What can I do to minimize the junk food?

How Can I Curb Kids and Fast Food?

By Nicki Anderson
Special for eDiets

Dear Nicki:
My three boys are very involved in sports, and I find myself picking up fast food almost five nights a week. What can I do to minimize the junk food?
-- Name Withheld

According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, kids who eat fast food end up consuming more calories throughout the day than kids who do not eat fast food.

The study also found that more than half of the daily calorie consumption of fast-food eaters came from just one fast-food meal.

Bottom line, overindulgence of fast food is hazardous to our children's health. I recommend having plenty of healthy foods available for your kids. I usually keep fresh fruit and veggies chopped up in the fridge ready to eat. The more available you make healthy food, the more likely your children are to eat it. It’s all about planning and preparation.

For many kids and families, getting away from fast food is tough because it is so convenient. Soup and sandwiches can be healthy alternatives. But if you don’t have time and MUST opt for fast food, skip the fries and ask for extra lettuce and tomato. The better choices your kids can make now, the better their health will be later.

The Trim Kidsprogram is a comprehensive 12-week plan that recognizes children require unique strategies when it comes to weight management. Trim Kids provides hundreds of parenting tips to encourage healthy eating and increased physical activity. And the fitness plan can be designed for your child's age and medical condition.

Nicki Anderson is the owner of Reality Fitness Inc. in Naperville, IL, and the founder of Nicki Anderson’s Real Life Weight Loss. She is also a frequent contributor to eDiets.com, health and fitness columnist for the Daily Herald in suburban Chicago, and author of Reality Fitness; Inspiration for Your Health and Well-Being (New World Library). Learn more about Nicki at www.real-life-weight-loss.com.