The Pizza Trap

If you haven't noticed, there's a bombardment of junk food in our world.

Well, that's a silly preface... of course you've noticed; it's everywhere!

With the accessibility of junk food, fast food and processed food, it's hard to instill good eating habits -- not just in your children, but in yourself as well.

From concession stands at sporting events or movie theaters, to the vending machines at school, it makes it difficult for parents to really get in front of bad eating habits and cut them off at the pass.

What are some ways you can get your whole family to eat healthier, despite swamped schedules?

It's doable. You really CAN make a healthy, and perhaps more importantly, tasty meal in 20 minutes or less. And, you can "up" the experience by inviting your kids to participate in the process of preparing meals.

By having five or six of these 20-minute meals in your arsenal, you will ensure that you rarely -- if ever -- have to resort to a fast food or processed food meal.

The key is to be organized and plan ahead. Take one night out of the weekend and look at your schedule for the coming week, and identify those nights when you know you're going to need that quick meal option.

Another tip for getting your kids to eat healthier is to serve raw vegetables instead of cooked. Kids like "crunch," and raw vegetables are a great way to introduce a myriad of essential nutrients.

What about school lunch? Is it better to pack your kids' lunches or let them make a healthy decision on their own in the cafeteria?

Five years ago, you may have said a big fat NO to cafeteria meals. But, there's been a shift in the quality of school lunches, especially over the last couple years. The government and parents alike are advocating for healthier school lunch programs.

However, unhealthy options do still exist in the cafeteria setting. It's especially difficult for your kids to choose wisely when all their friends are having ice cream and cookies for lunch.

It then falls on you to educate your kids as to why these options are so very bad for them, and why the healthier options are so much better... not only for their bodies, but also their minds.

Tune in as Gabrielle Welch, NC, CHHC, joins Andrea and Lisa to share more about healthy eating options, as well as simple ways you can start your kids on the healthy eating path from a very young age.