Forget about nixing the nuggets and pitching the pizza from your kids' diets. Just modify these favorites for better health. Family Circle magazine dishes out a few tricks for transforming the treats your kids love.

• Juice. Dilute it with water or add a few ice cubes (each cube generally holds an ounce) into flavored seltzer for a low-sugar treat. If you must serve juice, make it OJ -- at least you'll be boosting your little ones' folate, potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and E. And serve no more than four to six ounces of juice per day. Too much sugar and calories, so don't go overboard. There isn't anything your kiddos need in juice that they can't get from whole fruit.
• Pizza. Order pizza "easy on the cheese" and pick thin crust instead of thick (it will slash about 80 calories). Top slices with veggies, chicken or ham (better than pepperoni or sausage) and pass on extras, like stuffed crusts and breadsticks.
• Mac and Cheese. For boxed brands, use skim milk and reduce the margarine from four tablespoons to one (this will save 100 calories and 10 grams of fat per cup). When making your own, whip up a sauce of skim milk, margarine and flour and melt in shredded cheese. Boil whole wheat noodles for six grams of fiber per cup. Stir in broccoli bits and diced carrots.

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I decided today that there is nothing worse than a summer flu. I'm still just as miserable with a winter flu but at least it's a little more expected. Because I've refused to believe I have the flu (who gets the flu in summer?, I thought), I haven't reduced my hectic schedule at all. By ignoring the flu monster, it now has completely steam-rolled me. My throat glands are swollen, my throat is on fire, I have chills and aches, a fever, and all I want to do is sleep. Whine.

Oh. I'm also hungry. Of course, I only crave processed food -- problematic since I'm currently trying not to eat anything processed. So, while I'd love nothing more than a big Nyquil cocktail and mac & cheese, I'm trying to motivate myself instead to get up and boil a chicken breast and sweet potato -- foods full of life-giving nutrients, I cheer! -- for dinner. It would be easier if we didn't have anything processed in the house but there is this one, lonely little packet of buttery noodles in our cupboard that's calling my name. I know that processed food is "dead food" but slippery, buttery, warm noodles on my throat? Nirvana!

So, what to do?

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