Imagine this: you have just come home hungry after a long day at school, and a fresh apple and your favorite kind of donut are sitting side-by-side on the kitchen counter.

Which one would you choose for your snack?

Half of our nation’s adult population suffers from a diet-related chronic disease, according to “Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 2015-2020.”

Also, most children in the U.S. did not eat the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables in 2007-2010, a study by the CDC reports.

Truly, the foods we choose each day shape our health through adulthood. As the old adage says, “You are what you eat.”

The good news is that we can pass on a better way to the next generation, one apple at a time.

A major component of healthy eating patterns is daily consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables. In fact, the current “MyPlate” diagram shows that whole fruits and veggies should fill up half of our plates each meal (choosemyplate.gov).

Unfortunately, actually eating this much vegetation is a major challenge. We can provide our families with the best food choices to promote long-term health by adopting better shopping, preparing, and serving habits:

Shopping

First, realize that we, and not our children, have control of the food we buy. Purchase local, seasonal fruits and vegetables to encourage variety and stay within the family budget.

Take children to a farmer’s market or a U-pick farm and let them select food for the family table. Kids love to eat what they grow, as well, so consider planting some vegetables.

Preparing

Children also love to eat what they help prepare.

Give younger children plastic lettuce knives to cut food so they can join the fun. Take time to wash and chop fruits and vegetables in advance, and store them in containers for easy snacks.

Fill an empty ice cube tray with small portions to create a healthy snack tray for toddlers. For older kids on the go, pack a cooler with fresh items to minimize fast food stops.

Serving

Consider serving veggies as the first course of a meal: when children are hungry, they tend to eat what is in front of them. Make fresh fruit and dip standard fare for celebrations. Add a little sweetness or butter to a cooked vegetable to make it more attractive to young palates.

Remember, our job is to serve a variety of healthy foods, and our kids’ job is to choose to eat it. With three growing children of my own, I understand the struggle to inspire and model healthy eating. Most days I supply only fresh fruit on the kitchen counter for after-school snacks.

After all, when the everyday food is healthy, the occasional donut becomes special.

For more ideas on healthy living with children, be our guest at Healthy Kids Day from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 29, at the Niles-Buchanan YMCA. This free event will feature games, family fitness classes, crafts, face painting and more.

Chrissie Kaufmann is a fitness instructor at the Niles-Buchanan YMCA.