When I was little, the only vegetables I liked were peas, corn and potatoes. Just to make life even more difficult, the potatoes needed to be mashed, the corn had to be on-the-cob and the peas only passed my lips covered in ketchup. Added to that I only ate the white of an egg, was suspicious of any purple foods, but loved anything sugary ? especially blue coloured snowcones.

So not only was I fussy but I also liked everything that was bad for me! I know I know, my mother should just have thrown me out with the trash ? but luckily she was patient and also very resourceful in her approach. Despite being fussy, I grew up loving food and wanting to try as many new things as I could.

Fussy eating is extremely common in children and in many teenagers too. Consistency, smell and colour are highly influential ? for example, we all know children who think that mushrooms are "slimy" and that fish "smells funny". And understandably, exhausted, worn down parents are often more concerned with getting children to eat let alone . It's ironic really ? children need the very best food to provide them with essential nutrients as they grow and develop, yet they often have the worst diets. Check out the sugar content of many of the "fun" children's cereals ? some contain more than 25g of sugar per serving, compared to 3g of sugar in something nutritious (and still tasty) such as Nature's Path Mesa Sunrise.

Children's chicken nuggets or fish sticks often contain low grade, cheap ingredients and some of the children's snacks available literally make me want to weep. Packs of bread sticks with cheese dip sound fairly harmless ? except the bread often contains sugar and the cheese dip is so artificial you may as well melt down some cling wrap and give that to your child instead!

The food industry is largely responsible for the deterioration in our children's diets. Favourite cartoon characters such as Sponge Bob are used to market unhealthy children's foods. Although many parents do a great job of regulating what their children eat, we all know that it's often easier to give in and buy something horrible like blue yoghurt, than face a disastrous tantrum in the middle of the store. And anyway, if the food was that bad for children, it would be illegal, right? Unfortunately, that's not the case ? cigarettes are still legal after all.

However, in the industry's defence, it was recently announced that Sponge Bob and Co. will soon be seen promoting spinach and other fruit and vegetable items ? a step in the right direction at last.

But how does this connect to fussy-eating? One of the problems is that the marketing of "children's" food establishes a difference in the mind of a child, between the food an adult eats and the food a child eats. So if it doesn't come in a florescent box, processed beyond all recognition and then covered in bread crumbs, your child won't want to eat it. In this way, serving different food to your children can certainly set a precedent for "adult" food to be viewed indifferently or with suspicion.

Many parents also tell me that they had a much easier time with their first child than any subsequent children. As a parent of one, it is easier to avoid sugar, saturated fat and additives in your child's diet. For a while at least, they know nothing other than milk, water and simple, natural foods. However, all your hard work can be undone by exposure to chocolate, sugar, ice cream and cake at children's birthday parties ? and once they've tried it, fruit no longer seems as sweet. So instead of a peach after dinner, your child may start asking for ice cream or cookies! Not only does your toddler now have a sweeter tooth, but at this stage sweet foods tend to come into the house more freely ? and this means that younger children get exposed and addicted to sweeter foods much earlier than their older siblings.

If you are lucky though, you may have children who aren't into the sugary stuff. And if they're filling themselves with fresh, wholesome food instead, does it matter if they are selective and fussy? In many ways it doesn't and it's a big bonus that they are eating nutrient-rich food. The negative side however, is that repeatedly eating a very narrow range of foods can mean that your child misses out on certain nutrients. Different foods contain different vitamins and minerals that can help boost everything from energy to immunity. So how do we tempt fussy eaters out of their shells? Experiment with the following tips below to help your children explore a greater range of natural and nutritious foods!

1.Make a rainbow. Tempt young children to eat a wide variety of different fruits and vegetables ? chop up different colours, help arrange them into a rainbow and then eat it together!

2.Introduce new foods one at a time. Too many new foods at once can be overwhelming. This also helps you to monitor for allergies or food intolerances.

3.Looks do count. If you can, try to make the food colourful and attractive.

4.Avoid feeding your children when they are over-tired or irritable. They are more likely to reject their food due to bad temper.

5.Involve your child. Involving children in meal-planning and cooking helps to stimulate an interest in food and a more adventurous attitude to new foods.

6.Once fully weaned, give your children the same food that you eat. Preparing only one meal gives you more time to make it fun and attractive. This also helps to prevent your child being nervous about "boring" or "weird" adult foods.

7.Eat your meals together. Meal times can be fun and social occasions ? an ideal environment to introduce new foods

8.Continue to offer new foods even when they are rejected. Chances are, your children will get bored and eventually try and accept the new food.

9.Overcome consistency problems! If your children think mushrooms are "slimy", try making blending them into a soup or sauce. If they don't like the fluffy consistency of the yellow part of a boiled egg, try making omelettes or scrambled eggs instead.

10.And finally, when introducing new foods, always use the "because it tastes good!" rationale, rather than saying "because it's good for you". A much more fun approach!

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns.