Joyce Thompson’s son wasn’t a picky eater growing up. He enjoyed eating vegetables — for the most part. “There were only like three things he didn’t eat,” she says. “And I didn’t like them either.”

If Thompson, co-owner of the Lawrence Nutrition Center, had faced difficulties getting her child to eat, she might have consulted Web sites like www.healthrecipes.com or books such as “Deceptively Delicious.”

“Deceptively Delicious” was written by actor/comedian Jerry Seinfeld’s wife, Jessica, and features nutritious recipes for children.

Within its pages rests the key to providing “peaceful family meals,” hails the book’s Web site, www.deceptivelydelicious.com.

“I haven’t read it, but I know she (Jessica Seinfeld) came up with a bunch of recipes,” Thompson said. “It was on the best-seller list for a while.”

Some of the recipes featured in the cookbook include macaroni and cheese with cauliflower and brownies with spinach hidden inside.

Before cookbooks like this one or “The Sneaky Chef” by Missy Lapine came along, parents might have consulted nutrition stores like the General Nutrition Center.

Whenever a parent asks John Wren what he recommends for children who don’t like vegetables, he directs them to the vitamin aisle.

Wren, manager of the Lawrence GNC, says he advises parents to purchase a multivitamin or a powder they easily can hide in juice or smoothies.

“We do have a powder that you’re getting 13 servings of fruits and vegetables that you can mix with a berry juice like Juicy Juice,” he says. “You will get all the nutrients, just not eating them.”

Thompson carries the same powder but says she doesn’t receive many requests for it.

“It’s kind of expensive, of course,” she says.

Another product Thompson suggests parents try is a Yotta Bar.

“They (creators) are hiding vegetables in a candy bar-type thing,” she says. “More companies are starting to do that sort of thing.”

The granola bars, which contain six to nine servings of vegetables in each bar, are designed to “create a healthier granola bar alternative that is all natural, contains the nutrition of vegetables and includes no refined sugars,” according to the Undercover Vegetable Co. Web site, www.undercoverveg.com/index.html.

Fortunately for Thompson, she never had to experiment with vegetable puree or veggie bars.

“I don’t have too many parents that are that concerned about it,” she says. “Most parents that are concerned about their children not eating well will make sure they are on a multivitamin diet.”