Outfoxing the ‘green food’ detectors of the toddler-set can be tricky. Their taste buds seem uniquely honed to detect and reject anything remotely healthy. But letting them have their way with energy dense, nutrient poor food is having dire repercussions for their health.

Sometimes things just taste better frozen! Grapes, bananas (peel them first or you’re in for a world of pain) oranges (separated into quarters) and blueberries, are all delicious when put on ice. Keep a few containers of fruit in the freezer and top them up weekly for a quick after school snack that tastes like a treat! Meanwhile organic juices can also be poured directly into popsicle moulds (just add a few of those frozen berries to make up for the fibre lost through juicing)

2. Make healthy food the ONLY option

Ok, we admit, this is a far from sneaky way to get your kids on the fruit and veg bandwagon! But it is effective. It’s simple, if you weed out the ‘fake foods’ and nutritionally void snacks that fill your shelves, there won’t be much left but the good stuff! Next time you shop, reach for some classic hits like popcorn, dried seaweed and multigrain crackers. Add cucumbers, carrots and a few delicious dips like hummus or tzatziki to your fresh food buy and you’ve got plenty to fill hungry tums.

3. Feed them BEFORE hitting the social scene!

This is a tricky trick that works wonders when facing back-to-back birthday parties and the prospect of a weekend-long sugar high. Simply fill your child to the BRIM with good food before they hit the party circuit and watch their ability to ingest copious amounts of calories plummet! And remember, if a lolly bag is proffered, make sure you skim most of the sweets out before handing it over.

No one's saying you need to be a Master Chef, but mixing up your presentation style can reap some very healthy rewards. Here are some starter ideas:

DIY trail mix - create a family trail mix based on your fave dried fruit and nut combos. Mix in seeds (try pumpkin seeds, pepitas or sunflower seeds), add coconut flakes and a scattering of yoghurt drops and you’ve got a go anywhere energy boost that packs a nutritional punch.

Make it silly - a melon baller, a few cookie cutters and well placed raisins could both kickstart your artistic career and your child’s interest in fruit. Create some funny faces and watch your child gobble it up!

5. Hide it

Of course, we’ve all heard about hiding broccoli in the bolognaise, but what other high level dupes can be pulled on our unsuspecting young charges? If all else fails, don’t give up! Outsmart fussy eaters by stocking up on some secret weapons. Try sprinkling Activated Nutrients Superfood Powder covertly into their smoothies or a throw a scoop of protein powder like Activated Nutrients Daily Protein into your baked goodies - they’ll never know!