Worried about your pickiest eater and the nutrition value of the food he eat? By making a few modifications in what you buy or how you prepare them, you can make them even more healthy. Here, some smart choices even the most finicky child won't refuse.

1. American Cheese: Yes, this very square, very orange kid-pleaser is a nutritional winner. Experts like it because it provides calcium, an essential nutrient for bone development. The cheese is also loaded with protein, which repairs and makes new tissue, and is necessary for healthy skin and bones.

* Tasty tip: Serve cheese melted on enriched 100 percent whole-grain bread or whole-wheat chapatti for a fiber and vitamin boost. Fiber helps move food efficiently through the colon, and B vitamins such as niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, and folic acid allow the body to convert food to energy and help ensure proper functioning of muscles (including the heart) and nerves.

2. Chocolate Milk: This rich, creamy treat is a nutritional powerhouse. Children who drink flavored milk tend to drink more milk -- and less juice and soda -- than they otherwise would, adding that milk's calcium, protein, and vitamin D (which helps the body absorb calcium), make the dollop of chocolate and sugar worth it. Stick to full-fat dairy until your child is 2 because milk fat is vital for brain growth.

* Tasty tip: Chocolate milk isn't just for breakfast or snacks! Blend it with frozen yogurt to make a delicious calcium-rich shake.

3. Breakfast Cereal: It's a major kid comfort food, and a meal that will please the pickiest of the picky. Cereal is also a great source of carbohydrates, which provide the body with needed energy. Many cereals are fortified with B vitamins, iron (which helps the blood transport oxygen throughout the body), and zinc, which boosts the body's ability to fight infections.

Though cartoon-charactered sugary cereals are often fortified too, it's best to reserve them for a weekend treat and steer your child toward fiber-rich whole-grain choices, such as toasted oat rings or puffed wheat. If your sweetened-cereal lover won't budge, try mixing a sugary favorite with a whole-grain choice.

* Tasty tip: Top your child's cereal with blueberries, pieces of fresh strawberries, or another sweet colorful fruit. You'll add a dose of phytochemicals, plant-derived nutrients that bolster the immune system, as well as fiber and vitamin C, which builds tissue.

4. Yogurt: So many kids are fans of this smooth health food favorite, which is definitely good news for parents. Yogurt is packed with calcium, protein, and vitamin D. It's also an excellent source of potassium, which helps muscles and nerves function effectively.

* Tasty tip: Try sprinkling some bits of cereal in your child's yogurt for added texture, flavor, and fiber. You can also freeze yogurt, put some ice-cream on top of it. Decorate it with fruits. Kids gonna love this treat.

5. Peanut Butter: Peanut butter is a rich, satisfying spread for children and adults alike. Loaded with protein, it's a great food for preschoolers (but it poses a choking hazard for younger children) and is a good substitute for non-veg. Peanut butter also contains unsaturated fat.

As you may already know, peanuts can cause serious allergic reactions: If your family has a history of allergies, speak to your doctor before you introduce it into your child's diet.

* Tasty tip: Preparing peanut butter sandwiches with small pieces of banana delivers a dose of potassium, fiber, and sweetness. Preschoolers may also like a sprinkling of chewy raisins.

6. Pizza: There's a lot about this birthday-party staple to love, from the crisp bread to the tasty melted cheese to the flavorful sauce. The best part? Nutritionists say pizza is a balanced food. It combines carbohydrates and protein, the tomato sauce adds a dose of vitamin C, and olive oil a dose of heart-healthy fat. The cheese provides some bone-building calcium.

* Tasty tip: If you make pizza at home, tossing on tiny bits of broccoli or other good-for-you veggies delivers an extra shot of vitamins and minerals.

7. Applesauce: Children like applesauce because it's cool, sweet, and smooth. Applesauce has potassium and is sometimes fortified with vitamin C.

* Tasty tip: Applesauce makes a great base for good-for-you fruit dips. Mix applesauce and vanilla yogurt with your child's favorite fruit pureed in a blender. Serve with fruit slices. Kids love to dip, and they'll never know such a tasty snack contains calcium, fiber, and vitamin C.

8. Orange Juice: Children love the refreshing taste of orange juice, and experts love its nutrients, including vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, and phytochemicals.

* Tasty tip: Zip up orange juice and add a vitamin boost by mixing it with 100 percent cranberry or pineapple juice. For a warm-weather treat, freeze juice to make vitamin-rich ice pops.

9. Carrots: Who says kids hate vegetables? Sweet carrots are definitely the exception to that rule. The good news for parents is that they're packed with vitamins A and C, fiber, and beta-carotene, which promotes healthy skin and tissue growth. Because raw carrots can be a choking hazard, you'll need to soften and chop them before serving. Steam them or use your microwave to preserve nutrients.

* Tasty tip: To add more vitamin C, mash carrots into tomato sauce, or serve them with a low-fat sour-cream-based dip for a dose of calcium.