• Involve your kids in cooking and planning meals. Talk about what makes some ingredients better than others.

• Fast food visits are sometimes hard to avoid - so pass on the “value-size.” Avoid double meat and bacon. A serving size of meat is 2-3 ounces. Substitute mustard for the mayo and other calorie-laden dressings and sauces.

• Portion size has a lot to do with why our kids are having problems with their weight. Because there’s too much of everything on their plates, our kids are getting far more calories than they need daily. Learn how big a portion size really is.

• Eat dinner together as a family whenever possible. When everyone sits down together, there’s less chance of eating the wrong foods or snacking too much.

• Don’t reward children with foods such as candy – find other ways to celebrate good behavior.

• Make your next trip to the grocery store a game. Have your kids look for foods displaying the American Heart Association’s heart-check mark. For more healthy tips and recipes, visit www.americanheart.org.

Learn more about the American Heart Association’s heart-check mark and build your free heart-healthy grocery list at www.heartcheckmark.org. You can print your list or download your saved list from your Web-enabled mobile phone or PDA.
As an alternative to chips or cookies, try these Peachsicles for a healthy snack.

Peachsicles

8.25 ounce can light sliced peaches in fruit juice, drained

1 cup fat-free or low-fat plain yogurt

1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (about 2 ounces)

2 teaspoons honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cut peaches into bite-size pieces. Put 3 pieces in each of four paper or plastic 5-ounce juice cups. Transfer remaining peaches to small bowl. Stir remaining ingredients into bowl with peaches. Pour into juice cups. Insert a wooden popsicle or craft stick into center of each cup. Cover cups with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, allowing sticks to poke through covering. Put cups with stick side up on a level surface in the freezer. Freeze for 3 hours, or until solid. To serve, peel or cut paper or plastic from frozen pops. Serves 6.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving): Calories 71, Total Fat 0.0g, Saturated 0.0 g, Polyunsaturated 0.0 g, Monounsaturated 0.0 g, Carbohydrates 15g, Sugars 13g, Fiber 0g, Cholesterol 1mg, Protein 3g, Sodium 37 mg. Dietary Exchanges: 1 fruit

This recipe is reprinted with permission from Healthy Recipes Kids Love, Copyright© 2008 by the American Heart Association. Published by Publications International, Ltd. Available at online at www.shopheart.org. Courtesy of Family Features