Worried about your kid's eating habits? I know all about it. As a paediatrician, the most common complaint I hear from parents is about their child's total lack of interest in eating anything nutritionists would consider 'healthy food'. And of course, you're not helped by the easy availability of fast food these days.

But, get smart - no matter which category of foodie your kids fall into, the best way to make them eat right is to have healthy foods available at home. For this, a basic knowledge of the nutritional profile of common food items is essential. If you eat right, your children probably will end up eating right too.

Here are some strategies to make your kids get maximum nutrition with minimum struggle:

The Milk Hater

Milk is important for the growth of a child. In fact, it is often called a complete food because it contains almost all the essential nutrients that children need to grow. And so many of us battle with our children every day to make them drink sufficient quantities of milk...

Get smart: Quit the battle to give her a milk moustache - give her yoghurt or cheese instead. She'll get all the nutritional benefits of milk when you hide it in 'kheer', hot cereals, custard and puddings. Did you know that a cup of low-fat yoghurt or a slice of cheese has the same amount of calcium as a glass of milk? You do now!

Get smarter: Some kids really can't 'stand' milk. If your child frequently complains of nausea or vomits after drinking a glass of milk, she may be lactase deficient. Scientific research has shown that lactase, the enzyme essential for the proper digestion of milk, may be present in sub-optimal quantities in certain children. These kids develop abdominal colic, bloating or belching when they drink milk. Reduce the quantity of milk to no more than one cup at a time, or try offering her yoghurt and cheese. If she really cannot tolerate milk, consider soya substitutes.

The Vegetable Despiser

Most kids hate veggies - potatoes and 'bhindi' may be the only ones they tolerate.I advised Anita Singh to add vegetables to noodles her daughter Roli's dietary staple. "My daughter picked them off her plate and lined them up on the dinning table to make a point," Anita moaned.

Get smart: You've hit the jackpot if your child likes soups! The possibilities are enormous and you can put practically any vegetable in them. Grate the veggies fine or better still, mash them up well. Your kid's ignorance will be bliss for you!

Many children add sauce to whatever they eat. You can add mild pureed vegetables to the bottle of tomato sauce kept permanently on your dining table.

Feel luckier: Of course, you fall into the category of a lucky parent if your child likes fruits, because they provide many of the same vitamins and minerals as vegetables. Juices count too, but you should vary offerings and serve 100 per cent fruit juice. Since too much juice can decrease appetite and can cause diarrhoea, serve no more than 300 ml a day.

The Fast Food Addict

Pizza, French fries, burgers, noodles, rolls and a variety of fried foods have become the staple diet of most children. The problem is that fast foods are mostly starch, fat and salt. Like adults, kids over three should get no more than 30 per cent of their daily calories from fat.

Get smart: One method to balance dietary fat is to use only skim milk and low-fat cheese. Prepare a bowl of cut-up fruits - orange segments, apple slices - before dinnertime. Munching on these makes kids less likely to gorge on greasy foods later. More healthy versions of fast foods can also be made - oven-fried chicken, pizza with low-fat mozzarella cheese, microwave popcorn, etc.

The Sweet Lover

Geetika loves chocolates, candies, ice cream, shakes, biscuits - for that matter, even plain sugar. Her mother has tried to ban sweets, which has resulted in Geetika eating them on the sly.

Get smart: A ban is not going to work if the fridge and cupboards in the house are loaded with sweets. And a ban would only make sweets more desirable. Forbidding something is not the solution. Allowing an occasional chocolate or ice cream will reduce the craving and result in decreased consumption of sweets. Parents and other family members must set an example by eating sweets in moderation.

The Chronic Snacker

Many children prefer intermittent snacking to regimented meal hours. If this tendency is not controlled, the snacker will eventually become a meal skipper. Although snacks are important, since most kids cannot go from lunch to dinner without them, skipping meals will deny them a balanced diet. Gross snacking will result in deficiency of vitamins and minerals, and an overload of calories, making them overweight (weight management is all about balancing calories in and calories out).

Get smart: Don't try to make children give up snacking, instead provide them low-fat,low-calorie items, say of 110 calories or less. A child could choose up to one 'healthy' snack before lunch, two between lunch and dinner and one after dinner.