In today's active world we are always rushing to this sport game or after school activity, to this work meeting or dinner party. It is an eat-on-the-run mentality for most families. Fast food meals are simply not practical when it comes to eating healthy. Good nutrition and balanced diets are a basic need of developing children and growing teens. They require more than just getting a quick bite to eat as you dash out the door or a drive-thru meal out from a fast food restaurant. Getting your family to have healthier meals requires making an effort to have regular sit-down family meals, serving a variety of healthy foods and snacks. They also require that you have these healthy foods look and smell appealing while they are easy to grab. One way adults will be able to avoid having food battles is by involving kids in the process of healthy eating.

Family Meals:

Sit down meals with the entire family is a great way for kids to have the attention of parents and for parents to hear about what is going on in the lives of the children.

Family sit-down meals also encourage everyone to eat more fruits, vegetables, and grains because they can be right there on the table where they can tempt everyone to take some. The family meal fosters a closeness among family members. And studies have proven that it makes it less likely for children to smoke, use marijuana, or to engage in drinking alcohol because they will feel stronger about the fact that family members will notice. They will also realize that their parents care about what they are doing when they know that they will have to sit down with them every day.

Family meals gives a child the chance to try new foods and adults are given the opportunity to set good examples in front of their kids regarding healthy eating.

Family meals give everyone the chance to connect with each other on a regular basis.

To make family meals more appealing makes a point to allow family members to invite friends over for dinner once in a while. Involve the kids and teens in planning and preparing the meals. Make sure that the meals are a time for calm and friendly conversation and not a time for lectures or arguing.

What are family meals?

Anytime a family sits down to eat together that time they spend sharing a meal is counted as a family meal. That time could be while they are sitting at a table in their favorite restaurant, it can be around the kitchen table, at a ballpark bleacher eating hotdogs and popcorn. It is important to make as many meals as healthy as possible in the process of sharing good times with each other.

In order to have a family meal you may have to adjust dinner hour so that everyone is home, by eating a little later in the evening in order for sports practice and meetings to be over first. Weekends can be special times where the meals can involve more time together.

Keeping snacks healthy:

When planning your meals and snacks for the day strive for 5 servings of fruits and vegetables and snack times can be easy ways of getting those servings in. Think about what foods go well together such as veggies and dip, fruit and cheese, yogurt and peanut butter and celery. Don't forget about eggs, beans and nuts.

Avoid bakery items or fried foods and limit the amount of sweets, and potato chips.