article: A recent survey has revealed that more than half of UK children don't have any veg, and 44 per cent have no fruit on a daily basis. With childhood obesity on the rise in the UK, these new figures are incredibly alarming. For more than two decades, I've been in the business of helping children get their daily fill of fruit and veg. So I wanted to share some of my feeding wisdom to help encourage healthier, happier children. It's easy to become locked in a battle of wills when it comes to dishing up healthy, nutritious food. Annabel Karmel has shred her tips on how to make children love eating vegetables . My son was a very fussy eater, so I had to think of ingenious ways to ensure he was getting a wholesome balanced diet whilst enjoying what he was eating. Truth be told, ninety percent of children go through at least one lengthy stage of fussy eating. It's so easy to feel frustrated and powerless when your child simply refuses to eat certain foods. But the key is not to give in or give up. Day in, day out, I persisted with new healthy foods, new recipes and creative ways to hide the good bits my son didn't like. In fact, it was coming up with these new and novel recipes that inspired me to create my very first book – Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner. While it can be frustrating when a child rejects the food we give them, it's actually the way that we deal with the situation that impact on their eating habits. It's not ideal to let your child get away with not eating certain foods in order to keep the peace. Giving your children a limited number of foods will only escalate their fussiness, and deprive them of the essential nutrients they need to grow and develop. If I am honest, hiding the good bits in a meal didn't always get past my children, but I found it really important to hide my frustrations. Instead, I gave them lots of praise when they ate well or tried something new. Remember, you are not alone! Keep trying out new ideas and eventually you will see positive results. Don't be afraid to quiz other mums on how they get their children eating healthy food. I used to share my recipes at my son's nursery and it felt so good to be able to help other mums in my position. Annabel says that parents should keep trying out new ideas with their children and eventually they will see positive results when it comes to a healthy diet . Tips for helping kids towards their five-a-day . 1. Try making your own healthy junk food using good quality lean meat for burgers, English muffins for pizza bases and a good way to coat homemade fish fingers is to dip them in seasoned flour, beaten egg and crushed cornflakes. For dessert it's easy to make fresh fruit ice lollies from fruit juice and pureed fruits. 2. Some kids can spot a hidden mushroom a mile off, so sometimes the best thing is to be up front about fruit and vegetables, tell them where they come from and why they are so good for you. Giving them facts could make them more interested about what they are eating. I used to offer a starter - a little teacup or saucer of something new that they could try that would be in addition to their main meal. 3. If your child refuses to eat anything other than junk food, don't worry. They will soon find there's not much point making a fuss if you don't react. 4. Without going to unnecessary lengths, try to make sure your child's food not only tastes good but looks good too. Make mini portions in ramekins, make chicken skewers or thread bite sized pieces of fruit onto a straw. 5. Avoid empty calorie snacks like crisps or soft drinks and keep a supply of healthy snacks on hand – maybe have a low shelf in the fridge with cut up fresh fruit and other healthy foods. When children are hungry, they won't wait. 6. Children like to assemble their own food, so you could lay ingredients out in bowls and let your child fill and fold their own wraps or choose their favourite toppings for their home made pizzas. 7. Most children adore cooking and tasks like squeezing fresh orange juice or cracking eggs are well within the capabilities of a young child. It's amazing how being involved in the planning and preparation of a meal can stimulate a child's appetite. 8. My chilled toddler meals are great for packing in the veggies – especially on those busy days. Based on my favourite cookbook recipes, they taste just like homemade and offer up to three of a child's five-a-day . Mini vegetable balls . MINI VEGETABLE BALLS (suitable from nine months) Ingredients, makes 24 veggie balls . 2 carrots, peeled and grated . 1 small courgette, grated . 75g (30z) butternut squash, peeled and grated . 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped . ½ tbsp chopped fresh thyme . 50g (2oz) mushroom chopped . 50g (2oz) parmesan, grated . 150g (5oz) breadcrumbs . 1 small egg, beaten . 1 ½ tbsp. tomato ketchup, plus extra to serve . 1tsp soy sauce . A little plain flour . 2tbsp olive oil . Method . Put the grated carrots, courgette and squash into a clean tea towel or muslin cloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Tip into a mixing bowl and add all the remaining ingredients except the flour and the olive oil. Stir to combine and, using damp hands, shape the mixture into 24 little balls. Put the flour on a plate and roll the ball in it to coat. Heat the oil in a larger frying pan. Add the balls and fry for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your pan. Allow to cool a little and serve with ketchup. Suitable for freezing so make an extra batch and save for another day. Mini turkey burgers . MINI TURKEY BURGERS (suitable from nine months) Ingredients, makes 15 mini burgers . ½ onion, peeled and chopped . ½ desert apple, peeled and grated . 1tbp chopped fresh thyme . 250g (9oz) minced turkey . 75g (3oz) white breadcrumbs . 40g (1 ½ oz) Cheddar cheese, grated . 2tbsp tomato ketchup . A few drops of Worcestershire sauce . Olive oil, for drizzling . Method . Pre heat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas 6. Put the onion, apple and thyme into a food processor and whiz until everything is finely chopped. Add the reaming ingredients and whiz again until they are all combined. With damp hands, shape the mixture into 15 mini burgers. Place the burgers on a baking sheet lined with non-stick paper and drizzle over a little oil. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, then turn over and cook for another 8-10 minutes until golden and cooked through. Veggie skeleton dip . VEGGIE SKELETON DIP . Ingredients, makes on skeleton . Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream Dip . 100g cream cheese . 100g soured cream . 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (or to taste) 1 tsp lime juice . Decoration . ¼ cucumber, sliced . ½ carrot, peeled and sliced in half . 3 mushrooms, sliced . 2 sticks celery . 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced . 2 broccoli florets . A handful of salad cress . Black pitted olive, sliced . Red pepper . Method . First make the dip. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the sour cream, sweet chilli sauce and lime juice. Cover and chill until needed. Arrange the vegetables on a board to make the skeleton (save a little of the carrot and pepper for the face). Transfer the dip to a small bowl and add the cress, olive slices, carrot and pepper to make the face. If you’ve got a jam-packed family schedule, Annabel’s delicious chilled toddler meals are perfect for those busy days. Taste tested by toddlers and packed with up to 3 of their 5-a-day, the range has been inspired by Annabel’s most popular cookbook recipes. For information and more food ideas visit www.annabelkarmel.com.
highlights: Survey found more than half of UK children kids don't have any veg .
  Fussy kids are frustrating for parents  when they refuse to eat certain foods .
  Nutritionist Annabel Karmel tells FEMAIL how to make a child like greens .
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