Resist the temptation to pit veggies against desserts. This happens when you tell your children they have to eat their vegetables in order to eat their desserts. What results maybe a child eating their vegetables but at what cost? What happens in a child's mind is that sweets become even more valuable and desirable. Vegetables now become even less desirable because they are what is standing in the way of the highly prized dessert. What to do? Decide when you would like to serve dessert. Have dessert as part of the meal without any conditions for your child to meet in order to eat that dessert. If they eat their dessert but not their veggies at that meal, it is ok. We are in a marathon with teaching our young children about healthy eating.