Oats and Oranges

If oatmeal is on your family's breakfast menu, be sure to pour your child a glass of OJ to go along with it. This combo will help keep her arteries clear for years to come.

Oats contain compounds known as phenols, which work together with the vitamin C in orange juice to inhibit a key step in the formation of arterial plaques, research has revealed. If your child's not a fan of juices like orange, grapefruit, or white grape, instead serve vitamin C-rich fruits, such as strawberries, cantaloupe, or papaya, with your homemade oatmeal.

In addition to strawberries, cantaloupe, papaya, and oranges, other good sources of vitamin C include red and green bell peppers, grapefruit, and mangoes. These will help reduce levels of LDL ("bad" cholesterol) in your child's blood, which clogs the arteries, plus they will boost her immune system. Other ways to help keep kids' arteries clear: Encourage them to stay physically active and eat foods that include healthy monounsaturated fats and plenty of fruits, vegetables, and soluble fiber.

Below are a few suggestions for slipping these vitamin C-rich foods into your child's diet.

• Grate'em up -- Add finely chopped vegetables to soups, stews, meatballs, meatloaf, and spaghetti sauce. They can't pick out what they can't see.
• Drop'em in -- Add berries or dried fruit to cereal or pancakes.
• Cover'em up -- Serve vegetables with cheese sauce or yogurt dips. (Bonus: source of calcium).
• Uncook'em -- Serve both raw and cooked vegetables. A child might love raw peppers but turn her nose up when they're cooked.
• Carve'em up -- Make it fun! Create food faces with cut up vegetables; make a colorful swirl with sliced fruit.