Following on from our recent article on dealing with Picky Eaters, we talk to award-winning author of The Pram Diet and horticulturalist, Rebecca Mugridge, who is about to release her new book, Healthy, Happy Mums.

Rebecca is also a recipe creator, passionate about inspiring families to grow their own organic food. She currently creates recipes for the Maleny IGA's recipe cards.

As a horticulturalist, do you encourage your children to grow plants and eat from the garden?
Absolutely. One of the greatest joys of being a horticulturalist is being able to share organic gardening with my own and also other children. Children just come alive in the garden, they really connect with nature and it becomes like a live science lesson for them.

They learn about the elements and what plants need to thrive and how they work, where a lot of food comes from. They see first hand how many different contributing factors create successful gardening and marvel at the amazing world of insects and wildlife at the same time.

When children grow vegetables themselves they can't wait to eat them, they love picking them fresh and crunchy straight from the garden, taking the easy eating kind in their lunchboxes.

There is a real sense of fun, pride and achievement and when you combine this with some fun, healthy cooking using ingredients they grew themselves you have created something very special, you have captivated them in a lifelong way to appreciate fresh foods.

What sorts of plants are great to grow with kids in your average Aussie garden?
It is great to start with a combination, season and area permitting, of plants where some are pick and eat and some are harvest and cook so they get a good experience of both. Things like lettuce, baby spinach, rainbow silverbeet, cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, capsicums, zucchinis, sweet corn, snow peas, beans, broccoli, kale, carrots, pumpkin, cucumber, beetroot, mint, parsley, chives, basil and strawberries are all wonderful for kids to grow. My two kids in particular have always love snow peas and cherry tomatoes especially. I always plant some pretty flowering annuals in amongst my veggies too, it really makes the whole spot beautiful and enticing to spend time in and many have companion planting benefits too like marigolds. You can also do fun things together like grow sprouts inside in a jar!

So what are your key tips for getting kids to love their veggies?
I find three things make a huge difference in getting kids not just eating their veggies, but actually wanting to eat their veggies. I have 2 girls and a 5 year age gap between them and extremely different personalities and likes. They both however love their veggies and eat everything.

• Get them excited about the veggies on their dinner plate (I'm sorry, but I wouldn't get excited about some steamed boring looking food on the side of my plate either).
• Make veggies fun, real, fresh and exciting.
• Use colour and texture, liven it right up. Make a rainbow with veggies on their plate, throw some beetroot in the mashed pumpkin to make it pink, make a yellow or a red salad, add fresh herbs and garlic when you steam vegetables, serve with a tasty dressing.
• Try different textures like roasting and why not go raw! Most kids love raw, crunchy veggies more than soft cooked ones, and they have so many nutrients in them! Not to mention think how much work it will save you too!
• Cut up red capsicum, tomato, cucumber slices, carrot circles, fresh snow peas and green beans so they are still snapable and crunchy, celery, throw on some fresh baby spinach leaves, avocado and lettuce leaves.
• Serve them a great fresh combo of finely grated carrots, raw beetroot, cheese and thinly sliced spinach. Cucumber, capsicum, mushroom, green beans in a delicious salad wrap with hummus!
• Grow it. I cannot say enough how much difference this makes to children and eating vegetables. They really want to eat veggies that they grew and the whole family becomes more inspired too. Even if you are renting or in a unit you can still grow some veggies, even in pots or hanging baskets. You just need to be a little creative. You could also find a local community garden, start a school or day care edible garden too. Planet Eco - (see this month's competition) is a great Australian company that makes fabulous veggie growing kits for children. You can get your child care centre, pre-school or school involved and use them as a fundraiser too.
• Cooking. Kids love cooking. They really enjoy it. Find a few great recipes that are kid friendly to make depending on their ages and use some veggies and even if it is just once a week make something and eat it together as family.

Find out more about Rebecca's books together with heaps of other tips and recipes at www.authorrebeccamugridge.com.