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Four Ways for Parents to Build Healthy Food Habits- It's Not a Diet, It's a Life
3/17/10 -- Getting children to eat healthy, nutritious foods isn't always easy. Here are four helpful tips to help your children develop healthy eating habits for life:

  1. Be a role model. The best way for you to encourage healthy eating is to eat well yourself. Kids learn from their parents, so when adults eat fruits and vegetables and choose not to overindulge in less nutritious options, they send their kids the right message.

  2. Have regular family meals as often as possible. What counts as a family meal? Any time you and your family eat together - whether it's takeout food or a home-cooked meal. Try to eat in the dining room or kitchen and away from the TV because it may make it difficult to pay attention to feelings of fullness, and may lead to overeating. Kids who take part in regular family meals are more likely to eat fruits, vegetables and grains, less likely to snack on unhealthy foods and less likely to smoke, use marijuana, or drink alcohol.

  3. Don’t let mealtimes become a source of conflict. Withholding food as a punishment or using sweet treats as a reward can result into children learning that certain foods are more valuable than others. A better strategy is to give kids some control, but to also limit the kind of foods available at home. Parents have control over which foods are available to the child at mealtime and between meals. Kids should decide if they're hungry, what they will eat from the foods served and when they're full.

  4. Get the family involved. in food shopping and meal preparation. These activities will help you discover your child's food preferences, give you the chance to teach your children about nutrition and provide them with a feeling of accomplishment. In addition, children may be more willing to eat or try foods they have helped prepare.

Healthy eating does not mean giving up foods you or your children like best; rather, it is learning to balance the food choices you make. There is no better gift a parent can give their kids than a lifetime of healthy choices.

For more information please visit American Diabetes Association- Eat Right. For an interactive Mix-it Up Lunch Box, healthy snack and recipe ideas and tips for making healthier choices when eating out visit Live Healthy Lorain County.