Do Something Different for Dessert

You don't have to skip dessert at every meal. But you also don't always have to have desserts high in fat and refined sugar. Remember, healthy eating is about moderation. The occasional bowl of ice cream or slice of cake is fine, but these treats shouldn't follow every meal! Fruits are an important part of your child's balanced diet because they provide fiber and essential vitamins and minerals. Fruit for dessert is a great way to make sure your kids are getting their daily servings of fruit.

Here are some ideas for making fruit as delicious and palatable as it can be:

• Cut up some fruit and serve a bowl of mixed fruit without syrup, peel an orange, or just cut up an apple. Kids tend to eat fruit if it is cut up and peeled for them.
• You can also be more creative and give your kids something they'll crave. Mix vanilla nonfat, sugar-free yogurt and some of their favorite fruit. Sweeten with orange juice or a small amount of sugar-free artificial sweetener. Blend and serve.

More on: Healthy Meals for Families

Excerpted from:

From Raising Healthy Eaters: 100 Tips for Parents by Henry Legere, M.D. Copyright © 2004. Used by arrangement with The Perseus Books Group.

To order this book visit perseusbooksgroup.com.