PKU Clinic - University of Washington, Seattle

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Thanksgiving

CONCEPT: Making Healthy Choices

BRIEF SUMMARY

Child completes a worksheet that deals with making healthy choices during the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

OBJECTIVES

After completing this activity, children will be able to:

• identify the high phe "NO" foods in a meal or recipe and suggest alternative "YES" foods
• state an appropriate response to a question about their diet in a social situation (such as at a holiday dinner)
• describe a strategy that will help them maintain healthy blood levels during the holiday season

 

METHODS

Discussion
Ask the children what their families do for Thanksgiving? Explain that there are many ways to celebrate Thanksgiving and that some people don't celebrate it at all. Many celebrations include food, and there can be many choices that need to be made.

Read the following story to the children:
"Chris and Tom were getting excited about Thanksgiving since it was only two days away. They always had a lot of fun since they played all day long with their cousins. Then when night came they all went inside and ate a big dinner that their Grandma, Mom, and aunts fixed for them. Tom was a little worred because he knew there were some foods he couldn't eat (ones too high in phe) and he was wondering what he should do."

Worksheet
Distribute a worksheet to each child. Explain: "What should you (or Tom) do in the following situations?"

Allow time for them to complete the worksheet individually. Discuss their answers together. What Thanksgiving foods fit into their meal patterns? Which do not? What are some alternatives to the NO foods? What are some strategies to help maintain healthy blood levels during the holiday season?

 

MATERIALS

• Worksheet

• Pencils

 

HOME ACTIVITIES

• Before going to a holiday dinner, discuss the situation with your child. What foods will be available? What are "YES" food choices? What are the "NO" food choices? If possible, call the host/hostess to find out what foods will be served and offer a few suggestions for foods everyone could enjoy.
• If your family is bringing a dish to a holiday dinner, bring something that everyone can enjoy, including your child with PKU. Encourage your child to help you decide what to make.

 

 

 

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