You put carrot sticks in your child’s lunchbox or green beans on their dinner plate, only to have them go uneaten? If this happens regularly in your household, you’re hardly alone. Fewer than one in five kids eats the recommended amount of vegetables. But, say experts, it’s important for parents to keep trying.

“Eating habits develop when you’re young,” observes Elizabeth Pivonka, RD, PhD, president of Produce for Better Health Foundation. “If you eat fruits and vegetables when you’re a kid, you’re more likely to eat them as an adult.” And diets that are rich in fruits and vegetables are linked to a lower risk of chronic health problems—such as cancer and heart disease—later in life. In addition, fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories and fat, which makes them less likely to contribute to obesity than other foods children often reach for. They’re also full of vitamins and minerals that are important for childrens’ development.

When it comes to vegetables, how much should kids be eating? The U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines specify about 1 cup a day for children ages 2 to 3, 1½ to 2 cups a day for those 4 to 8, and 2 to 2 ½ cups for kids 9 to 13. Recommendations vary somewhat depending on the child’s sex and level of physical activity. (To find the exact recommendation for your child, use the fruit and vegetable calculator at www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov [2].) “A good rule of thumb is that half of what we eat each day should be fruits and vegetables, including beans,” says Dr. Pivonka.

Veggie-eating strategies
How to get kids to expand their diets beyond pasta, pizza, and chicken nuggets? Here are some tried-and-true approaches:

Start them early. New research has found that babies who are breast-fed by mothers who regularly eat vegetables themselves are more likely to enjoy the tastes of these foods. In addition, when infants began to eat solid foods, repeatedly offering vegetables increased the chances that the child learned to like their taste.

Set a good example. If your child sees you enjoying some broccoli or a sweet potato, he is more likely to do the same. It helps if you eat together as a family as often as possible, and serve everyone the same thing. “My kids eat whatever my husband and I eat,” says Heather Adams, mother of three, aged, 9, 7, and 4, from Des Moines. “We just present vegetables as part of the meal, and we talk about them as a way to be healthy.”

Have veggies available. “When vegetables are cut up and sitting there, kids—especially teenagers with their big appetites—will eat them,” says Dr. Pivonka. Instead of a bowl of chips or a bag of cookies, put out cut-up cucumbers, celery sticks, and cherry tomatoes.

Try different textures. A child who won’t touch raw carrots may like them cooked. Some kids prefer canned or frozen vegetables to fresh. Typically canned or frozen right after being harvested, these vegetables retain much of their nutritional content.

Make it fun. Kids are more likely to eat colorful food that’s fun. Top a pizza with a mushroom, pepper, and tomato face, or make “ants on a log” with celery, peanut butter, and raisins.

Dress it up. Steamed vegetables may pass the taste test if they’re served with a light cheese sauce, and salad dressing can make a bowl of greens more palatable. “My 12-year-old is not a veggie lover, but recently he’s started to eat salads as long we have balsamic vinaigrette on hand,” says Shirley Morganstein of Montclair, N.J.

Be persistent. Kids may need to be presented with a new food over and over before they accept it. Taste buds mature as children grow, so a child who turns up her nose at cauliflower at 5 may love it at 10. Keep trying.