It’s February and we’re celebrating American Heart Month. We all know that healthy eating habits can set the stage for lifelong heart health, so help your kids to start developing those habits while they're still young! With a little creativity, your kids will start choosing fruits and vegetables over unhealthy, processed snacks. Here are some tips from the American Heart Association to help your family eat better:

• Make it easy to grab. After you buy groceries, prepare a week’s worth of veggie sticks or cut up a melon in bite-size chunks. Put them in clear containers so they’re easy to spot in the fridge when you’re making lunches or your kids are looking for snacks.

• Give yourself shortcuts. Weeknight dinners can be hectic with work, school and kids’ activities. Give yourself a break by buying frozen or canned vegetables you can toss in the microwave. Fresh, frozen and canned can all be healthy choices. Choose items without sauces or too much sodium.

• Make fruit and vegetable shopping fun. Visit your local farmers’ market or grocery store with your kids. Show them how to select ripe fruits and fresh vegetables. Let them pick out new ones to try.

• Be a role model. Try to eat together as a family. If you’re enjoying a wide range of fruits and vegetables, they’ll be more likely to try them.

• Offer healthy options. Instead of asking “What would you like to eat?” offer healthy choices. Let them choose between a banana or strawberries with cereal, or ask them if they want carrots or broccoli with dinner.

• Have fun. Spear some fruit chunks on a kabob or create fun shapes with cookie cutters. Sneak it in. Fortify your family’s favorite recipes with fruits or vegetables. Add grated or pureed carrots or zucchini to muffins, pasta and pizza sauces and casseroles.

• Be patient. Kids’ tastes change over time. Keep offering fruits and vegetables and don’t give up! Many kids need to see and taste a new food a dozen times before they know whether they truly like it.

Do you have a favorite tip that you use to encourage your little one to eat his or her fruits and vegetables? Share your secret with us in the comments below!