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According to most nutrition professionals, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans should cover at least 2/3 of your plate. Meat products should cover 1/3 or less. Plant-based foods like vegetables and whole grains have a strong connection with cancer prevention.

Eat as a family! The many benefits include: You can act as a role model for good eating habits. You can introduce new and different foods to your child. You can discover your child’s likes and dislikes. You can be sure your child is eating nutritious meals. You can catch up on your child’s life and activities.

Breastfeed! It helps fight infection in your baby. It promotes good digestion. Breastfeeding is free and convenient. It is proven to prevent obesity. Breastfeeding is free of bacteria. Your breast milk is always the perfect temperature.

Should I let my child eat the same foods everyday?

Food jags are common in the toddler and preschool years. Putting too much emphasis on them may only make them last even longer. Give your child the food they want; however, be sure to offer it with a variety of other foods. Your child will probably soon tire of eating the same thing.

Children need fiber too! Beginning at age 3, recommendations are to provide children with a dietary fiber intake of their age plus five. For example a four-year-old needs (4 + 5) nine grams a day. This would be equivalent to about one to two servings of whole grain products along with recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.

Confused about the best serving size for your child? For children, the American Dietetic Association recommends one tablespoon of food for each year of life. For example, a three-year-old should be offered 3 tablespoons of food. If the child eats all of what is offered and wants more, parents can offer more.

When choosing a frozen yogurt, you have to read the label. While some brands are low-calorie, others have even more calories than light ice cream. Some premium brands have up to 185 calories per half-cup due to added sugar. Make sure that no matter what kind of low-fat frozen dessert you choose, it has no more than 120 calories per serving of a half-cup.

When choosing a snack, fat-free is best, right? Many fat-free snacks have almost no fiber and are easy to eat in huge quantities because they're not filling. Many even have more calories per serving than the regular version in order to make up for the lack of fat. Instead, choose a healthier snack such as fresh vegetables and fat-free dip or buy fat-free snacks in small quantities so you don’t overeat.

At the movies, you should absolutely skip the popcorn. Even the smallest bag, without the extra butter, packs up to 300 calories and 20 grams of fat. The microwave kind can be even worse; many brands have almost 400 calories and 26 fat grams per bag. A better choice would be to air-pop it or choose a reduced-fat microwave version.

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Diet TV dinners may be convenient, nutritious and low in fat and calories, but most are full of sodium, which can raise both your blood pressure and risk of heart attack. Avoid eating more than one prepared food that contains more than 600 milligrams of sodium each day. *hint: The word "healthy" on labels can't be used if the food has more than 480 milligrams of sodium per serving.

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When eating fast food, grilled is better than fried. Most fast-food grilled chicken sandwiches are high in fat due to the cheese and creamy toppings. You could ask them to hold the sauce or choose no cheese.

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When eating out, ask for any creamy sauces and toppings on the side and don't be afraid to ask the waiter about the ingredients and preparation of the various dishes.

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All of these snacks contain less than 30% of the calories from fat:

Raw vegetables such as celery, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, green pepper, green beans, cucumbers, mushrooms, or zucchini. These may be served with a low-fat dip.

Fresh fruit cut in slices or halves, such as apples, oranges, bananas, peaches, grapefruit, grapes, melons, pears, plums, and strawberries. They're a great source of vitamins, minerals, fibers, and cancer-fighting phytochemicals. Add them to your cereal or yogurt.

Low-fat quick breads and muffins, such as pumpkin, zucchini, banana, or bran.

Non-sugared cereals, and snack mixes made with popcorn and whole grain cereal. Homemade popcorn is good for you since the popped corn itself has very few calories and is filling. Just make sure not to overdo it with the butter and salt.

Shakes with low-fat milk, or yogurt and fruit.

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For added calcium, add 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder to 1 cup of chocolate milk to double the calcium content. Dry milk can also be added to mashed potatoes, cookies, and other baked goods. (2 T dry milk=100 mg CA)

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Having trouble getting your child to eat? Try a simple snack like a piece of wheat bread with a slice of cheese melted on it. Then cut the sandwich with a fun-shaped cookie cutter.

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Prepare sugar-free instant pudding as directed then pour into small paper cups. Insert a Popsicle stick in the middle and freeze for a fun summer snack.

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If your child won’t eat fruit, try microwaving a cored apple and adding cinnamon and sugar.

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For a fun summer treat, freeze banana halves, orange sections, whole strawberries without stems, grapes, or peeled kiwis with a wooden stick inserted in them.

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Gardening with 4 and 5 year olds could improve their vegetable consumption. They are more likely to eat the vegetables that they helped to grow. Also works with strawberries, raspberries and other garden-grown fruits.

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Make sure your kids eat breakfast! Research has shown an increase in test scores, attention span, and good behavior as well as a decrease in school nurse visits from children who regularly eat breakfast.

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Children prefer raw or slightly undercooked vegetables, small portions and smaller sized tables and chairs, warm, not hot foods, and fun shapes and colors.

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Don’t force children to “clean their plate.” Children need to learn to listen to their internal cues for appetite and hunger. By forcing them to eat more than they want, you could cause negative opinions of the food or overeating.

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Parents and caregivers can help prevent childhood obesity by providing healthy foods, daily physical activities, and nutrition information. Nutritious foods provide nourishment for growing bodies and allows parents to model healthy eating behaviors. Physical activity can reduce health risks and help maintain or reduce body weight. Providing nutrition information helps kids develop an awareness of good nutrition and healthy eating habits.

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Limit the amount of time children watch television, play video games, and work on the computer to 1 to 2 hours per day. The average American child spends about 24 hours each week watching television. Reducing sedentary activities helps increase physical activity.

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Snacking is good, but continuous snacking may lead to overeating. Plan healthy snacks at specific times. Try to include two food groups, for example, apple wedges and whole grain crackers. Incorporate fruits, vegetables, grains, low-sugar cereals, low fat dairy products, and lean meats and meat alternatives. Avoid excessive amounts of fruit juices, which contain calories, but fewer nutrients than the fruits they come from. A sensible amount of juice is 4-8 ounces per day.