Treats for Santa

As Santa Claus makes his yearly trek around the world, children everywhere will leave treats for the big guy to fuel him on his ride. But don't forget Santa needs nutrition too.

If Mr. C. drinks a glass of whole milk and eats 2 butter cookies at every American household he visits, he will consume more than 7 billion calories and more than 3 million grams of fat in one night.

So take time to leave Santa a healthy treat, like low-fat milk and graham crackers; yogurt mixed with fruit and cereal; or a peanut butter sandwich. And don't forget his reindeer; they'll like chopped vegetables like carrots, celery and broccoli.

Getting your children involved in prepping Santa's snack plate can be a great way to teach them the importance of healthy diet, especially when they need energy for a task as demanding as Santa's.

More information can be found at www.kidseatright.org