Encourage Children to Eat More Greens

The benefits of eating salads with meals are numerous. First, the obvious: salad can be a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It also contains antioxidants that have anticancer properties in addition to other health benefits. A salad provides fiber, helping to prevent constipation. A green salad or fruit salad is also a great way to achieve the minimum recommended servings for fruits and vegetables.

Another plus is that having a salad with a meal adds eating time to the meal. More time means that everyone has a chance to feel full before they overeat.

If you're in a hurry, today's pre-made salads in bags are great. Just open, rinse, and eat.

Remember: salads in and of themselves are low-calorie, but when you drench a salad in a high-fat or high-sugar dressing, you are canceling out the benefits. See the next tip for healthier salad dressing ideas.

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.