With easy access to an abundance of high calorie food and drinks, obesity is becoming a more and more important health issue for our children. The good news is that there are many things you can do to help your child eat healthier and maintain a healthy weight. Listed below are ideas and suggestions to help your child step up to the plate of healthier eating.

The Basics for a Healthy Kid
These are four basic steps you can take to help your child achieve and maintain a healthy weight:

• Encourage your child to play hard at least 30 to 60 minutes a day.
• Limit TV and video games to no more than one hour a day. Do not allow a TV in the bedroom.
• Offer 5 helpings of fruits and vegetables every day.
• Limit juice drinks, sports drinks, and sodas to no more than 1 can or small cup a day.

For a complete list of recommendations, you can read Encouraging a Healthy Weight for Your Child

There is encouraging news to help kids attain these basics. In September, 2005 the Governor signed three bills that will establish the strongest nutrition standards in the country for school food. These bills will limit the amount of calories and sugars in school foods, extend the ban on the sale of sodas to high school so it now covers grades K-12, and help increase the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables in school meal programs. (For more information, you can go to EatBetterMoveMore.org). These new laws can help you limit your child's access to high calorie foods.

Encourage Your Child to Eat Healthy
You can play a vital role in helping to shape your child's eating habits. Besides the four guidelines listed above, here are a few additional things you can do to encourage healthy eating:

• Purchase and offer healthy foods and portion sizes.
• Limit fast food and eating out.
• Provide nutritious food choices at meals and snacktimes. Allow your child to choose what to eat and how much. Most children naturally stop eating when they feel full.
• Let your child choose things to work on (i.e., healthy food choices, portion sizes, snacking). Just like adults, children also want to have the power to choose.
• Be a good role model with healthy eating and physical activity.

For these and other guidelines, you can visit the Health Encyclopedia topic Healthy Eating for Children

Think Inside the Lunch Box
Packing a healthy lunch that your child will actually enjoy and eat can sometimes feel like an impossible feat. Here are a few tips to make that happen:

• Mini-size it. Make smaller sized foods, like half-sandwiches and fruit wedges. They'll be easier to eat and will satisfy smaller stomachs.
• Mix it up. Instead of sliced bread, try out sandwiches using whole grain tortillas, pitas, or bagels.
• Sneak in the good stuff. Add sliced veggies to sandwiches and wraps for extra crunch and nutrition!
• Dip it for flavor. Pack salsa, hummus, yogurt, or low-fat salad dressings for your child to dip their vegetables, fruit, or whatever creative foods they like.
• Keep it cool. Pack a frozen container of 100% juice with lunch, or better yet, a frozen water bottle -- it'll keep the food chilled and be a cool drink by lunchtime.
• Clean-up time. To help your child stay clean, include anti-bacterial wet wipes to be used before and after eating.

Bring the Family Back to the Table
Did you know that families that eat together foster healthier children and teens? In addition to enhancing family values and bonding, children tend to eat more fruits and vegetables, less fried food and soda. Teens tend to do better in school and are less like to smoke, drink, or use drugs. Its not always easy to have family meals, so here are a few pointers to help you:

• Make family meal time a priority.
• Plan ahead and be flexible about when and where.
• Keep meals simple and easy.
• Involve family members in the preparation.
• Turn off the TV and let the machine get the phone.
• Keep conversation light and positive.
• Start a family tradition by making a toast, having each person tell their favorite moment of the day, or another ritual that would best fit your family.

Helpful Resources
Below are some additional resources to help you and your child:

• Kidnetic Recipes Exciting child and family friendly recipes from kidnetic.com.
• 5 A Day A Web site dedicated to helping kids eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Resources for both child and parent.
• KidsHealth A site for children, teens and parents with resources and fun tips on a wide variety of health topics.