For as long as there have been parents and children, there also have been arguments about food.

Moms and dads want their children to eat a healthful, well-balanced diet featuring lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and a variety of wholesome dishes.

Children, meanwhile, want to eat what tastes good to them. And if that means only having chicken fingers, french fries and hot dogs — well, OK then.

The problem is that many children tend to linger in the “kid food” stage, adamantly sticking to the childhood comfort foods they know and like the best.

What can get lost, experts in the field of children and food issues say, is an appreciation of foods that are new and different, as well as the opportunity for children to develop an adventuresome attitude toward eating that will serve them well throughout their lives.

Tom and Carolyn Stewart, of Lawrence, don’t want their children to get set into habits that might restrict their eating choices later on. They frequently encourage Andrew, 4, and Hannah, 3, to try dishes they haven’t had before.

“We just take a bite — ‘Mmm, it’s so good.’ We believe you should try it again with them, two to three more times before you give up. We believe they will acquire the taste for it,” Carolyn Stewart says.

They’ve settled on a strategy of modeling a varied, healthful diet for their children at mealtimes.

“As parents, we need to set a good example, because kids are so darn smart. If you sit down every night and eat McDonald’s, that’s what they’ll become accustomed to. Then you’ve started a bad habit,” Tom Stewart says.

Many parents try to encourage their children to eat a variety of foods, but children prefer to stick with foods they like. Ashtyn Rottinghaus, 6, Lawrence, shows her particular disdain for meatloaf and vegetables.

Setting an example

Though it may drive parents crazy, the reluctance with which many children view new foods is actually quite natural.

In fact, it’s human nature, according to Ann McGrath, assistant professor of behavioral pediatrics at the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kan.

“If you think about way back when we were living in the jungle, you didn’t want to try new things, because they might be poisonous. People who tried new things might die. So trying new foods is evolutionarily maladaptive,” McGrath says.

“If you’re living together in the caves, you learn from your parents what’s acceptable to eat.”

Thousands of years later, parents are still the key to helping their offspring develop a healthy diet — hopefully one that is well rounded and incorporates a variety of tastes.

And early childhood is the right time to do it.

“The first five years is the time when children form their likes and dislikes regarding food. Our goal is really to encourage them to try a lot of new things,” says Lynn Marotz, an assistant professor of human development and family life at Kansas University.

Marotz, a registered nurse, is author of “Health, Safety and Nutrition for the Young Child.”

“The whole reason for trying to get children to eat new foods is to increase their acceptance of a variety of foods because we know that the more variety a person eats, probably the healthier their diet is.”

It’s a common experience for children and parents to struggle around issues of food and eating — and that includes the introduction of new tastes to the table.

“It’s really a normal part of development that children are comfortable at times with only a few foods. As they get older, they decide to be more adventuresome and try more foods,” says Patty Metzler, a dietitian at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

“First and foremost, you want the whole eating relationship to be a happy one, trying new things and also enjoying the foods you really like. We have favorite foods, and children do, too.”

Involving the children

There are lots of ways parents can raise children who love to try new foods or who are at least willing to do so.

“The first thing is what we call exposure. You have to have that (new) food in the home and you have to have people in the family eating and enjoying that food,” McGrath says.

“It will happen naturally. The key is exposure. The more times that you’re exposed to a food, the more likely you are to develop a taste preference for it. By the time we get to adulthood, most of us have been exposed enough times to actually like those foods.”

Marotz offers similar advice.

“It may take 10 or 15 times before a child is familiar or comfortable with a new food. Children are very skeptical. Once they’ve seen it several times, they can become more accepting, especially when there’s no pressure,” she says.

Another effective strategy is for parents to lead the way when it comes to trying new things.

“Model the kind of behavior you would like to see in your child. If they see you eating a variety of healthy food choices, I think you’re going to have better, long-term results,” Metzler says.

“If you have a laid back approach, you enjoy food and your child gets that impression by watching you eat, then they’re going to be more comfortable with trying new foods themselves.”

Parents might try making their children an active partner in preparing a meal, especially one that features something new.

“Talk about what good foods are and how we can incorporate them into our meal. At the grocery store, let children pick out fresh fruits and vegetables that they would like to try. Getting children involved in meal planning and preparation will increase their acceptance of food. They might be willing to try it because they have a personal investment in it,” Marotz says.

Invite children to be part of the process, even if that’s just carrying ingredients from the refrigerator.

“You can encourage the child to help you prepare the novel food items. Just having them stir, season or serve the new food, simply being around it, getting used to the smell and sight of the new food — those are all very helpful,” McGrath says.