
4
Total Time:
10 minutes
Servings:
4
Total Time:
5 minutes
Servings:
4
Total Time:
15 minutes
Servings:
6
Total Time:
20 minutes
Building your plate.
The key components of a healthy eating pattern include consuming a variety of foods from five main food groups: fruits, vegetables, dairy, protein, and grains. As you practice building your plate, challenge each other to make simple shifts to include these choices: 1,2
- Choose whole grains over refined grains more often.
- Swap whole fruit over juice.
- Expand your vegetable intake by trying a variety of colorful vegetables.
- Incorporate a mix of proteins (seafood, lean meats, lean poultry, eggs, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, and soy products).
- Mix in nutrient-dense dairy sources by choosing low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese.
Encourage your family to regularly build breakfast, lunch, and dinner with half a plate of fruits and vegetables and the rest with grains, protein, and dairy.
As children learn to develop their eating habits and food preferences, use the MyPlate resources* to teach them why variety, amount, and nutrition are vital to their health.3
Making better choices together.
Whether you’re on the go or at home, one of the best places to model healthy eating habits is when you are sharing a meal together. Modeling a healthy eating pattern for your child goes beyond the plate. It also involves cooking and positive food talk. Here are a few tips:
- Remind yourself and your children that it’s a team effort and takes practice to build healthy habits—just like it takes practice with their teammates to build a great soccer team.
- Start with a simple shift for your family. This will set an example that making realistic changes is the foundation to building habits. For example: Cook one new Better Choice recipe together each month.
- When you cook, look for ways to engage your children. Letting kids assist in the kitchen helps develop food safety and cooking skills. Cooking together can spark their interest in new foods and makes learning about food fun.4,5
- Minimize distractions by eating together at the table without electronics present. This helps provide a calm atmosphere that encourages conversation during mealtime.
- Change things up on soccer nights by packing a meal and having a picnic at the field.
- Look for Publix wellness icons on product shelf tags while you shop. See if your kids can spot them too. These icons help you make wise choices about the foods you eat.
Sources:
1 US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). Key Recommendations: Components of Healthy Eating Patterns. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 8th ed. October 21, 2019.
2 US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). A Closer Look at Current Intakes and Recommended Shifts. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 8th ed. October 21, 2019.
3 US Department of Agriculture (USDA). MyPlate, MyWins for Families. October 21, 2019. ChooseMyPlate.gov.
4 Klemm, Sarah, RDN, CD, LDN. Teaching Kids to Cook. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Last modified April 16, 2019. Accessed October 21, 2019. Eatright.org.
5 Wolfram, Taylor, MS, RDN, LDN, ed. Family Meals Small Investment Big Payoff. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Last modified February 27, 2019. Accessed October 21, 2019. Eatright.org.
*By clicking on the above link, you will enter the US Department of Agriculture website that they operate and control.