Never get into a food fight with a toddler. You will lose. And this is only partly because it's just not okay for an adult to throw food at a baby…

Yip, when it comes to kids, no amount of force-feeding, cajoling, bribing or guilt-tripping is going to convince them that, they really, really want to eat that plate full of broccoli and brussel sprouts. Do you want to eat that fine assortment of green veg?

This is not, of course, to suggest that getting your kids to eat (and enjoy) fruit and veggies is impossible; all it takes is a little change in attitude, a little patience, and a little creativity.

Step #1: Practice what you preach

Your kids — yip, even that toddler with the steely will and house-wrecking abilities of a natural disaster — have a tendency to follow whatever example you set. So, if you guzzle back those carrots and turnips with reckless abandon, your kids are more likely to indulge in a little veggie consumption than if you treat them (the vegetables, that is) like a necessary evil.

Try to avoid treating unhealthy food as treats and fruit and vegetables as chores as this will only reinforce the notion of desirable and undesirable foods.

Step #2: Give your child choices

Ditch the old-school 'you will not leave this table, young lady, until you have eaten every single pea on your plate' routine and give your child some choice over what they eat.

Everyone has likes and dislikes when it comes to taste and giving your child some choice will allow them to feel some degree of control. Of course, the choice shouldn't be between hamburgers and fries, but rather between carrots and tomatoes…

If your child is a toddler, try to expose them to a variety of fruit and vegetables. They probably won't enjoy everything at first, but you are bound to discover a few healthy options that they do like. Don't force foods onto your child; rather reintroduce them again at a later stage in case your child's tastes have changed.

Step #3: Do it together

When your child is old enough, get them involved in the meal-making process. Once again, this will give them a sense of control (and achievement), making it more likely that they will eat the food that is given to them.

Let your child select his or her favourite fruit and veggies at the supermarket, take your kids to a farmers' market, or create a veggie patch in your garden where your kids can grow their own vegetables.

Get your hands on some fun kiddies cookbooks and get them involved in the process of preparing the meal. Let them select a recipe and help you to prepare it.

Step #4: Keep it fun

More than anything else, children respond to things that are fun. So make veggies fun! Rename the boring stuff — transform green peas into mermaid's pearls, asparagus into warrior's spears and broccoli into fairies' trees. Ignore that old dictum about not playing with your food — make smiley faces on your child's plate or cut the veggies into cute shapes using cookie cutters.

When your child gets a little older, make sure that fresh fruit and vegetables (instead of cookies and chips) are available as snacks. Chop up fresh veggies and serve them with a dip (hummus, salad dressing or yoghurt); keep a bowl of cherry tomatoes or carrots in the fridge in case your child gets hungry; or get a smoothie-maker and let your kids come up with their own smoothie recipes.

Step #5: If all else fails… cheat

If your child is already an ardent veggie-hater or is simply a very picky eater, you may have to cheat. Just a little. Sneak fruit and veggies into dishes your child already likes. Add chopped fruit to yoghurt, cereal and desserts.

Put chopped carrots or zucchini in pasta sauces; make your own pizzas and throw butternut, mushrooms and onions in with the toppings; use carrots, bananas or berries when you make muffins; and tuck some lettuce, grated carrot and cucumber into your cheese-and-tomato sandwiches.

How do you get your kids to eat their veggies? Share your suggestions below…