Here's 4 healthy eating tips for kids that are practical and effective. They are geared more for younger kids but if your child is older there are also 2 steps at the end for you. Remember, if you can make healthy eating seem like it's your child's decision it will make your job that much easier.

I definitely want to tread lightly...but in 9 out of 10 cases when a kid won't eat healthy it's usually because the parents are setting a poor example.

Other times parents decide to make a change after years of eating poorly. Sometimes it takes a kid a while to catch on.

In my experience: monkey see, monkey do.

Aside from just setting a good example I do have a few tips that I use on my own kids to keep them eating healthy. Now, let me warn you: my boys are 6 and 5 years old as I write this so the tips I'm listing have been successful on young kids. I have no experience with older kids other than vicariously watching my wife interact with her varsity volleyball team and their eating habits.

I think the monkey see, monkey do bit is even more important at the high school age because I've noticed the girls view my wife as thin and pretty (which she is) but they also see how she eats (which is good). Then, the next step is usually them asking how she stays thin and pretty.

She always brings it back to how she eats. That has a lasting impression on girls that age.

For and older boy I would try to find a role model that eats well in whatever he is interested in. To be sure, it's easier if he's interested in sports. If not you'll have to search a bit.

Now, back to what has worked for me:

4 Practical Healthy Eating Tips for Young Kids

1. Sporticus Buffet. My wife and myself try to limit the amount of TV the kids watch. But, there is a kids show featuring the hero 'Sporticus' and the villain 'Robbi Rotten'. At first glance that probably seems like a silly thing. But my kids watch Sporticus save the town and all the things he can do. For example, when he was in jail he was there doing pull-ups. He eats carrots and, from an adults point of view, you can really tell whoever that actor is is in very good shape.

Once my kids started to mention Sporticus I thought I would try to tie it into eating healthy. So I did. I created a lunch plate that I make for them called the Sporticus Buffet. Silly yes. But really effective. Anytime I'm at home with the kids they request it and eat everything on the plate.

What is the Sporticus Buffet? Simple and fast: slices of meat, a little cheese, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. A few crackers so they can make a sandwich.

2. Broccoli with Dressing. Eating healthy is great. Even eating semi-healthy is great compared to the alternative of eating junk food. So if it's a choice of my kids willingly eating broccoli because they can dip it in ranch dressing I let them have at it.

One of the curses of healthy eating is that I can become too militant and forget that the kids are young. My goal is to get them eating healthy on their own as early as possible and not to make eating healthy miserable by forcing them to stick to too many rules.

If that means peanut butter on their celery instead of almond butter, so be it.

3. Snack on fruit or vegetables. Normally, I try to get the boys to eat their meals when we cook them. On occasion they don't. Or, they do eat their dinner but get hungry later. Normally, this is a good thing because a partial fasting state is good. But again, as kids, I'm trying not to be too militant so when they come begging for a snack a meet them halfway.

In the beginning they would ask for a treat of some kind - usually a sugary snack. But I'd only let them snack on fruits or vegetables. Now do you know what they immediately ask for when they request a snack? That's right, "Dad, can we have an apple or some carrots for our snack?"

Yes...you can.

4. Don't have junk food in the house. Easier said than done for most folks. But, this is a no-brainer. If your son wants junk food and you don't want him to eat it simply make sure there is none around to eat and that little problem is solved.

The problem is most parents I encounter want the junk food around as much as the kid. Their willpower simply isn't strong enough. Again, I've written before about healthy eating being a mental decision first and foremost. Once you truly make the commitment mentally the rest becomes easier.

2 Healthy Eating Tips for Older Kids

Again, I know my kids are young so my work is easier. But I think no matter what their age the most important aspects of teaching kids to eat healthy is to set a good example.

I realize that's easier to do when your kids are only five and think their parents are still pretty cool. But if my kids were older and didn't view me as the cool Dad I am I would do my best to find something they did think was pretty cool and tie it back into eating habits.

My kids are just beginning to request to play sports outside with me. If they were older I would clip articles about athletes who talked about changing their diets. I've seen many such articles and interviews. It requires a little work on your part but it's definitely worth it.

If I had a daughter I would make doubly sure to find a healthy role model she can follow. Avoid Hollywood whack-jobs at all costs. They are big on yo-yo diets and many suffer from eating disorders. Choose wisely.

Don't force it on your child either. My experience has been the more you force, the more they fight. Again, I think of my wife with here high school girls. If you can't do it as a parent look for a good outside source.

So, if your child is older make sure to:

1. Lead by example or
2. Find a good role model who can lead by example

Above all, stick with it. I believe eventually he'll catch on.