How to Get Your Kid to Choose an Apple Over a Cookie

When I was a kid I couldn't wait to be grown up so I could eat whatever I wanted, however I wanted, whenever I wanted! Now that I'm an adult and responsible for my sons dietary needs I'm trying to make sure he eats good.

It was easier before his aunts, uncles, grandmas and babysitters showed him what candy and soda was, (okay admittedly some of the fault is Mommies  too), but now that he knows what options are out there it's sometimes a pain to get him to eat a meal.

Lucky for me, I ran across a new study that claims if you want your child to choose a healthy alternative for a snack to stick a picture of a cartoon character on it! Bad news for Dalton-I have TONS of stickers!

Apparently it really works. . . at least most of the time. According to the study in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine researchers found that  37% of kids would choose an apple over a cookie when it had a sticker of Elmo from Sesame Street on it. Not surprising when you think about all the bright colors and packing that are used to market candy.

In comparison only 9% picked the apple without an Elmo sticker.

Any other advice on how to get a kid to eat good stuff?