Chris Woodward   (OneNewsNow.com) 

The USDA is offering grandparents tips on how to teach healthy eating habits. 

The United States Department of Agriculture says grandkids are a grandparent's greatest treasure. From time to time, grandparents may even have the pleasure of being their grandchild's caregiver. That's why the USDA is suggesting grandparents teach things like portion control, take their grandkids grocery shopping, and reward them with hugs, not sweets.

That's where Julie Gunlock of the Independent Women's Forum sees a problem.

"Grandparents have a pretty good sense of how to raise kids," she says. "They did it, probably successfully, and so I think they have a pretty good sense of how much to give out, and when to give out, and can use common sense and trust their own judgment on these things."

The USDA also suggests grandparents read to their grandkids, even recommending a government-approved book to encourage children to follow the characters in the story and take two bites of food from each food group.

Gunlock is in favor of reading to children, saying children that are read to tend to do better in school, but a government agency recommending a government-approved book is where things "go off the rails."

"The way to keep kids fit and healthy is to do three things," she tells OneNewsNow. "Put them to bed at a reasonable hour, sit down to dinner at least five times a week, and limit their television and game playing."