Did anyone see a UFO hovering over Warwick on Tuesday night? I'm convinced that aliens have kidnapped Chloe and replaced her with an extra-terrestrial baby. My happy-go-lucky, eats-anything little girl has turned the tables on mealtime and is suddenly refusing all her favourites. And nothing throws me more, than having a freezer full of home-made meals but resorting to a diet of peas and yoghurt.

Lots of things are frustrating in adult life – TCD, queues in the bank, waiting for your lovely husband to finally attach the hose reel to the wall – but nothing quite prepares you for the sheer frustration of trying to feed a fussy toddler. Over the past few days, with the mantra "don't let meals become a battle" going round and round in my head, I have managed to suppress an outburst of "just damn well eat it!!" As parents, all we want to do is nourish our kids with tasty, healthy food and it is enormously testing when things don't go to plan.

For others going through the same thing, rest assured that fussy eating is extremely common in babies and children. Just as our appetites go up and down, so do theirs, and if we think it's frustrating trying to feed a fussy toddler, just think how frustrating it is for them having fish pie waved about in their face when they're not feeling hungry. It's also understandable that halfway through a batch of home made bolognaise, they may simply get bored.

I have eventually learnt that although in the early days, a full belly certainly helped Chloe to sleep at night, now that she's older, it doesn't seem to correlate. As sleep deprivation is my personal nemesis, I used to despair on the occasions that Chloe didn't eat well, but I have since learnt to relax a little. Of course, teething pain is a really common cause of loss of appetite, so if your toddler is especially dribbly, that may well be the problem. However, if the change is sudden, lasts longer than a few days and is accompanied by any other symptoms (e.g. fever, constipation, abdominal discomfort) then you should always consult your physician.

Whether you are experiencing the odd day of fussy eating, or going through a more prolonged phase, it's worth giving some thought to how your child perceives food. Consistency, smell and colour are highly influential – for example, we all know children who think that mushrooms are "slimy" and that fish "smells funny".

Understandably, exhausted, worn down parents are often more concerned with getting children to eat something, let alone something healthy, so often resort to junk food. Unfortunately, this means that whilst children need the very best food to provide them with essential nutrients as they grow and develop, they often have the worst diets. Check out the sugar content of many of the fun children's cereals. Some contain over 25g of sugar per serving, compared to 3g of sugar in something nutritious (and still tasty) such as Nature's Path Mesa Sunrise. Further, children's chicken nuggets or sausages often contain low grade, cheap ingredients and some of the children's snacks available are loaded with the artificial colours and flavours which are also linked to hyperactivity. That's not to mention the sodium, sugar and saturated fat.

You could argue that the food industry is largely responsible for the deterioration in our children's diets. Cartoon characters are used to market unhealthy children's foods and although many parents do a great job of regulating what their children eat – we all know that it's often easier to give in and buy something horrible like blue popsicles, than face an embarrassing tantrum in the middle of the store.

But how does this connect to fussy-eating? One of the problems is that the marketing of "children's" food establishes a difference in the mind of a child, between the food an adult eats and the food a child eats. So if it doesn't come in a florescent box, processed beyond all recognition and then covered in bread crumbs, your child won't want to eat it. In this way, serving different food to your children can certainly set a precedent for "adult" food to be viewed indifferently or with suspicion.

If you are lucky though, you may have children who aren't into the sugary stuff. And if they're filling themselves with fresh, wholesome food instead, does it matter if they are selective and fussy? In many ways it doesn't and it's a big bonus that they are eating nutrient rich food. The negative side however, is that repeatedly eating a very narrow range of foods can mean that your child misses out on certain nutrients. Different foods contain different vitamins and minerals that can help boost everything from energy to immunity. So how do we tempt fussy eaters out of their shells? Experiment with the following tips below!

1. Looks do count

I'm not suggesting that you go all Annabel Karmel on me. Yes, she's legendary for tasty recipes, but you many not have the time to turn your cooking into artwork. However, do try and make meals look attractive and colourful. For example, adding turmeric to the water when you cook rice will turn it bright yellow, which makes a change. Stir through some green peas too for extra color.

2. Finger food

A nutritious meal doesn't always have to follow the mainstream format. If your little one has lost the love for chicken stew or spaghetti bolognaise, then try a plate of finger food. Chloe has a bowl with four lids that open up to separate compartments. She loves lifting the lids and seeing what's underneath each one. If you fill the sections with chopped avocado, cheese, strawberries and crackers, you'll be giving them a really quick and easy dinner. Other great finger foods include tortilla cut up into squares, hummus or melted cheese on wholegrain toast and of course most fruits and veggies.

3. Watch the mood!

Avoid feeding your kids when they are over-tired or irritable. They are more likely to reject their food due to bad temper.

4. Involve them

Once old enough, involving children in shopping and cooking helps to stimulate an interest in food and a more adventurous attitude to new foods. Let little ones choose between red or green apples or grapes in the store. Where healthy and unhealthy options are mixed together (e.g. with cereal), let them make a choice out of two that you pick.

5. Grown-up food

Once fully weaned, give your children the same food that you eat – so long as it's healthy and low in salt. Preparing only one meal gives you more time to make it fun and attractive. This also helps to prevent your child being nervous about "boring" or "weird" adult foods.

6. Eat together

Meal times can be fun and social, which makes them an ideal environment to introduce new foods. If your weekday schedule doesn't allow for this, try at least to eat meals together at the weekends. As we eat later than Chloe on weekday nights, I often meet up with friends for "baby dinner." Kids often eat more and are tempted to try different foods when they are with their friends.

7. Be persistent

Continue to offer new foods even when they are rejected. Chances are, your children will get bored and eventually try and accept the new food.

8. Overcome consistency issues!

If your kids think mushrooms are "slimy", try making blending them into a soup or sauce. If they don't like the fluffy consistency of the yellow part of a boiled egg - try making omelets or scrambled eggs instead.

9. Share batches of home-made meals

Cooking in batches certainly saves time later on, but you do run the risk of your child getting bored. Freeze extra portions and rotate meals so they don't have to eat the same thing for a week. Also, if you have friends that do the same thing, swap half your batch for half of theirs to maximize variety. I swap chicken/beef dinners with a vegetarian friend who's great at baking. She then doesn't have to cook meat for her son, and I get out of baking.

10. Be sneaky

I have another friend whose daughter really only likes pasta. However, as she feeds her a variety of wheat, rice, spelt and quinoa pasta, she knows that she's actually exposing her to a wide range of grains. There's also always the puree veggies and hide them trick – one of the best books for this is "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld.

11. Stay calm

It's the hardest thing in the world, but do try and stay calm if your child won't eat! Assuming that you are not actually going to ram the food down their throat (never recommended, tempting though it may be…) this is the one area where your child really can exercise their will over yours. Once they realise they have the power, it's often game over. So take a deep breath and try and keep meal time as relaxed and happy as possible.

12. And finally…

When introducing new foods, always use the "because it's yummy" rationale, rather than saying "because it's good for you." Kids don't care if it's good for them, but they do care if it's yummy. By the way, this one applies to husbands too!

The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute of Optimum Nutrition in the U.K. Please note that she is not a Registered Dietician. She can be contacted at nourishbda@gmail.com