Picky eaters can be the worst for moms who just want meals to include nutritious foods or pretty much any cook, since dealing with a picky eater can make menus more limiting and ho-hum. So how can we ramp up the vegetable quotient and keep meals interesting when we have a picky eater in the house?

Here are a few ideas:

Incorporate pureed vegetables into family favorites. This works really well with foods like chili, spaghetti sauce, meatballs and soup.

Keep things fun. Veggies often go completely unnoticed on Mexican night when yummy quesadillas or tacos are served.

Involving children in food preparation can also keep things fun. For example, let them decorate their own personal pizza with a smiley face made of their choice of colorful veggies like peppers, broccoli, tomatoes and more.

Smoothies are great fun too and you can blend in virtually any mix of veggies as long as you keep it tasting sweet and fruity.

Make it cheesy because, well…everything is better with melted cheese! Consider cheesy cauliflower or broccoli.

Also, keep in mind that vegetables are sometimes more appealing to picky eaters raw and they are definitely always more well received when they are presented well. Consider an enticing tray of grape tomatoes and sliced carrots, peppers and cucumbers paired with a creamy ranch dressing for dipping.