The summer holidays have begun, and for many parents, the dinner table has already become a battlefield. Five battles over a single piece of broccoli, according to one mum outside Barnes Primary School in south-west London. So how to cope?
The BBC asked parents for their tips. Mum-of-four Natalia, from south-west London, makes veggie nuggets: "They like green beans but not by themselves, so we just fry them in a little bit of butter and dip in breadcrumbs. The same with cauliflower and lots of other vegetables."
“Parents share tips for dealing with fussy eaters during the summer holidays.”
Teacher Kieron Fisher, from Newbury, Berkshire, hides vegetables in meals his six-year-old twins Kit and Ollie already enjoy, such as curries and spaghetti Bolognese. "It helps increase their vegetable intake without causing a battle," he says.
Emma Robins, from Reading, recommends broccoli hidden in pesto pasta for her three-year-old son Alfred, as well as veg pulsed into pasta sauces. She also suggests making your own burgers with vegetables. "If they say one day they want carrots, run and get the carrots and give big praise when they eat them," she adds.
A lack of routine in the holidays can be particularly challenging for some children. Kieron suggests using visual boards showing the healthy snack they are about to have and another showing the activity they are going to do next.
Children with special educational needs can sometimes experience sensory difficulties with food and are not classified as fussy eaters — some of these suggestions may not be suitable for them.
Doone, from London, says her daughter Cora, two, used to be the "best eater" but seeing others at nursery turn their noses up at certain foods made her do the same. "I'm trying not to make a big deal of it. Even though they don't eat it, I always put the broccoli on the plate so that they're seeing it."
It may take up to 15 attempts before kids learn to like new foods, research suggests. "Keep going," says the mum outside Barnes Primary. "Keep offering it and they will pick it up and try it. We try to make everyone try everything in our house, even the tiniest bit."