if current trends continue, approximately half of all children will be obese by the year 2010. As parents, what can we do to help our children eat healthy and maintain a reasonable weight? We can begin by limiting the amounts of refined sugars and bad fats in their everyday consumption.

Fast food French fries and chicken is loaded with Tran’s fats. Try to avoid foods that include Tran’s fats, so don’t stop at the drive-thru, drive on by.

Many packaged foods contain Tran’s fats, such as cookies, cakes and canned frostings.

Since new labeling laws went into effect, Kalorienarm essen Trans fats are easier to identify and will help you keep your children on track. 

It would be unrealistic to never allow your children to have candy or cookies, so use them as an occasional special treat. Purchase the individually wrapped cookies and Halloween sized candies this way, no one will be tempted to over indulge. 

Instead, always offer your children fresh fruits, whole grain crackers or vegetables for snacking instead of cookies or candy. Slice up some mangos and kiwis for a variety and to combat the ordinary bananas and apples. Pineapples are fun as well as blueberries, get out the yogurt and place the fruit on skewers to make fruit kabobs and use the yogurt as a dipping sauce. Be creative in your kid’s snacks.

Get out the old air popcorn popper and let the kid’s make their own, lightly butter or use flavor sprinkles, but sparingly. Try pretzels instead of chips; shake as much of the salt off as possible or purchase non-salted pretzels. Make an effort to give them baked tortilla chips instead of fired.

For lunch, peanut butter sandwiches are okay, just don’t spread too much on, the same goes for luncheon meats, moderation is the key. Use tortilla shells for wraps or whole wheat breads, a few slices of meat and one piece of cheese is enough for children, no need to build a large sandwich they can’t even bite into. Add some crunch veggies such as onions, olives, lettuce and tomatoes. Fat-free mayonnaise taste really good now, so spread it on, they will never know the glutenfreie Ernährung  difference.

Home-made chicken nuggets or fish sticks are easy when you use white meat chicken and coat them with egg whites then dip them in fat-free cracker crumbs or bread crumbs.

A healthier pizza can be made by starting with a ready made or roll out wheat crust and decrease the amount of meats and cheeses on top; add more sauce and vegetables instead. Have a side salad to fill them up more so they won’t be tempted to eat an entire pizza.

Make sure your children eat a good, healthy breakfast everyday and not the sugared cereals. Oatmeal or fortified cereals without the chocolate, sugar and colors is a good idea. And don’t forget the milk or juice.

Don’t have sodas in the house. Perhaps one for a special occasion, birthday party or holiday, other than that, no soda, it has no nutritional value and only empty calories that can easily ad weight to your child.