As a father with a sweet tooth, this may seem like a tough one. However, I have found that encouraging healthy eating habits is quite simple. Being a fan of modeling correct behaviors for my two little girls, I just hoard all the chocolate I can handle at the office (I kid...sort of) and then eat all my fruits and vegetables, like a good little boy, while at home. Over the last two years, I have realized it really comes down to exposure. Every night we put some fruit or vegetable on my daughter's plate. She used to despise green beans, but now she's at least playing with them on her plate. Corn is still her favorite, but she has discovered that green vegetables really aren't so bad...she's hooked on pea pods like nobody's business. Not a bad way to start, really.

1. Have regular family meals. My wife and I love the ritual of the evening meal, really. Though not as hilarious as Kramer and his rant on marriage and family, my wife and I revel in the fact that our daughter will have mashed potatoes and peapods stuck to her face for twenty minutes during dinner. We have been able to introduce her to squash, cauliflower, green beans and even kiwi. "Daddy, tiny seeds. Tiny seeds funny." One additional benefit of having the regular family meals is that we have watched her progress from turning her nose up at asparagus to doing the "Make the asparagus dance, Daddy." I still can't believe that she eats it now. Truly remarkable. Having the regular family meal gives us that opportunity to expose her to many different foods. Who would have thought that a dinner table would become a blessing in disguise?
   
   
2. Stock up on healthy foods. We do a nice job making sure that we have an entire shelf in our cabinet for our daughter with nothing but healthy foods. On a single shelf, we keep peanut butter, crackers and raisins. All of these snacks are kept at her level, so she can independently choose what she wants, when she wants. This ‘freedom' has worked on a couple different levels for us. Whenever she is hungry, she can go over to that shelf. Also, on the occasions where she is not happy with our dinner choices for her, she can go choose something to eat that she enjoys. She is also welcome to eat from the basket of fruit that we keep on the kitchen table at any time.
   
   
3. Don't fight over food. One additional thing we learned, and very early on, I might add, was to not fight her over eating. I was once told by a nurse, "Never worry about kids eating...they, just like you, WILL eat when they are hungry. It is as simple as that." We have stuck to that philosophy and I can pretty confidently say that there have been very few issues when it comes to eating.
   
   
4. Plan for snacks. By setting apart a special time for snacks, again, the consistency is there, just like regular family meals stressing routine, and it gives your child something to look forward to. We even go so far as allowing coloring while snacking, so it is an enjoyable activity on a couple different levels. Also, when planning to snack, we make sure that it is done at kitchen table, so again, the consistency about eating in the same place is there. Here's a few additional tips about healthy eating habits
   
   
5. Let your child take an active role in his or her nutrition. Let your child help pick out the meal for the day. Maybe he can even help cook it, "Put the water in this pan, then grab the butter from the fridge and put some in this tablespoon." Just becoming part of the process makes them feel important and that their work matters. Take your child to the grocery store with you and explain to them why you are buying the food that you are. Allow them to help you with picking out the fruit. "Look Daddy, more kiwi!" Helping my daughter along the way take ownership in what she eats has been great. It's always beneficial to take an active role, and my little kiwi lover is the perfect example.