As moms, we all want our kids to eat healthier and we do try. We really do try. But often our efforts look more like, "Ok, Johnny, just one glass of soda." Or, "Kids, you may have only one handful of M&M's after you finish your pizza." And then, if a birthday party comes along, everything goes out the window and we resolve to try harder tomorrow.

You need some real motivation to stick to a healthy eating plan 24/7. It takes discipline and real resolve. Or, in Amy Horst's case, it takes a child's health concern.

Horst, of Lancaster, is the mother of 3 children: Faith, 8; Lucas, 6; Anika, 4. Several years ago, Faith developed a very serious case of psoriasis. The Horsts went to doctor after doctor looking for a cure but none of the creams or ointments healed Faith. It was an extremely frustrating and scary time.

They visited another doctor who suggested the Horsts try changing Faith's diet. No white sugar, no white flour. "Only whole foods and raw foods as much as possible." No preservatives and no artificial additives. As Horst puts it, "Food the way God made it."

Horst went through her cupboards and made changes. She threw out boxes and boxes of snack food, candy and cake mixes. It took about five months, but Faith's skin cleared up. The Horst family was thrilled.

But in addition to Faith's skin clearing up, the Horsts noticed something else: all three children had become calmer.  "I no longer had these screaming children in the grocery store," Horst recalled.  "The daily tantrums stopped." Horst was convinced it was the dietary changes she made for her family that was bringing about such positive changes. I didn't realize the addictive cycle sugar had on my children."

Now, a typical dinner for the Horsts might be a homemade pizza with whole grain crust or hamburgers, along with in season local fruits and vegetables.

A typical meal in Faith's lunchbox might be peanut butter (ground peanuts and raw honey) on whole grain pancakes or whole grain bread, some baby spinach, cut up carrots ("the kind out of the ground, that you have to peel"), chocolate almonds and some homemade macaroon cookies and a half of a grapefruit.

Horst knows that most moms would say, "Oh, I could never do that. My kids would never go for that." But Horst wants other moms to know that it does not have to be that hard and it does not have to be an overnight process.

"The time it took me to totally change from our old way of eating to our new healthy way of eating was about three months. I changed about one thing a day for 3 months."

She says her children "are right on board" with her. Of course they all had the motivation to help their sister, but after eating better they all felt better, "immediately." recalls Horst. 

Horst says moms should point that out to their children - how much better they feel after a healthy meal. "Explain to them that they will have more energy to play and to wrestle. That they won't have belly aches." 

Horst suggests to moms to "make it your personal mission for everyone (in your family) to feel really good."

Also have fun educating your children about healthy eating. "Explain to them how a carrot makes you see better," said Horst. "Kids will believe you. Make it exciting," she added. "Let them see how passionate you are about healthy food. They will be into whatever you're into."

Horst admits it can be difficult at times. She says she is always afraid of offending someone, especially when her children are invited to a birthday party.

She usually calls ahead to find out what will be served and she will bring along healthy food to share. Horst's homemade ice cream is always popular. "If you plan ahead you can definitely make it work." 

Horst also says Lancaster is an ideal place to try to make these changes because of our wealth of fresh produce. "Nothing you do to a food can make it better than the way God made it." 

By Maureen Leader, Special Features Writer