by Jennifer Eblin

Created on: September 20, 2007

Imagine that you've been at work all day; you had a fight with your best friend during lunch, got reprimanded by a supervisor, and a truck splashed water all over your new shirt. When you come home from work, what are you going to reach for first, the package of Twinkies or a handful of celery sticks? That's the same decision your kids face every day, and in most cases they would rather have the sugary treats than the healthy addition.

To encourage kids to eat healthier, try making snack time fun. Keep different sized screw top jars in your pantry, with alternative snacks for after school. Let your children pick out the snacks they most like from healthy versions like raisins, dried cranberries, nuts, and small pretzel sticks. If they have a choice, and get to eat what they like, kids are more often to eat the healthy foods.

Plan on serving at least one vegetable or fruit with each meal. Add sliced strawberries to cereal at breakfast, pack carrot sticks or a sliced apple with lunch, and serve a mixed salad or some other type of vegetable with dinner.

Try finding ways to add healthy treats to the meal without sacrificing taste. Mix together cup of yogurt, cup-1 cup of sliced fruit, and a handful of ice in the blender to create a quick smoothie. Your kids will love the taste, and not even realize they are eating healthy.

Or you can become one of the parents who "hides" vegetables in food. Simply add some vegetables into your kids favorite foods, like a handful of peas into macaroni and cheese. A quick pasta dish mixed with 3-4 different types of vegetables like squash and peppers can be another way to get your kids to eat healthier.

Keep only a limited amount of processed foods at the house, and limit the amount of snacks per day to only one; if your son or daughter wants chips, they can have one small snack bag, but no more. You can also try keeping a few of the 100 calorie packs on hand to encourage kids to eat in moderation. Make sure to keep fresh fruit like apples, bananas, and oranges in an easy to reach place, and keep ready to go sliced strawberries, carrot sticks, and other berries on a lower shelf in the refrigerator.

Teach your children about the USDA food pyramid, and then turn it into a little game. Sketch out a version of the food pyramid on a piece of paper and hang it in the kitchen. After every meal or snack, color in the parts of the food pyramid that they've reached. Every day your child completes everything on the food pyramid, treat them to something special like a movie rental night, or a new book.

Kids can start eating healthy, as long as they have some guidance from you!

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