Parents need to persevere when attempting to get kids to try healthy recipes full of fruit and vegetables, as cooking is important for family nutrition.

Dr Carrie Ruxton of the Health Supplements Information Service (HSIS) said that children are naturally wary of new ingredients and recipes, so must be offered tasty cooking options at least six to eight times to become comfortable with them.

She explained: "Persevere ... Try giving stickers or non-food rewards, such as extra computer time, if your children will try new foods. It’s also good to eat healthy foods yourself as children copy their parents and older siblings."

A recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine suggested that cartoon characters on cereal packaging can influence a child's perception about the food's taste and nutritional merit.

Parents who want to encourage healthy choices could use alternative storage for foods in order to capitalise on this.