Eight out of ten moms would tell you that one of their dilemmas in raising their children is on how they would be able to make them eat healthy. Mom and dads often find it hard to coax their little boys and girls into taking a bite and a taste of squash, broccoli or spinach.

This is not surprising as you think about it, pork and chicken are definitely more inviting and taste more delightful than these green and yellow vegetables. But then again, the nutrients that we get from the latter cannot be equated with a piece of fried chicken or a slice of ham.

There are however a lot of successful moms out there who are able to persuade their little tikes into eating healthy. And what do they do to win their kids over to make their bidding? Here are a few helpful pointers that might do well to entice your little boys and girls to take a spoonful of greens and yellows in their meals.

* Start them young. It is always best to orient kids and encourage them to begin eating vegetables at an early age. Experts even say that parents can initiate their child's love for vegetables as early as when they are still in their mother's tummy.

Yes. When mom is still pregnant, medical practitioners advice that she eat a lot of vegetables, fruits and healthy food that she can share with her growing baby. Babies can savor the taste of vegetables in the womb and would prepare her when she finally takes a spoonful of her own. When the baby commences to eat solid food, you may give her cereals with vegetables and fruits in them. This develops her taste, familiarity and perhaps fondness of being able to eat them; one that hopefully will be instilled in her and will self motivate her to eat healthily as she grows up and joins mom and dad in the supper table.

* Eat healthy foods yourself. It is typical that boys and girls take after their parents. It has been said that a boy born from lawyer parents will likely become a lawyer himself when he grows up because of his family's orientation. This stays true with eating healthy.

If mom and dad are the ones who regularly incorporate healthy foods into their diet, their children will be boys and girls who have no qualms when it comes to fruits and vegetables. Parents should keep in mind that they are their children's role models and should do well to practice what they preach

* Do not force your children to eat the vegetables when they do not want to. This will push them to dislike it more. Instead, do all you can to motivate them to eat healthy meals on their own. This may seem difficult but it is very attainable.

Prepare your meals with a flourish and a dash of spices here and there to make vegetables less bitter or less coarse than they usually are. Vegetable meals particularly look bland as compared to meat steaks so garnish them with appealing ingredients to make them more attractive and to pull your child's interest to try them.