When looking to lose weight, get fit, or just make better food choices lots of us end up cooking separate meals. Instead of going it alone why not get the whole family involved? Please note, children should not be put on any diet without speaking to their doctor first and healthy eating should be seen as a natural lifestyle change

Give Them Choice

Don’t just fill the shopping cart with unhealthy snacks like chips and soda aim to include a few healthy choices too. Why not stock up on dips and raw veg like cucumber, carrot and celery as well as baked pita chip triangles? It’s a great alternative to a bag of chips, and kids love creating different dipping combinations. Don’t forget about easy to eat fruits such as apples, bananas and easy peel oranges as well as natural bio yogurts, low-fat crackers and plain popcorn. Try to serve water at meals instead of juice and look to buy flavored water or add in slices of lemon or lime if the kids aren’t fond of its natural taste.

Eat Together

Encourage everyone to sit up at the dinner table instead of with their meals on trays or shut away in bedrooms while watching TV. Firstly, having to sit down lets their body relax and unwind as well as helps improve kids posture. While it’s ok to gulp a little bit if you’re hungry, try to encourage them not to gobble down their food as it can easily lead to indigestion and stomach pains. Make sure that you leave enough time to sit down as a family, too many of us aren’t planning family dinners well enough which means if you’re busy in the evenings or at weekends meals feel rushed. Even if your children have been naughty try not to shout at them while at the table. Encourage pleasant, light hearted conversation and don’t just let the more outspoken members talk, everyone even the very littlest of you deserves to have their voice heard.

Mix Up The Menu

Cooking is an incredibly important skill to have so it’s never too early to get your kids involved in what they’re eating. Take them on a relaxed, gentle trip to the grocery store when none of you is rushing and talk to them about different foods and ingredients. Let them decide what they want to eat occasionally as they may have tried something new at a friends house, seen a recipe in a magazine or watched a dish being prepared on TV. Need a little help? Visit http://www.chicksnews.com/diary-of-a-fit-mommy/ if you need guidance on portion size and different food groups as well as workout tips and tricks. The blog also talks about different diet programs as well as healthy eating options, or there are plenty of other resources out there on how much food you should give your kids. Health research shows children who’ve been involved with food prep from a young age tend to enjoy experimenting with flavors, and  eat a healthier, wider variety of food than those who only see it when it’s dished onto their plate.