#AskTheExpert Good morning, My son is 6.5 years old. He is slim. He doesn't show any interest to have bitter gourd and other vegetables and looks for fishes or chicken. He doesn't even try to have proper diet rather prefer to have junk food like chips, chocolates, icecream, noodles at times. Kindly advise how we can work on his diet plan to keep him healthy. Thanks.

Question

Accepted Answer

Family meals are a comforting ritual for both parents and kids. Children like the predictability of family meals and parents get a chance to catch up with their kids. Kids who take part in regular family meals are also:

more likely to eat fruits, vegetables, and grainsless likely to snack on unhealthy foodsless likely to smoke, use marijuana, or drink alcohol

Also, family meals are a chance for parents to introduce kids to new foods and to be role models for healthy eating.

Teens may turn up their noses at the prospect of a family meal — not surprising because they're busy and want to be more independent. Yet studies find that teens still want their parents' advice and counsel, so use mealtime as a chance to reconnect.

You might also try these tips:

Let kids invite a friend to dinner.Involve your child in meal planning and preparation.Keep mealtime calm and friendly — no lectures or arguing.

What counts as a family meal? Whenever you and your family eat together — whether it's takeout food or a home-cooked meal with all the trimmings. Strive for nutritious food and a time when everyone can be there. This may mean eating dinner a little later to accommodate a teen who's at sports practice. It also can mean setting aside time on the weekends when it may be more convenient to gather as a group, such as for Sunday brunch