Schools are working hard to teach children about the importance of good nutrition, but teachers alone will not be successful. Parents must also become involved. It's time to bring the food and fitness message home. Share with parents these three simple steps for a healthier family:
1. Construct a Diet Low in FAT
2. Try New Foods 
Familiarity is key to enjoying foods. Kids often take more than one try before they learn to appreciate a food. So, don't take "I don't like it!" as the final word. Keep offering a new food to your kids even if they have turned it down. Here are ways you can persuade the most finicky eater to try a new taste.
- Be a role model. Kids are more likely to eat a food if you try it with them, especially when you let them know how good it is!
- Picky eaters? So let them pick! Allow you children to help select the foods the family will eat from a variety of healthy food.
- Prepare meals together. Involving kids in the preparation of new dishes will increase their willingness to taste new foods.
Remember: Children eat smaller servings than adults-generally about two-thirds of an adult portion. When you introduce kids to a new food, you may want to start them off with a small portion.
3. Eat More Grains, Fruits, and Vegetables
- Get in the habit. Include a fruit and/or a vegetable in every meal.
- Put produce on show. Store washed and ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables where they can be easily seen.
- Spruce up old favorites. Include fruits or vegetables in recipes that may not call for them. Add diced carrots to rice, add fruits to meat dishes, or try shredded carrots on sandwiches.
- Put whole grains front and center. Make half your grains whole.
- Be a big dipper. Kids enjoy dipping fruits and vegetables into low-fat salad dressings or other healthy dips.
- Make eating fun. Present foods in interesting shapes, place cubed fruits or vegetables on toothpicks or skewers, or use food to make a design on your child's plate.
- Don't skip breakfast. Start your day on the right foot with a healthy meal.
This material was reproduced by an offical Team Nutrition supporter. Scholastic Inc.contributed to the development of this material. Team Nutrition is a program of the Food and Consumer Service of the USDA. USDA does not endorse any products, services or organizations. c1995 Scholastic Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use.