Don't play with your food. On the other hand, maybe you should - or at least encourage your kids to. Time Warner Cable News’ Jill Urban explains in this Fit Kids February Healthy Living report.

As kids, many of us were told not to play with our food, but Registered Dietician Sharon Richter says letting your kids play with their food may be the best way to get them to eat it.

"So many times parents come to me and tell me kids aren’t eating their food.  The only thing they want are the whites: the plain pasta, the bagels, the French fries. But let your kids play with their food and they will start eating a lot more variety,” she says.

Richter explains that it’s all how you sell it - presentation is key. Make it fun, starting with breakfast.

“Breakfast is the most important meal, but I get it we often don’t have time. So let’s find things that are quick and easy. You can take mini pancakes and raisins and make a little caterpillar. You can even have your kids do that. Take a banana slice it in half, cut the rest into little pieces and make your favorite pet,“ says Richter.

As for lunch, a critter sandwich makes for a great meal and an activity - like a crab.

Richter simply used some whole wheat bread with some tuna, took half  of a tomato, two little grape tomatoes for the claws, cucumbers for the legs and olives for the eyes.  It’s a perfect balance of veggies, grains and protein.\

Now if you are not that creative or you just don’t have enough time, a great way to wow your kids is with a bento box. You can get small portions of lots of little things, which is fun to eat and easy to make.

This can be good for a meal or a snack. And when it comes to snacks, healthy options can be fun too.

“Celery and carrots sound really boring, but have your kids help you and it can be really cool. Use celery as your stalk or your stem and then use some carrots and your petals and put a little dip in the middle. Also, you can make a tree out of pretzels and grapes,” says Richter.

Dinner can often be a challenge, but she says think outside the box.

“Frequently, I see parents have to negotiate with their kids – how many more bites? Make it easy, get cookie cutters and fill them with the foods that they have to eat. I took a bear, put some protein in there because it will make you strong like a bear. Then we put some vegetables and put it in the heart because it is good for your heart and then we put some potatoes in the flower because you need to potatoes for energy to grow,“ say Richter.

Those veggies will look a lot more appetizing if they are presented in a fun way, like a colorful rainbow. A little creativity may just be the one ingredient you need to get even the pickiest eater to dig in.