Breakfast en Familia con McDonald’s #CFLMeEncanta

Saturday, June 30th was a fun day for two important reasons for my family and I. June 30th was my mother’s birthday and it was the morning of our Breakfast en Familia con McDonald’s #CFLMeEncanta that we were co-hosting with McDonald’s, the Central Florida Latina Bloggers Group, and our own Mami Innovative Media.

The objective was for attendees (and those participating online) to learn about simple nutritional tips for busy families on-the-go, try the new Blueberry Banana Nut Oatmeal and other selections from the 300 calories menu.

Sylvia Klinger, a nutritionist and health consultant, shared 5 easy steps to help promote healthy habits amongst families:

 

1. Eat Breakfast. It was astonishing to learn that 40% of people don’t eat breakfast in the morning. Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, however, it frequently gets overlooked or skipped in the daily lives of individuals and families.  Breakfast is essential for improving concentration, productivity, healthier body weight, and lower cholesterol. McDonald’s offer a variety of healthy menu choices for breakfast including the new tasty blueberry banana nut oatmeal (which is only 290 calories and has real blueberries!)
   
2. Eat a Variety of Foods. Its important to keep a balanced diet for adults and children, i.e. fruits, vegetables, grains, meats. (Find more information food, nutrition, and servings for all members of a family at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/).
3. Stay Hydrated. According to the Mayo Clinic, dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don’t replace lost fluids, you may get dehydrated. To avoid dehydration, monitor your fluid loss during hot weather, illness or exercise, and drink enough liquids to replace what you lose.
4.  Exercise. As busy parents, the thought of going to the gym can seem a little overwhelming but exercise can be a simple as taking a walk with the family around the block for 20 – 30 minutes a day.
5. Rest. Rest can seem like an illusive dream to many but is essential in a healthy lifestyle.  Consider these general guidelines for different age groups:
   

   Age group	Recommended amount of sleep
   Infants	14 to 15 hours
   Toddlers	12 to 14 hours
   School-age children	10 to 11 hours
   Adults	7 to 9 hours

Those that followed on Twitter #CFLMeEncanta during the event won prize packs which the attendees received that contained health conscious products, i.e. yoga mats, sweatband, wristbands, etc. The two hour event was successful, led to nearly 1 Million impressions, and a great conversation about healthy living!

• McDonald’s has a Balancing Busy Lives section that includes a sample menu of healthy choices to eat at McDonald’s and can be found at http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/food_quality/nutrition_choices/balancing_busy_lives.html. 
• Nutrition discussions can be found at http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/food_quality/nutrition_choices.html .
• Spanish audiences can connect with McDonald’s at www.meencanta.com.  Follow McDonald’s @MeEncanta on Twitter.

Thanks to my parents for attending and Happy Birthday Mommy!