LET CHILDREN EXPLORE THEIR FOOD

If your children are picky about veg, you could try introducing them in other ways. For example making carrot mash with a little cream, top, or letting children blitz vegetables into a hearty soup, above are familiar to them or they associate with foods they like could be easy wins. For example, if children like sweet potato, try offering it with other orangecoloured veg like butternut squash.

MAKE FOOD FUN

IT’S an old adage that children shouldn’t play with their food – but maybe they should. By relaxing the rules and allowing children to be messy at mealtimes, you’ll find food becomes more appealing to them and they’ll be more likely to eat it.

DON’T PANIC

ONE of the most important tips I can

CHILDREN are naturally curious. So, when looking to introduce your child to a new vegetable, give them the opportunity to give in to this natural instinct by relaxing the focus on eating it straight away and leave them to explore it.

Whether they touch it, smell it, lick it or put it against their cheek or lips, this process is a vital part of children getting familiar with a food before they actually eat it.

GET THEM IN THE KITCHEN

BY getting your children to give you a hand in the kitchen, you can not only teach them valuable cookery skills but also a lesson in healthy eating.

Your little ones are also far more likely to try new vegetables if they’ve been involved in the preparation.

You could try boiling some frozen vegetables with chicken stock and then let it cool to room temperature before handing over to your little one to blitz with a stick blender for a warming soup.

KEEP IT FAMILIAR

CHILDREN often won’t eat a new vegetable in isolation but more often than not, they’ll give it a try if it’s mixed with other familiar foods they enjoy. So always introduce small amounts of new food alongside some of their favourites.

Try serving cubes of roasted sweet potato among white potato or adding frozen peas or vegetables into their favourite risotto, pasta or stir-fry to add extra goodness.

THE SAME BUT DIFFERENT

I WOULD encourage parents not to become disheartened when their child refuses to try a certain vegetable, instead, try and cook it in a different way.

One of my favourite tips is to boil carrots, add a little cream and some cumin and blend it to make a puree. It’s also worth ensuring you’re cooking your vegetables in the best way. Proper cooking methods ensure you get the most delicious taste as well as more health benefits – for example, cooking frozen veg in the microwave preserves a lot more of the goodness of the veg compared to boiling them in water.