Ten Resolutions for Healthier Preschooler Eating

Include your preschooler in new year's resolutions for healthier eating.The good news is, healthy eating goals benefit the entire family. Many of these tips involve replacing one food with a more nutrient dense version - a simple goal. Others may take some time to become daily habits. Either way, you'll be helping your preschooler form healthy eating habits for optimal growth and development.

1. Use whole wheat bread instead of white bread. With each sandwich (2 slices bread), your preschooler gets 3-6 grams of extra fiber.

2. Replace high sugar breakfast cereals with lower sugar options or whole grain cereals like oatmeal. Your preschooler will get fewer calories from added sugar and she'll be enjoying grains in their more natural form.

3. Limit fruit juice to 4-6 ounces per day. Dilute the juice with water if you want to serve it more than once a day.

4. Eat with your preschooler. As often as possible, sit down together as a family for meals and snacks.

5. Serve lower fat or non fat milk in place of whole milk. Children older than two are advised to drink lower fat alternatives to whole milk.

6. Enjoy healthy food yourself. Being a good role model is the best way to shape healthy habits in your preschooler.

7. Plan meals and snacks around nutrient dense foods like beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.

8. Limit the everyday use of foods high in added sugars like fruit drinks, soda, sports drinks, candy, processed fruit snacks, and sweet desserts.

9. Substitute whole wheat flour for some or all of the white flour when baking muffins, cookies or bread.

10. Plan fun food activities with your preschooler. Cook together, plant a small vegetable garden, visit a U-Pick farm this summer and do taste tests of new foods.