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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]They are 9 and 12 - old enough to help, for sure[/quote]

For your 12 year old this is easy, wait a few months for puberty and he'll eat anything that's not nailed down.  Many many boys who were picky or undereaters in elementary school get over that issue fast when they've got hormones surging through their bodies all the time.

For a 9 year old it's a little harder if you don't want to wait 3 years.  Here are some things that worked for our family:

Smoothies with fruit and some veggies for breakfast

Serving the veggies (or fruit if you'd like them to eat more of that too) first.  For example, last night I made a cookie sheet full of crunchy roasted kale as soon as I got home from work.  I served it to my son to nibble on while I prepped dinner.  When he finished that, I gave him a bowl of pineapple.  When we finally sat down to dinner of steak, potatoes and veggies, he had already eaten a lot.

If I'm going to add fats or sauces to the meal, I'll add them to the veggies, not the meat.  So, I might serve plain grilled chicken, with a side of roasted veggies marinated in yummy Italian marinade, which is the exact opposite of what my mother would have served (marinated chicken, boring veggies).  I've been known to toss cauliflower in buffalo wing sauce, or to serve broccoli with the sauce I'd use for mac and cheese. My kid really likes meat, and the flavor of meat, so I'll make brussel sprouts with bacon, or saute some Granny Smith apples with some hot Italian sausage.

Serve fruits and veggies in bowls on the table, with kids free to take as they wish.  Preplate the other foods, and leave the extras on the stove.  My kid can have seconds of whatever he likes (usually, when I make something like steak, I might make exactly the right number), but he's much more likely to take what's in front of him than to get up and serve himself from the stove.  [/quote]

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