Released October 3, 2008

MURFREESBORO, Ark. - Children can be tempted by unhealthy treats at the fair, but a parent's responsibility to provide and teach proper nutrition is not just a one-day thing: it is a 365-days-a-year task.

Children develop certain eating capabilities step-by-step throughout the growing-up years, says Robbie McKinnon, extension agent with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. The parent's job is to preserve those capabilities and to teach others.

The parent should model wise nutritional choices:

• Help children expect only healthy treats, such as string cheese or all-natural rolled fruit snacks.
• Make freshly prepared, unsalted and unsweetened foods the norm.
• Make veggies fun by offering guacamole, yogurt or cheese sauce for dipping.
• Offer water so that the child's body systems will run smoothly.
• Refuse to purchase junk food.
• Use only 100 percent fruit juice with no added sugar or artificial colors.

McKinnon encourages parents: "You have a golden opportunity to influence your child's lifelong eating habits."

For more information about proper nutrition, contact your local county extension agent or visit http://www.uaex.edu.

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http://www.uaex.edu/news/october2008/1003fairchildren_eatinghabits.htm

Contact: Lamar James, (501) 671-2187, ljames@uaex.edu