Although you can’t argue that it’s a good idea to give your kids a healthy lifestyle, you probably feel that you barely have time to grab dinner from the nearest drive-through, let alone cook up a well-balanced meal!

But encouraging your children to be healthy is not about being a super-dad or super-mom, it's about helping your children develop a healthy attitude towards food and activity. You don't want your four-year-old dieting, you just want her to have a great start at life.

Here are some practical ideas you can try:

• Have family meal times
  Serve meals (whether fast food or home cooked) at the table and have the whole family eat together. If this isn't possible every night because of differing routines, aim for at least three nights per week. Eating at the table helps everyone focus on whether they have eaten enough to feel full, whereas eating in front of the television or while engaged in other activities can lead to mindless overeating.
  
  
• Make breakfast non-negotiable
  Starting the day with a nutritious breakfast is important. Studies have shown that breakfast eaters do better at school and have less trouble concentrating. Breakfast doesn't have to be a bowl of cereal and a piece of fruit, your child might prefer eggs and toast, fruit salad and yogurt, or even a bowl of vegetable bean soup and toast. As long as it's nutritious, high in fiber and low in sugar, it's a good way to start the day.
  
  
• Don't force children to clean their plates
  Doing so teaches children to ignore their feelings of fullness. Serve child-sized portions and allow them to ask for more if they're still hungry. Teach them about feeling full – saying things like "This soup is delicious, but I am full, so I will stop eating now" help reinforce that it's okay to not finish everything if you are already satisfied.
  
  
• Don't bribe or reward children with food
  Avoid making dessert the prize for eating vegetables. This method of rewarding encourages overeating and makes dessert seem like something better than the rest of the meal. It's also easy to slip into saying things like "If you're good, you can have some ice cream." Food is not for negotiation, it's for nourishing your children and providing them with the nutrients they need.
  
  
• Don't use food as a way of showing love
  When you want to show love, give your child a hug, some of your time, or praise. Using food to make your child happy could set them up for emotional eating habits in the future.
  
  
• Describe foods as "everyday foods" and "occasional treats"
  All foods can be incorporated into a healthy diet in moderation. Labeling foods as "good" or "bad" sets up a dieting-type mindset. Instead try describing foods such as fruits and vegetables as everyday foods, and chocolate and cookies as treats.
  
  
• Offer water for quenching thirst
  Limit your child's intake of soft drinks and other sugary drinks, and make water and milk your child's first choices. Not having soft drinks in the house makes it easier for them to choose water. Allan Borushek, CalorieKing.com dietitian, reminds us that "With over 15 teaspoons of sugar in a 600 ml bottle of soft drink, it's easy for children to unwittingly consume excessive amounts of sugar and calories. Soft drinks should not be an everyday drink. Try water instead."
  
  
• Put healthy snacks at your child's eye level
  It's easier for your child to grab a piece of fruit as a snack if it's right there in front of them. Often what you see is what you eat, so make the most of this to encourage healthy snacking. Instead of keeping fruit out of sight in the vegetable crisper, move it up a few shelves so it's right there when they open the fridge.
  
  
• Restrict high-fat and high-sugar foods
  For regular snacks, stick to healthier options such as toast, fruit, vegetable sticks and low-fat dip, nuts and dried fruit. These foods help satisfy your child's appetite and help them meet their nutritional needs. Keep foods like cakes, ice creams, soft drinks, potato chips and other salty snacks for occasional treats.
  
  
• Limit eating out
  With huge food portions being the norm in restaurants and fast food outlets, it's easy to overeat. If you're eating fast food or restaurant meals several times per week your family is probably eating many more calories than they need. Pretty soon these “super-sized” meals can seem like normal sized servings, encouraging overeating even at home. Allan Borushek has these tips: "When eating out, say no to super-sizing or up-sizing, choose healthier options, keep an eye on portion sizes and limit soft drink consumption."
  
  
• Encourage your child to participate in preparing meals
  Let your child be involved in choosing the menu, helping with the shopping or helping to prepare the meal - it's often more appealing to eat something you have helped make. Give them age-appropriate tasks so they can feel proud of their accomplishments and not get frustrated or injure themselves.
  
  
• Be a good role model
  Children are like sponges! In other words, they absorb everything that you say and do. If they see you enjoying a well-balanced diet, they are more likely to follow your example. You can't expect them to happily eat a salad while you bite into a cheeseburget.

Lastly, but most importantly, remember that you are in control of what your child eats and drinks. Don't give in to clever marketing ploys aimed at children. Set your own rules and stick to them.

And remember that you, not your children, choose what you buy at the supermarket, so make it healthy, satisfying and full of the nutrients your growing child needs.