Get together over food
One of the best ways to ensure your children eat well is to eat with them. Arrange to have a proper family meal at least once a week. Let everyone know what time it will be served, turn off the television and get the kids to set the table. Try serving food in separate dishes - for example rice, vegetables and meat - and let them choose what they put on their plates. Don't worry too much about whether they eat everything, just relax and enjoy being together.
Set a good example
Seeing you enjoy adventurous new tastes or tucking into a plate of green vegetables is far more persuasive than trying to reason with your kids. Be patient and keep offering different foods. Don't be discouraged if they don't like things straight away – we often have to try a food several times before we acquire a taste for it.
Get them involved
Get your children to help you in the kitchen. They're far more likely to eat something they've prepared. Start with small tasks like stirring the pot or washing the vegetables. Later, you could plan a meal and go shopping together. You could even get them to grow some of the ingredients for themselves, even if it's just herbs in a pot on the windowsill.
If all else fails…
If they really won't eat essential foods, you'll have to get crafty! Make a puree of assorted fresh cooked vegetables and add it to favourites such as pie fillings or pasta sauces. Enrich mashed potatoes by adding a few extras – cheese, yoghurt, olive oil or chopped cooked egg. Soup is usually popular with kids, so open a packet of Knorr soup and add a few extra grated or pureed vegetables.
