Practice 5-2-1-0 all year: February Ideas

Are you and your family aiming to follow to better health habits? The 5-2-1-0 approach is a great model for any age. Here’s what the numbers represent every day:

• 5 veggies and fruits
• 2 hours or fewer of screen time
• 1 hour of exercise
• 0 sugary drinks

There’s a lot of flexibility within this framework. You and your family can have fun coming up with ways to change it up from month to month. 

Here are a few 5-2-1-0 ideas for the month of February:

To eat 5 veggies and fruits per day  –  Shop for food together.

Next time you go food shopping, ask each member of your family to find one new fruit or vegetable to try. See which ones your family likes best.

To limit screen time under two hours  –  Invite your family to help cook.

Cooking or meal planning can be a great way to spend time away from screens, if you have cookbooks or magazines to flip through. Otherwise, explore healthy food blogs such as PeaceHealth's recipe site. Talk about new recipes to test. Consider putting together a collection of favorite family dishes.

To get one hour of daily movement   –   Pick up trash along your street.

Community service and physical activity can go hand in hand. For your one hour of exercise, walk through your neighborhood or park and pick up any trash you see along the way. 

To encourage zero-sugar drinks  – Try the water challenge.

Everyone in your family should drink water every day. How much should you drink? Little ones need just a few cups per day. Most grownups should aim for about eight cups. If you’re sweating from a workout or you’re in a hot place, you may need a bit more. Encourage each other to drink the right amount to keep you feeling healthy. (Learn how much water children 5 and younger should drink per day.)

Small simple steps like these can help your family build the habits you want. Discover other tips for 5-2-1-0.

When you and your family could use a boost, PeaceHealth is here to help you find ways to feel better.