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In my family, we let our boys have a say in what veggie side they want for dinner that night. We list off a handful of options and get them excited about helping to plan the dinner menu. They're much more inclined to finish their plates when they've helped decide what goes on them.

I don't think there's one thing more important you can do for your kids than have family dinner.

If you can give your child only one gift, let it be enthusiasm.

Cooking for my son is a challenge. I have to feed him right. He can't eat French fries and candy every day.

My kids really like food, and they like to cook, so it's a lot of fun to shop with them.

My husband and I have a deal, which has worked out well: He cooks one Sunday, I cook the next. The kids set the table, and we eat in the dining room together, just as I used to do as a kid.

There's a value to getting the meal on the table every night, and there's a value to being an old-school kind of parent.

A food is not necessarily essential just because your child hates it.

This is what a family is all about - one another, sitting around the table at night. And it's very, very important, I think, for the kid to spend time not only around the table eating with their parents, but in the kitchen.

Playtime and toys are good for kids, or they wouldn't buy them. McDonald's can provide that experience. And having dinner with the family is good for kids.