Induction to school exposed the kids to the alluring world of processed food and sugary beverages. Advertisements on television and mobile phones promote spicy, fried foods and sugary drinks day in and day out. In this fast-paced world, parents are often opting for quick-to-prepare processed foods or buying ready-made snacks from the market for their kids. Consumption of these junk, often stale, foods poses a long-term health risk for kids.

1. Not using food as a reward: This is a normal tendency among parents to use food as a reward or punishment. This process may cause children to have an unhealthy relationship with food. Never deny a child food or overfeed the children. 
2. Limiting the processed food intake: In today's single-child family, children naturally grow up with more attention and pampering. They are generally more stubborn. So totally denying the foods of their liking may not work. Instead, a limiting approach could yield more results. The parents shall not always comply with the demands of children. Scolding the children is not a good idea; instead, supplement them with a good movie or game together. 
3. Adopting the right diet at home: Children learn their attitudes from their parents. So parents have to be very careful about their own diet. It is impossible to deny the children when parents have processed food too often or the refrigerator always has sugary beverages. There is a saying, “Those who dine together, stay together.”. Dining with kids is always a good idea. Dinner and weekend meals must be taken with kids. The food preferences of the parents influence the choice of food for the child. 
4. Proper meal planning for kids: School time age is the time for steady growth in children. They need the right amount of energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins for physical growth. To meet the dietary requirements of the children, proper meal planning is very important. A minimum of four meals is required to cover the nutritional needs of the kids. During meal planning, children's likes and dislikes should be a priority. If a child is not fond of paneer, give it curd, ghee, etc. A children's plate shall include colorful vegetables, fruits, one animal protein, pulse, whole grain cereal, and a home-made dessert. During the cooking of the food, care shall be taken about the texture, aroma, and flavor. New food items should be introduced in small quantities and at intervals. If a child rejects one food, reintroduce it after some time. 
5. Continuous counseling: Slow and continuous counseling about the ill effects of processed food or sugary drinks will have a better result than reprimanding the kid. A visit to a cold drink factory or a bakery will have an impact on the kid's awareness of the hygiene and safety of those foods.

To sum up, it is a great challenge to distract the school-going kids from the dazzling, colorful, and spicy foods. A sincere and honest effort on the part of parents is required to make children adopt healthier foods.