First of all, never force a child to eat vegetables. It is TRUE that it may result in a life-long hatred of them. Start by being a good role model and eating a nutritious diet full of fruits and vegetables. Then simply use your imagination. Try chopping up vegetables like carrots and zucchini and putting them in foods like muffins or pancakes or casseroles. You can also try dressing up vegetables with things your child enjoys like cheese for broccoli or peanut butter for celery, or dipping cut up vegetables in yogurt instead of you traditional high-fat dip. Involve your child more. Have them chop, peel, and help prepare the vegetables for the family meal. Familiarity and direct contact with new foods is needed to create interest and acceptance. Research shows kids may have to be exposed to new flavors and foods at least eight times before they will accept them.

Additional Resources:

http://fnp.aces.uiuc.edu/EFNEP/fvfs/FSMoreBroccoliPlease.doc
http://www.eatright.org/ada/files/Wendys.pdf
http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=1475