Include two portions of vegetables in your evening meal, and provide fruit or a fruit-based pudding for dessert. This will help ensure that your children get three out of five servings of their recommended five-a-day at dinnertime, even if lunch has been less than ideal.

`Hide` fruit and vegetables if necessary. Blend it into soups, chop it finely into lasagne and bolognese, make strawberry ice cream, and whip up fruit smoothies.

Encourage children to drink water or sugar-free diluting juice between meals. This will help prevent dehydration, which can lead to constipation and poor concentration.

If you have a fussy eater in the household, don`t give up hope. Children`s tastes often change as they grow older. Keep trying, but don`t focus too much on the issue. Try serving the same foods in different forms - for example, people who dislike the texture of broccoli often find it more palatable in a sauce or soup.

Include a portion of lean meat or another protein in every meal. This will help keep children fuller for longer and will discourage snacking later in the day/evening. Red meat will also provide iron - which is particularly important for girls, who tend to eat less red meat of their own accord, yet whose iron needs increase as they begin menstruation.