As a Food Coach, I've been in all kinds of homes and been lucky enough to witness all kinds of food scenarios. I know kids are tough and we've all been here - kids refusing to eat anything nutritious leads tired, busy parents, who want their children to eat something rather than nothing, to buy unhealthy, processed food.A typical family may start the day with cereals that are loaded up with sugar, or toast with butter and jam—products laden with the wrong kind of fats, sweeteners and preservatives. (A healthier choice would be natural muesli or a home made muesli bar along with wholegrain bread with a real fruit jam.)Parents find packed morning teas and lunches made with healthy food return home uneaten and wasted. In order to get something eaten, parents make white bread sandwiches with sugar-filled peanut butter and jam. In addition to this, add packets of chips, a donut, biscuits and fruit juice. Potato chips are high in fat and salt and have added MSG. Biscuits and donuts often have added colours and too much sugar and the citric acid in fruit juice will rot tooth enamel. (A better option would include sandwiches made with sugar-free peanut butter, swap the chips for some kind of baked crisp, flick the donut [sorry] and add wheaten biscuits. A healthier choice of drink is water.)Packaged dinners and sauces laden with artificial ingredients are all too common when time is short, but home-made meals are likely to be far more nutritious. Food laden with refined carbohydrates and too much sugar lead to tired, cranky kids, whereas meals that include fruits and vegetables and healthier fats will boost children’s energy levels and reduce the incidence of allergic conditions.One great way of creating your own packaged food is to over cook. Whenever you make something that can be frozen, make several portions and freeze them. That way, when you need a quick meal, you have several options at your finger tips. Image: ShutterstockRead the Label: Pantry Audit – Judy Davie