My grandchildren like to have sleep overs at their grandma's at least once a week. Their health and well being are important to me. So I plan ahead. First I make a list of the groceries I need, then I plan activities for them. I want to make mealtime as enjoyable and memorable as their play time.

One thing I found through experience, is that kids generally prefer their vegetables raw. So I make a veggie platter. The more colorful the veggie, the better. Red, and orange bell peppers, baby carrots, cauliflower and broccoli. (They're not too crazy for celery). I squirt a little salad dressing (Kraft has a delicious variety to choose from) in a small desert bowl and leave it on the table. I usually have a cantaloupe, pineapple, or watermelon (whichever 's in season) also. If the budget's tight, baby carrots, and apples are always a pleaser, whatever you have on hand, arrange them so it is appealing to the youngster.

For lunch I sometimes place a small dish of peanut butter in the center of a saucer, and arrange sliced apples around it. They love to dunk. Or you can put a combination of sliced apples with cubed cheese on a dish. Also good ol' peanut butter and jam sandwiches are always a good standby. ( on whole wheat bread, of course.)

Dinner is a little more challenging. Tonight I'm baking chicken drum sticks in the oven and serving them with home made honey and garlic sauce. ( Very easy, just mix garlic powder with pancake syrup, tastes better than store bought honey and garlic sauce.) We'll have oven baked, french fries (zero trans fat) with home made cole slaw. Today for desert, we're having zero fat, vanilla ice cream, (Breyers makes this delicious ice cream.)

When we watch a movie in the evening, I'll have multi grain cheerios to munch on. The beverage through the day is chocolate milk, one glass of juice(too much is hard on the kidneys) and I'll make weak ice tea, served in tall glass with slice of orange and bright straw. (looks fancy)

For breakfast, I always have instant porridge on hand. (Quakers has a delicious variety.) I myself prefer the old fashion porridge made from scratch.

When it's time to go home, I send them off with a big hug, kiss and a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. (They are kids after all:)

Children should be introduced to a variety of nutritious foods at an early age. Experiment with vegetables, meats, grains. Be creative, try different textures and flavors and don't be afraid to use spices to create delicious meals. Chances are, they'll have healthy eating habits when they are grown.

Learn more about this author, Petra Newman.
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