The great new book Red light, green light, eat right: the food solution that lets kids be kids, by Joanna Dolgoff, takes kids' faves and turns them into easy healthy forms.  For instance, one page lists lunch makeovers: mac n cheese becomes healthy when whole wheat macaroni and fat free American cheese is used. That bowl of clam chowder is fine--when fat-free milk is substituted. Another page substitutes tuna salad as a dip for crackers (whole wheat ones, of course).  Throughout, the red light is used for a warning and the green signals a healthy alternate.
    Getting kids to eat foods they dislike is easier when they are dipped in peanut butter--even celery and fruit becomes a possibility when loaded with that beloved spread. When prepared as the photos in the book show, the kids will giggle and gulp. One of Dolgoff's great little tips is for limiting portions: pack away the extras (for future meals) before serving the food--that way no one is tempted to go back for seconds or to overload their plate.
    Recipe makeovers in the book include fish sticks, french fries, chicken nuggets, pizza and more!  These looked tempting and were fairly quick and simple. But this book isn't just for recipes! It's also full of great dieting ideas and family snack help. Many of the snack suggestions will help save on the family grocery bill, too.
    One eleven-year old girl lost 20 pounds in five months after adding snacks to her daily routine! Another boy, aged 9, weighed 215 pounds and couldn't even tie his shoes. He and his family were gaining weight eating salads when they went out to eat.  When studied, most of the salads turned out to have more than a thousand calories each. When they applied the stop light method to their salad orders, they all started shedding pounds.  Within months, the boy could run 2 miles with no trouble. Amazing true examples like these will help convince your family to attempt the measures outlined in this excellent book. ~Tessa