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Raising Food-Smart Kids

While your children are young, creating a nutritional home should be a priority. If a child can learn to make wise choices about something as basic as food, then there is greater possibility that other choices pertaining to sound body and mind will be wise, too.

Here are tips for getting children to eat healthy foods:
Do not overly restrict foods. This encourages “food curiosity” to which kids are very susceptible, and guards against the risk of developing eating disorders as anorexia or bulimia later in life.
Keep healthy food visible. Children will eat what they see, so keep fruits in a bowl on the counter, not in the crisper section of the fridge.
Model healthy snacks. Actions speak louder than words.
Praise healthy choices, and don’t nag about occasional unhealthy choices. Find ways to compromise. If the kids want candy, try fresh strawberries dipped in a little chocolate sauce, or frozen grapes to pop in their mouths. 
Never use food as a reward. This develops unhealthy concepts about food and pleasure.
Sit down to family dinners at night. Research shows that children who eat dinners at the table with their parents have better nutrition and are less likely to get in serious trouble as teenagers. Start with one night a week, then work up to three or four, to gradually build the habit.
Prepare plates in the kitchen where you can put healthy portions of each item of each dinner plate, to teach your children to recognize correct portion sizes.
Of course, it is wise to consult your child's pediatrician before putting him or her on any diet, and expect gradual, and not overnight, changes. What is important to remember is that the food smarts your children learn from you can protect them for a lifetime.