With a little foresight, getting your kids to eat healthfully is easier than you think. “Make a schedule,” registered dietician Julie Burns told Parents.com. “Children need to eat every three to four hours: three meals, two snacks, and lots of fluids. If you plan for these, your child’s diet will be much more balanced and he’ll be less cranky, because he won’t be famished. I put a cooler in the car when I’m out with my kids and keep it stocked with carrots, pretzels, yogurt, and water so we don’t have to rely on fast food.”
Also, take the time to plan dinners. “If thinking about a weekly menu is too daunting, start with two or three days at a time,” Burns recommends. “A good dinner doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should be balanced: whole-grain bread, rice, or pasta; a fruit or a vegetable; and a protein source like lean meat, cheese, or beans. I often make simple entrée soups or Mexican chili ahead of time and then freeze it; at dinnertime, I heat it up and add whole-grain bread and a bowl of cut-up apples or melon to round out the meal.”
Related: Kids’ Meals Still Aren’t Healthy
Don’t be a short-order cook, either — plan your menu and stick with it.
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