You know fruits and vegetables are good for you. They're full of vitamins and fiber and may protect against certain diseases. They can even help keep you slim and trim. But, no matter what you know, getting your kids to trade cheese puffs for carrots isn't always easy. Here are some ideas to boost your kids' fruit and veggie intake without a struggle.

Exposure, Exposure, Exposure

It's important to expose kids to fruits and vegetables when they're young. So whether you prepare your own baby food or stock up on tiny baby food-filled glass jars, offer a wide variety of choices. Nowadays, the possibilities are never-ending. Baby fruits range from traditional applesauce to not-so-traditional blueberries to the downright exotic papaya. Baby veggies offer the same variety. By combining foods like apples and sweet potatoes you create an almost limitless array of flavors to feed your baby. And, if you don't succeed, try again. Babies try new foods an average of ten times before they like it. So, don't take kiwi or squash off the menu after just one taste.

Get Them Involved

Kids naturally express their independence as they get older. For instance, you may find your fruit lover is suddenly a fruit hater. Put a little psychology to work if you're faced with an outright refusal. Since kids are more likely to try foods they help prepare, take a trip to the grocery store and ask them to pick out a fruit or vegetable. When you get home, involve them in cooking. Younger kids can help wash produce, while older children can peel, cut or even cook. Buy them a cookbook (there's a wide selection for kids) and ask them to pick a recipe to make.

Be A Good Example

You can't expect your child to enthusiastically dig into a bowl of berries if your hand is in the potato chip bag. I've noticed that when my daughter sees me eating a vegetable for which she hasn't yet acquired a taste, she asks for some and usually ends up eating it. Be sure to serve fruits and/or vegetables at every meal. They make good snacks too.

Make it Available

Throw out junk food and fill the fridge with cut-up fruits and veggies. Better yet, leave a bowl filled with fresh fruit on the counter. The more visible and easier foods are to eat, the more likely you and your kids will eat them. Also, choose restaurants that offer more than just French fries as a side dish. You can't expect to eat salads and fruit if it's not available as an option.

Get Sneaky

Sometimes nothing you try seems to help. Over time their young tastes will develop and they'll learn to enjoy more foods, but you need help now. Here are a few ways to sneak the good stuff in:

• Blend frozen fruit with yogurt and call it a shake
• Mash well-cooked broccoli into mashed potatoes---if they ask, it's seasoning, they don't need to know you're seasoning with veggies
• Grated carrots or zucchini can be mixed into ground beef for meatloaf or burgers, or stirred into spaghetti sauce or soups
• Mashed up bananas or other fruits can be mixed into pancake batter or cooked with oatmeal