Busy parents may find themselves with increasingly less time to dedicate to family nutrition. You may be using more convenience foods or falling back on fast food, feeling that once things "calm down" a little, you can make some healthy changes. If that's the case, you're not alone.

However, there is really no time like the present to start taking some small steps that can make a big difference to your family's health. The benefits can include improved wellness for the whole family in the short term, and better eating habits as kids become adults.

Let National Family Health Month inspire you to create a legacy of good nutrition for those you love, starting today. Explore the following solutions to common family food challenges to see what works best for you.

When you shop, your kids want junk food treats or fast food

If kids are hungry when you shop, everything will look good to them. Try to feed kids lunch in advance, or at least bring a healthy snack to eat en route. You can also plan to have lunch at home or in a restaurant afterwards, where you can look forward to more healthy choices.

If you do wish to buy kids treats when shopping, consider splurging on fresh strawberries, blueberries, cherries or other fresh fruit they may love, even if it costs a little more.

Your kids want to "trick-or-treat," but you're concerned about them consuming a big bag of unhealthy candy

As you remember, this Halloween tradition is a fun one for kids, so you may wish to allow it. But when they return with their loot, consider the following ways to minimize the candy they actually eat:

• "Buy back" the candy from your kids and let them pick a special toy or other non-food gift with the proceeds

• Use the candy they've collected as "poker chips" and play for prizes

• Arrange healthy trick-or-treat handouts with like-minded parents

• Allow them to choose a few pieces of their favorite candy and put the rest aside—indefinitely

You desire better quality pre-school snacks and school lunches for your children

If less than nutritious snacks are served at your pre-school, offer to provide better choices that can be given to your child.

If you would like to see a change in the offerings, talk to the facility about your reasons and offer simple suggestions, such as whole-wheat Fig Newtons rather than Oreos and orange or apple juice instead of sugary juice box drinks.

Suggest whole-wheat crackers and peanut butter, sliced fresh fruit or grapes, mini-boxes of raisins, or other more wholesome choices.

Where older kids are concerned, you may wish to provide healthier options to typical school lunches that often feature foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Try packing a nutritious lunch for your child.

Simple ideas include peanut butter and honey on whole-wheat bread with a banana, baby carrots, and water or fruit juice. Or try a thermos of homemade soup with whole-grain bread and low-fat cheese.

You would like to see healthier foods at parties for kids

For birthday parties, you may want to offer to make the cake. There are a number of delicious options to the typical sheet cakes featuring refined white flour, sugar and saturated fat topped with artificially colored, high cholesterol frosting. For recipes, contact Kiki Powers at kiki@aboutnhs.com.

You can also buy healthier cakes at health food stores like Whole Foods Market. Try offering soy ice cream or frozen yogurt instead of high-fat ice cream, and suggest alternative non-food party favors.

Other ideas include offering vegetable platters with several tasty dips, or fruit kabobs. Try freezing ripe, peeled bananas in plastic wrap and then have a banana-dipping party, dunking them in chocolate or carob sauce and chopped walnuts.

You can also make chocolate-dipped strawberries together-a favorite for many children. For smaller parties, let kids do some healthy baking or food preparation as part of the day's activities.

You want healthier family food choices on the road

When traveling or running around town with kids, a little food planning can make a huge difference in their eating patterns.

When leaving your area, be sure that your destination features a restaurant offering nutritious choices or at least some reasonable options. You can nearly always find salads, vegetables, baked potatoes, rice and bean dishes, and low-fat fish or skinless chicken on a restaurant's menu.

When visiting friends, explain your family health goals and offer to bring part of the meal. The good news is that the healthy choice can be just as easy as the unhealthy one. For example, try bean and rice burritos, veggie burgers, or turkey or tofu franks instead of hamburgers, nitrate-laden hot dogs and lunchmeats.

Healthy snacks on the go include high-protein dips, like hummus or bean dip. Easy to pack vegetables like baby carrots and broccoli, and whole-grain crackers, low-fat tortilla chips or whole-wheat bread sticks can complete the offering.

Grapes, oranges, bananas and apples also travel well. Also try individual travel-size soymilk (chocolate, plain or vanilla) to add delicious protein and nutrients.

You would like more healthy meal and snack ideas for your family

A good way to achieve this is to consider your ethnic choices. Many cuisines around the world offer delicious and interesting options that invariably prove to be more healthful than typical American meals:

• Asian cuisine offers wonderful vegetable stir-fry dishes with tofu or chicken, sushi, miso soup, fresh edemame soybeans, and more. Meat is used more as a condiment as these cultures mainly emphasize vegetables and grains. Try to avoid deep-fried food choices.

• Mexican food can include eclectic burrito, taco, and other combinations. The best choices will emphasize beans, rice and vegetables, while downplaying the cheese and sour cream. Avocado is a rich, but healthy choice. Get creative and try sautéed mushrooms, grilled vegetables, seasoned tofu, and other "unorthodox" taco and burrito fillings. And splash on the salsa for great low-fat flavor.

• Italian fare can mean delicious grilled veggies, like eggplant, onions and zucchini, pastas with an array of sauce options, like marinara or low-fat versions of Alfredo and pesto. Meatless lasagnas, emphasizing vegetables, are another delicious choice.

• French cuisine offers healthful options despite a reputation for high-fat sauces. Simply think "Provence" and envision ratatouille, grilled vegetables with low-fat aioli (garlic mayo), vegetable stews, and grilled fish.

Other healthy ideas include baked potatoes with an array of toppings like salsa, vegetables, refried beans, hummus, plain yogurt, fresh avocado, and low-fat cheeses.

Try creating a family soup each week, served with salad and whole-grain rolls or brown rice. Ideas include black bean, split pea, lentil, vegetable, minestrone, and gazpacho soups.

For healthy snack ideas, check out your local health food store or a Trader Joe's in your area. Consider:

• Low-fat chips and bean dips, hummus varieties, and other healthy spreads

• Whole-grain chips, pretzels and breads

• Energy and protein bars

• Raw nuts and seeds

• Dried apricots, apples, or other fruits

• Regular and low-fat granolas and trail mixes

• Baby carrots and other prepared vegetables

• Frozen fruit

• Edemame soybeans

• Whole-grain cookies

• Low-fat muffins

Once you get in the habit of keeping healthy staples on hand and making other minor adjustments, you'll find it easier to maintain the family "nutrition makeover."

Family members will respond best to a gradual introduction of new choices while you slowly phase out the less healthy foods.

Remember, small changes make a big difference. Happy Family Health Month!