Child Obesity - Eating On The Run

You are rushing in the morning to get your children off to school, you are hurrying in the afternoon to drive them to soccer practice, and you are racing home from work in the evening to make sure they have time for a study session at friend's house.

When something is got to give in a schedule like that, it is often family meals. Many families never sit down at the dining room table even once during the day. when everyone is eating on the run or the kids are having some of their meals or snacks away from home, that's when healthy foods can give way to the easier, higher fat, higher calorie choices. Sound familiar?

Even if there never seem to be enough hours in the day or your family to eat as healthfully as you would like, don't despair. Here are some suggestions to help keep your overweight child on the right track.

- Plan ahead for those times when you know you are going to be busy. If it means spending time on the weekend preparing meals for the upcoming weekdays, then do it.

- Sit together at the table for meals as a family whether possible to eat and talk together.

- Discuss how the family can decrease eating out at fast-food restaurant.

- Fix breakfast the night before. You can precook hard-boiled eggs or have your child's favorite cold cereal already in the bowl and the fresh fruit sliced and ready to go at the crack of dawn.