Mix bran into jello with fruit!

We don't like to bribe our kids by offering them toys for eating things that are good for them, and we don't want to kid the kids either by insisting that eating good things will make toys magically appear either. So we turn it into a game by suggesting that there "could" be bits of chocolate or other goodies hiding in it. Meanwhile, I simply dress it up with tihngs they do like, but that aren't bad for them.

I would have my child help to prepare the new foods and talk about the color, shape, texture and taste. Most of all, be a good example and eat new foods yourself and show how much you enjoy it!

My son will eat almost any veggie as long as it's a little crispy.  2 seconds in some olive oil on the stove works.  Sometimes we sprinkle a little cheese on the veggies and he loves it like that.  For some crazy reason, if we tell him it's a vegetable from another country, he will gobble it right up!

The Deceptively Delicious cookbook is great.  I don't have kids of my own but I cook a lot for my nieces and nephews and they aren't made to eat healthy at home, so at at least at my house I know they at getting proper nutrients!  The books is wonderful.  we use it even for things we aren't trying to be sneaking about.  it is just an overall great book!

I used to take pictures of the latest action picture and put on the cans of green beans and peas. I made sure my sons saw the cans. They got all excited when the saw their favorite action figure on the can. As technology changed I used photo software to make new labels.

I use what subjects are my kids' favorites-like my son adores firemen.  I name his foods after things in the fireman theme; spaghetti=firehose spaghetti.  veggies=fireman energy.  milk=fire water. etc.  My daughter loves animal so: fish=dolphin food.  cheese=moo cow food.  veggies=goat food.  etc.  After 12 kids, I've found this to be the very best way for me to get the kids to eat stuff they don't care for.  :-)

As long as the food is fun, the kids will at least try it!  weird shapes and weird colors work like a charm!

Participation!  For kids that can handle a knife get them to chopping.  A great morning activity is to get dinner ready!  Vegetables, beans and spices in a crockpot make a terrific soup that will give off a great smell within a few hours.

When my kids were younger, I did the chopping and they did the tossing in.  Sometimes they count the greenbeans or sneak nibbles of carrot rounds but the effect is the same then as it is now, they have a sense of ownership in the soup and are excited to try it when it's done.

 There are also a lot of thematic lessons with soup. 

• Soup and stews from a historical perspective.  We watch a lot of Little House on the Prairie so my kids feel a connection to the past.  Of course stews go back much farther so the idea can be adopted to any time period you like.
• Soup and stews are enjoyed around the world, every culture makes a soup or stew of some kind, so it's a great equalizer which I really like my kids to think about.

Another key ingredient to all this is early exposure, if you start kids eating junk, it will be harder to wean them off!  Good luck!

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 A lot of times, I'll make a yummy recipe including vegetables (like zucchini bread or creamy cauliflower) and have the kids enjoy it before I tell them what it is! That way, the next time I say the words "zucchini" or "cauliflower," they don't automatically think of a yucky flavor!! 

Follow the recipes in the Deceptively Delicious cookbook and you'll be able to hide good food in otherwise not so good food. And the kids will never know!

We usually just eat it ourselves and wait for our kids to get curious and ask to try it. Works like a charm!

oreo89 [at] gmail [dot] com 

The easiest way to get kids to eat in a balanced manner is not to introduce sugary foods early.  And don't eat foods that you want your little one to avoid - or avoid foods you want them to eat. 

If daddy doesn't eat his broccili - neither will junior.  If your toddler or child sees you munching on an apple - that's what they want to.  If you want your kids to have yummy and nutritious snacks, try modeling good snacking behviour.  My toddler wants whatever I have - so I make sure I have things like bananas and pb or apples and pb or "caterpillars" pb on celory with raisins.  Or yummy fruit salads. 

WHAT I DO IS TELL THE KIDS WHAT THE FOOD OR VEGGIE WILL DO FOR THEM AND THEN I'LL EAT SOME AND ASK THEM TO TRY IT AND TELL ME HOW IT TASTES.

Two things I do is talk to the children and get them involved in the cooking process. 

I take them to the grocery store and have them see the foods I am purchasing.  I like purchasing at least one or two new items, so from the items I'm thinking of buying, I'll let them decide what we should get as a meal.  They also like to help in the kitchen, so I have them help when its time to prepare and cook meals.  They usually want to try the foods that they help make.

For those nutritional foods that they don't want to eat, give them a small portion and give them a choice of eating it.  But I also remind them that if they don't eat foods that are good for them, then they can get sick and have to go to the doctor.  Since they hate going for checkups, most times they eat what I give them.  :)

elkaye[at]gmail[dot]com

I do several different things.

I have found that no matter how disgusting I think it is, condiments can be my best friend.  I let my daughter add whatever condiment she thinks will make her food taste better if it will encourage her to eat it.  I just have to do my job to make sure I have healthy condiment on hand.

I also take my daughter shopping with me.  She enjoys weighing the fruits and vegetables (even if they don't need to be weighed).  Getting her involved makes her more aware of what we have in the house to eat, and that she had a part in picking it out.

I also use cookie cutters to make things in fun shapes, add carrots to food when I can do hide them, buy juices that have vegetables in them. 

If you just eat in front of kids they usually want to try what you're eating.  I have also cut veggies into shapes to make them more fun.

I find if I share stories about trying crazy new foods when I was their age, they want to try them too. Make it a competition or a game and you are bound to suceed!

we have a simple rule, we try new things. we don;t have to finish anything we do not like, but it must be tried. My kids have found out they like : sushi(not raw),shrimp,chile rellenos,tacos, and so much more by this method

I always found that if you eat healthy, and continuously introduce new ways to eat familiar foods along with new foods, that it isn't a big deal. ... However, I don't have picky eaters.

My hubby bought me Deceptively Delicious by Seinfeld.  It has so many great ideas for being sneaky, but in a good way.  I use it often!!

I've tried everything I can think of to get the kiddos to try new foods. The one trick that SOMETIMES works is making a face out of the food. Then I tell Tristan, "Try eating his ear." "Try eating his nose." Usually it works. But the one foolproof way I have to get the kiddos to try new foods is to give the cat a bite. The kids think the cat is incredibly picky when it comes to food so if the cat will eat it,then it must be good. They don't know that the cat will eat practically anything.

We have a new recipe night once or twice a month.  My kids will look up a new recipe or get one from Food Network that they would like to try.  THey have to plan a whole meal with a vegatable, starch and protein.  We set the table with good dishes and every one helps in the prep. THe kids are mor likely to try thing that they pick to eat.  There is no pressure on that night, we have hotdogs ready in case the meal is a wash.  I only have one picky kid so he is the test subject.  My other two are OK with at least trying new things.

Michelle

I blog at http://www.mommycan.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much for this wonderful contest. 

I have found that by renaming the food, to something the kids can associate with, like a cartoon or something that is fun or that they love, that they'll then try and usually love the item.  For example, I make chicken patty sandwiches and the kids wouldn't touch them, until I named them crabby patties.  Then the kids tried them and loved them.

Thanks so much for offering this very generous giveaway.

OK, hiding food or covering it up in syrups and cheesy fats is not ok, I used to think so, but reallly then they  learn thats the way they have to have it to cover up the natural flavors. Instead we let them shop and pick out with us, we  cook together and we all eat and try the food. Not everyone likes everything but everyone has to try. We also look for recipes together- for the older  kids. Yes I used to disguise but its more  fun when they can actually learn to enjoy the tastes of food without coatings and creams and is healthier in the long run

I suppose this probably won't be too helpful in these days of coddeling kids or bribing kids to get them to do what they ought to do beginning with obeying their parents which seems to be a thing of the past.  When I was a child in the 30s and 40s you were not given a choice, your food was placed on your plate by your father or mother or sometimes grandmother and you ate it and you didn't get down from the table until you did.  I remember my brother spending all night at the table and when he woke up the next morning he was hungry and wanted breakfast and was told that until he finished what was on his plate from the past evening's dinner there would be no further food offered.  He ate it and the incident was never repeated.  Rules were rules back then and disobedience was dealth with accordingly.  Not exactally sure when the idiotic idea of giving kids choices about such basics as food started but it needs re-thinking.

My nieces are not fans of veggies and neither am I..lol.  What I do is make fun salads and involve them in the creation.  Lettuce is boring so we get a Spring Mix that has bright colors.  We chop baby carrots and add them and then I let them choose what they want.  Tomatoes, avacoda, sunflower seeds and raisins are favorites.  We top with ranch dressing since that is everyone's favorite and sprinkle some cheese on top.  This was they get veggies, protein, fruit and dairy all in one salad.  They eat all of it and we all enjoy our creations.

My kids will eat most vegetables if they are stir fried in a little soy and brown sugar.  I also found that they will at least try anything that they have helped to make.

What's always worked for me is starting from the beginning, providing nutritious meals and including new things as a matter of course...and not making a big deal out of it. I also never pushed my child to eat something he wasn't interested in at the time, but I didn't reward him for refusing by offering something he liked better.

You can grow your own vegetables and get your children to help with the planting and care and harvest of the garden.  That way, they will think of the veggies as their own, and be more inclined to eat them.  Even if you don't have  much space, you can grow veggies in large containers.

Try a little reverse psychology. When you serve the item you want them to try, tell them it is for grown-ups only but you can give them just a taste. If they like it, tell them that you will break the rules just for them and give them the food.

I'm a big fan of dips and seasonings. If they want ranch dressing, or butter, or extra salt and pepper, then go for it! I also serve small portions at first so they are not overwhelmed by the amount of food, especially if it is something they might not like. They can always ask for more! Thanks for the contest!

Make them milkshakes with whole milk and put peanut butter and fresh ingrediants (fruit) in with them. My grandson is 1 and he is so picky and I work really hard to get him to eat. I also give him things like grilled cheese on whole wheat, peanut butter and organic jelly on toast.

My kids have always responded well to a 'hands on' approach in introducing foods and cooking.  Through the years I've always encouraged them to help me in the kitchen --chopping veggies, stirring the saute, kneading the dough, cutting out biscuits, mixing the salad, etc.  They also assist me out in the garden -- snacking on the fresh veggies they help themselves to as we go along, and harvesting and enjoying the aroma of freshly cut herbs.  Fresh cut rhubarb on a bright spring day has always been a big favorite as well (with just a little sugar for dipping).  We make a point of patronizing our local u-pick farms -- cherry and berry picking in the summer, apple picking in the fall.  In our read aloud books we often enjoyed trying to make the food items mentioned in the stories -- such as 'stone soup', or 'violet jelly'.  We are fortunate to live in a culturally diverse area and as such have a variety of local ethnic markets and restaurants which we like to sample -- not to mention a wonderful farmer's market nearby that we try to frequent all summer.  As a result of all this, at 12 and 15, my kids today are remarkably adventurous eaters, and dearly love their veggies!

I believe children always like to hear a story so why not tell them a little about the food and where it comes from.  They are learning about other countries and they may end up liking it after all.  Thank you!

Give the food a kid friendly name such as Barney Beans or Superman Salad.

What I like to do is drop into casual conversation that I'm making something that their Uncle/Grandpa/Aunt's, said was their favorite meal when they were a kid. This always gets their attention and they'll try it. Later they like to tell them how they like the same meal they liked, etc. 

My tip is to simply only buy healthy items.  If there isn't any junk in the house they won't have a chance to eat it.  I also give them new foods several times even if they don't like it the first time.  Eventually they may like it.

Kids taste buds are different from adults. Don't be pushy. Over time they will try new things as long as they are offered in an attractive way. Ps: I still hate liver!!!

Don't be afraid to add spice or flavor.  If you have a new different dish each day it's much easier to get them to try new things than if you simply make the same style of food daily and then add something exotic suddenly.  Change is good and different cultures have great foods that you should give a chance.  If you don't eat it, why would your kids?

The younger children might be inclined to try foods if you use a "cute" name for them, like "Princess peas" or "Golden Crown Corn."  Worth trying.

I hide lettuce, broccoli, peas or whatever he doesn't like in quesadilla. I am surprised he doesn't taste it.

My quesadillas are always stuffed with whole bunch of stuff, chicken and rice, so I figure, adding a little bit of something he doesn't like might get him to eat it.

It works.

My kids shop with me and love exploring the product aisle for new shapes and colors. I've taught them well to try everything at least once before deciding they don't like it and I never force something they don't like. I guess I'm pretty lucky though that they enjoy a good amount of fruits and veggies. They also join me in the kitchen to make meals so they are more likely to eat our healthy recipes when they've had a helping hand in it.

I am lucky to have two boys who are not very picky eaters.  The one thing that I have learned from them, however, is that they are not going to eat something I wouldn't eat.  I have become the royal food tester for anything new or unusual (in their book).  If it looks like I am enjoying it then they can't wait to get thier hands on it to try it too.  But everyone has their own taste buds and if they don't like something I don't make them eat it.  I remember too well my battles with my parents over foods which I still can't stand to this day.  My one son loves yogurt, the other hates it, and that is OK with me.

Our motto here is try one bite and if you don't like it I will understand. But not trying it once is not acceptable. I also try to make food in fun shapes and with different textures.

The best way to woo your child to taste/try a new food is for them to prepare it with you.

The rule here was always to try at least one bit of everything onthe plate and eat what you like. Also if they are part of the preparation they are more likely to try it.

We remind them of the big girl/big boy things they want to do when they get older (like dance, be a race car driver, singer, ball player) and that eating foods that are good for them will help them do those things.  We also don't have a lot of sweets around the house to begin with and dessert consists of things like strawberries and peaches and snacks are apples and cheese and carrots.  In fact my son seems to think his hair is red/orange because of the amount of carrots and cheese he eats. 

 For new veggies (or any new food) that they don't want to eat, they have to have 3 "no thank you/learning about you" bites.  We're about to add asparagus to our list of veggies which should be interesting since I'm not fond of them.  I guess I should practice my acting "YUMMY THESE ARE SO GOOD" smile. 

~ Laura

One thing we've done to expand our children's ideas about nutritous foods and the types of things they will eat is to have weekly adventures! They might be to a farmer's market or simply the grocery store, but the goal is for each child to find and pick both a fruit and a vegetable that they have never seen before. Sometimes they pic ones that look silly, scary, strange...you never know! But part of that adventure is we all explore it. We see what the outside looks llike, feels like, smells like. If it needs to be cooked we do it together. If it is a fruit we can eat raw we cut it open and again talk about the shape, smell, etc. There have been things we haven't enjoyed, some have become new favorites. Regardless, it has changed my children from automatically turning up their noses to something they know to be nutritious or just something they are unfamiliar with. And, as a result, they are always willing, even when we aren't in the middle of a food adventure, to try something -- take a taste -- and see what they discover!

Whenever my daughters do not want to eat a specific food we are giving them.  I will put on a show on how good and tasty it is and start to eat their food.  After they see how much I enjoy it, they want to try it.