In an effort to get my kids to eat vegetables, I’ve schemed, wheedled, prepared tofu sausage and spent a king’s ransom on cherry tomatoes.

It occurred to me I’d left at least one stone unturned.

In a world of catchy fast-food jingles and slickly packaged carbs, I wasn’t doing much to sell the product.

I turned to Cornell University applied economics professor Brian Wansink, director of the school’s Food and Brand Lab, the same guy Birds Eye went to when it wanted to raise the vegetables’ profile with consumers. Wansink, author of the best-seller “Mindless Eating,” had plenty of ideas for me, from giving vegetables souped-up names to making variety work in your favor.

Among his suggestions:

• Accentuate the positive: Research indicates that a person’s expectations have a tremendous influence over experiences. In other words, if you think those green beans are going to be soggy, boring and bland, you’re more likely to hate eating them. Wansink suggests you give a kid a reason to think a vegetable might be good, maybe invoking a favorite relative: “This is grandmother’s favorite recipe for green beans.” You can also talk up the place of origin: “These green beans are from California. Have you heard of California?” If your kid is intrigued by the place, he may give the beans a fighting chance.

• Cede power: Kids like power, much like their older counterparts. You can give it to them by letting them choose among alternatives: tomatoes or corn? Spinach or peppers? “It’s all about ownership,” Wansink says. “If you give them a variety of things, then the ownership becomes, ‘What do I want?’ They can still think they’re master and commander of the food situation.”

• Sell the product: Giving vegetables cool names such as “X-Ray Vision Carrots” or “Broccoli Bits” has been shown to be effective in increasing consumption, Wansink says. I felt silly when I tried this on one of my kids, an observant 8-year-old who is already raising interesting questions about Santa. But my little skeptic proved remarkably open to my obvious (and very clumsy) attempt at manipulation. I’d definitely try this one again.

• Look for growth: You’re born with a fixed number of taste buds on your tongue, Wansink says. When you’re little and your tongue is small, the taste buds are concentrated in a small area, and you’re supersensitive to sour tastes and bitter tastes. As you grow, your tongue does too, and the sensitivity abates.

“The number of taste buds per square centimeter starts dropping, which is why many adults find broccoli pretty decent,” Wansink says. “Most kids who have gone through puberty find it pretty decent but a little less so, but once kids are younger than that” broccoli is a tough sell. “It’s tremendously aversive to somebody with a high density of taste buds.”

The bottom line: After a growth spurt, your little darling may want to give those sour or bitter vegetables another try.