Help Your Kids Eat Healthier Food

"Leave me alone." "Get off my back." They may not be saying that to your face, but the message is there: I'm independent now. Don't tell me what to eat. And they're mostly right. But at home, you still wield a lot of clout. The trick is to use it subtly.

• Don't buy high-fat, high-calorie junk foods. This is not teen abuse. Adolescents are free to exercise their independence and their own money.

• Stock up on bagels, pretzles, flavored rice cakes, and breakfast cereal. Keep a plastic bag of carrot and celery sticks in the refrigerator, along with a savory dip. Teens are creatures of the moment. If there aren't any potato chips in sight, they'll grab the next best thing.

• Independent tests in a number of households show that teens will reach for a pitcher of lemonade over a can of cola--if some noble adult has had the foresight to prepare it ahead of time. By the way, add lots more water than the directions call for...less cloying, more refreshing and economical.

• Chat with your teen about his or her favorite movie star or athlete. What's attractive about their looks? What does nutrition have to do with body shape, a great smile, shiny hair?

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