Nutrition Values For Kids Articles & Resources

But then you remember that the habits they form at a young age will carry with them for years to come. You remember that prevention of heart disease, cancer, and obesity begins in childhood. You remember that you are responsible for building their dietary habits, just as you are responsible for instilling good manners or any other values that are important to you.

And so you continue on the journey of inspiring healthier food choices for your children, knowing in your heart that it really is worth the effort. Hopefully, the ideas below will make your job just a little bit easier. Best of luck to you as you make a difference in the lives of your children and the world around you!

Be committed and persistent--Keep offering. It may take up to 13 times before they'll eat it! Do not give up!

Make it fun--If you're eating vegetable soup, play Simon Says find a carrot, bean, or celery. Say Simon Says take a bite with a carrot and a piece of corn. Soon they are playing the game and, oh yeah, eating the soup too!

Set a good example--If you want your kids to eat healthy food, then you must also eat healthy food. Model the behavior you are expecting. Kids love to copy their parents!

Be honest--educate them. Talk about why you are now eating vegetable stew instead of hot dogs. Even kids as young as 3 want to be healthy. Tell them how happy their bodies are when we eat wholesome foods.

Get the junk out of the house--If it's not in the house, then it s not an option. Clean out your pantry and restock it with healthy choices.

Give a couple of choices for snack time--both of them healthy. Kids like to have choices, so let them choose between two healthy options.

Get excited about food--Talk about how beautiful the food looks and how delicious it tastes! Show enthusiasm by saying, "Isn't this great! Look at all this delicious food!"

Let them pick out a new fruit or vegetable at the grocery store--Bring it home and learn how to prepare it together.

Get kids cooking--When kids help prepare meals, they will be much more interested in eating them.

Talk about the food--Ask kids to analyze your dinner table to see if all four food groups are accounted for: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. Talk about what each food contributes to a healthy diet: protein, fiber, phytochemicals, vitamin C, calcium, etc.

The key is to stay upbeat and positive about the great changes you are making with regard to food. Kids pick up on your positive energy. Stick with it! Establishing healthy dietary habits is one of the best gifts you can give to your children. Things worth doing are usually not easy, and this endeavor is no exception. Celebrate your successes along the way. Keep moving in the right direction. You won't regret it--it is worth the effort. Our health, our children's health, and our planet depend on it.

--Connie Bendickson is a stay-at-home, part-time homeschooling mom and founder of an organization called Healthy Moms, Healthy Families (.com) that educates and inspires people to adopt healthy eating habits for the benefit of their own health, the health of their families, and all of God's creation. She has been married to her husband Rich for 14 years, and they have two children - Ashley, 6, and Jacob, 3.