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QUINCY, ILL. -- In the new year, many people are resolving to get healthy.

That's a great goal to have for kids too, especially considering one in every three children are overweight these days.

But sometimes getting kids to "want" to eat healthy is a challenge.

The best tip for getting kids to eat healthy is getting them involved in the food they eat. If they feel a connection they're more likely to try it out.

Involve kids in shopping...allow them to choose vegetables to try. And allow them to help with food preparation.

Age appropriate jobs like cutting banana's with a dull knife or pulling apart lettuce can make kids curious about the foods they're making.

Laura Frese is a registered dietician at Hy-Vee on Broadway in Quincy.

Frese said, "When kids get involved and feel empowered, they're more likely to want to try what they've made."

Frese suggests allowing kids to make meals into works of art.and tasty to eat. Fruit and vegetable kabobs are fun for kids as well.

Frese said, "Another fun thing for kids is build your own projects. If you make pizzas or tacos, allow them to assemble their own food." 

Frese says it's also as easy as looking for healthy alternatives to the foods kids already like.

Frese said, "Kids love dips...One of my favorites is to mix nonfat plain yogurt with ranch dressing powder packets. It's the same taste as ranch dressing but without all the fat and calories. Plus you're getting dairy products in your diet."

Instead of cheese, cream or mayonnaise based dips...try healthy dips like hummus made out of chick peas and healthy salsa.

If your kids snack...make it healthy one. And remember...kids eat what's easy to grab.

Access is key, try cutting up vegetables and placing them in snack bags so they're easy to munch on.

One of the most important things you can do as a parent to inspire healthy eating is to do it yourself.

Leading by example is the best way to make your whole family healthier.