Who influences what your child’s eating habits are the most? You. In some ways that is scary. How good are your eating habits? Do you want your children or anyone for that matter following your example. One of the 10 tips Nutrition Education Series of My Plate is on being a role model for children. It gives up to 10 tips for setting a good example. They are as follows:1. Be an example. Eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains as part of your meal and also as snacks. Let your children see you munching on raw fruits and vegetables. 2. Make grocery shopping a family affair. While shopping, teach your children about food and nutrition. Discuss where fruits and vegetables, protein foods, grains and dairy foods come from. Let your children make healthy choices.3. Be creative in the kitchen. Children like fun food. Make it fun with cookie cutters or naming a salad after the child who helped make it. Kids are more prone to eating what they have cooked. Let your child make a new snack such as a trail mix from dry whole grain cereals and dried fruit.4. Offer the same foods for everyone. Stop being a short order cook. Make the same dish and have everyone in the family eat it. The cooking goes faster and the clean up is easier if everyone eats the same foods.5. Reward with attention, not food. Did your child make a good grade on a test? Give them a hug and a kiss. Did they have a bad day at school? Comfort with a hug and talk. A child should not think sweets or desserts are better than other foods. When kids do not eat a meal, they should not be allowed to fill up with candy or desserts. 6. Family Time. Mealtime should be fun and happy. Stress shouldn’t be a part of the meal. Turn off the cell phone and the TV. Concentrate on the family members present and laugh and have a good time with them.7. Listen to your child. If he or she is hungry, give them a small nutritious snack. Offering choices “Like do you want broccoli or carrots for dinner?” Let them have some say in the meal.8. Limit screen time. Two hours a day for TV, computer, and computer games is plenty for children. Encourage them to get up and do a physical activity.9. Move. Walk, run and play with your child. Set an example by getting some moving done with your child.10. Be a good role model. Try new foods yourself. Offer one new food at a time. New foods are received better when the child is really hungry. Serve something the child likes with the new food. Avoid lecturing.