Another pitfall to the children's menu is that menu items often come bundled with desserts. This practice sets up the expectation that dessert is standard operating procedure. It can encourage your child to eat past his appetite just because the dessert is there. Even if dessert is a separate order, the choices are rarely stellar from a health perspective.

Dining out is often a special occasion for your child, so saying no to dessert — especially if others in your party are indulging — may not always be the best option. If you know the dessert will be a tempting one, tell your child she can have it if she orders light for the meal. Or ask for additional forks (or spoons) to split a particularly rich cake or ice cream treat among the other diners in your party. Again, the message is that desserts do have a time and place, as long as your child can adjust other aspects of her fitness plan — like the preceding meal or subsequent activity — accordingly.