Stopping the Food Wars

In many households, meal time is also battle time. Between parents who want to provide the best nutrition for their children on a strict budget, and children who want tasty food that they've seen advertised on television, conflict is often the result when children want pizza takeout while parents want them to eat vegetables.

Parenting experts agree that there are several things that parents can do to ensure that food time is pleasant for both parents and children:

1. Expose your children to lots of food types at an early age. If you are not very adventurous in your own eating, you children will have a hard time accepting a variety of foods, as well. Trying lots of different things, and encouraging your children to experience foods of things helps ensure that your child has a diverse palette. Take your child to the farmer's market and explore various types of new foods. Get excited about trying different things and healthy foods, and you may pass some of your enthusiasm onto your child.
   
   
2. Make mealtime fund. Play dress-up, have themed meals, and have your child help you in the kitchen, creating attractive, tasty, and healthy meals.
   
   
3. Make sure that your child understands the connection between health and good food. Even younger children can be made to understand that some food provide lots of energy and make you strong, while others make you feel tired and grumpy.
   
   
4. Give your child some choice. Allow your child to pick out their favorite types of vegetables and fruits, and try creating games around food. For example, help your child keep tabs on the calendar of how many types of fruits and vegetables he or she has eaten in a given week. Provide a small sticker or small reward for eating lots of different types of fresh vegetables and fruit.
   
   
5. If all else fails, hide the evidence. There are many books out today revealing how to disguise healthy foods into meals that kids will love. Pick up some of these books at your local bookstore or library, and try out some of the recipes. It's an easy and fast way to make sure that your child eat well without sacrificing taste.