What mom wouldn't like a "magic wand" to make her child instantly love vegetables? For most of us, the reality is that it takes patience and time for children to develop a palate for vegetables. What is the secret of successful parents? They are persistent and focus on the potential long-term results. The following tips may not be magic, but with a little luck, the result will be the same:

Children learn from watching their parents and caregivers. If you eat lots of vegetables, your child is likely to enjoy vegetables, too. There's truth to the old saying "the apple does not fall far from the tree!"

Children usually experiment before accepting a new food. It can take many times (as many as 10 or 20!) of offering a new food before a child is ready to accept it. A child may need to look at it, smell it, touch it, and watch other people eating it before they feel ready to even taste the food for the first time. Unfortunately, parents often get frustrated and stop offering a food after a few tries if the food sat untouched on a plate .  Research indicates patience and persistence are vital when it comes to expanding foods in a child's diet.

Patience works better than pressure. Resist forcing your child to taste or eat something. A child is more likely to learn to like a new food when allowed to progress at an individual pace.

Pair a new food with an already familiar food or condiment. Vegetables are great for dipping into things such as low-fat ranch dressing, guacamole, hummus, ketchup, or bean dip. Try melting cheese over steamed vegetables. Your child may have some other creative ideas. Consider letting your child try a combination, even if it does not sound appealing to you. Remember, your child's taste experience may be different from yours.  Taste bud sensations change as a person matures and goes through the life cycle.

Grow your own vegetables and let your child help. Planting, growing and harvesting vegetables is a great way to pique a child's curiosity. Most children can hardly wait to eat something they have grown. 

Stimulate interest by letting your child assist with shopping for vegetables. Take your child on an outing to a produce stand, farmers market, u-pick farm, or produce section of a supermarket. Let your child place the vegetables in your shopping basket and help put them away when you get home. The bright colors, different textures, and aromas are sure to be engaging.

Let your child help prepare vegetables. Children who help select and prepare recipes are usually eager to taste what they made. What if your child doesn't like it? Ask your child what might make the recipe better! Offer your own recipe enhancement ideas for discussion. Later, try making the recipe with your child again and use at least one improvement suggested by your child. You may wish to use a children's cookbook for recipe ideas.

Take advantage of peer pressure. Try including some vegetables with snacks when your child has friends over. Children often reconsider a food if they see other children eating and enjoying it.

Refer to vegetables in ways that are child-friendly. Talking to a young child about how dinosaurs ate plants or how the Easter Bunny enjoys carrots makes vegetables seem more intriguing. Try reading a book or watch a DVD together about vegetables (such as how they grow, why they are good for our bodies, fun ways to eat them, etc.). 

Try cutting vegetables into fun shapes or arrange them creatively on a plate.  Foods that look appealing are more likely to be tasted. Vegetables are a great way to add color and texture to a plate. For young children, prepare vegetables in ways that are easy to pick up with fingers.

Find subtle ways to add vegetables to recipes. Grated vegetables, such as carrots or squash, are easy to add when preparing batters, soups, casseroles, or meatloaf. Pureed vegetables may be added to sauces, juices, smoothies, or soups. Try adding thin vegetable slices to sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas, or on top of pizza.

Raising a vegetable eater may not always be quick or easy, but with every healthy bite, you can sit back and smile!

Marie Collier of Boise is a registered licensed dietitian with a focus on public health nutrition.