By: Joy Stephenson-Laws, JD, Founder

According to a recent survey, many American children go days without eating a single vegetable! And sadly, statistics show that bad eating habits are affecting our children’s health. The incidence of children with obesity in the United States has more than tripled since the 1970s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Currently, about one in five school-aged children (ages 6-19) are obese. In addition, “about one-third of American youth are overweight, a problem closely related to the increase in kids with type 2 diabetes, some as young as 10 years old,” the CDC reports. Kids may be picky eaters, often turning their noses up at the steamed broccoli you put on their dinner plates. Eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is critical to the health of our children. And the earlier they develop good eating habits, the better. Now, a new study suggests that the kind of plate you use may play a key role in getting your kids to eat healthier foods.

How else can you get your child to eat more veggies and other healthy foods?

Meal prep. Credible research has shown that kids who are involved in the meal preparation process at home are more likely to make better food choices outside of the home. Kids who meal prep may also be more likely to enjoy a wider variety of fruits and vegetables.

Add flavor. You don’t need tons of butter and oil to make vegetables suitable for your child’s picky taste buds. Research has shown that using herbs and spices, like cumin, ginger and black pepper, to flavor veggies may make children eat more veggies.

Take it to the garden. One study suggests that if kids grow their own vegetables, they are more likely to eat them. So if you have a garden at home, have your kid help you out with the gardening. Again, doing activities like this may be empowering to your child and encourage healthy eating.

Be sneaky. Of course, you want your children to love the taste of kale, but some kids (and adults!) just may not like the taste of it and other leafy greens. The good news is you can mask greens in fruit smoothies. Try giving your child this Tropical Green Smoothie.

Joy Stephenson-Laws is the founder of Proactive Health Labs (pH), a revolutionary health care company that provides tools needed to achieve optimal health.  To learn more about the pH Health Care Team, visit www.phlabs.org.