Photo by Garen Meguerian via Flickr

The good—dare I say, great—news: More than 9 in 10 kids eat vegetables on any given day, according the Centers of Disease Control (CDC) in a new report. The not-quite-as-fabulous news: Only 12 percent are consuming green veggies. While three-quarters of kids eat red or orange veggies like carrots and more than half consume starchy picks like potatoes (read: french fries), green picks—spinach, broccoli, and the like—remain tough for kids to swallow.

Still, it’s worth it to keep adding greens to their plates, as they are the most nutrient-packed natural foods we can buy (or better, grow). “Green vegetables offer a high dose of fiber, vitamins A and C, plus vitamin K for healthy blood and bones,” says HHK advisory board member and nutritionist Dana White, R.D.  She lauds broccoli, kale and spinach as being the superstars of these superhero veggies.

Instead of forcing greens on kids, White suggests that we simply resolve to stick with it by continually introducing our little ones to new and exciting ways to eat them. “Just like adults, they get bored with steamed spinach night after night,” she says.

My kids’ favorite way to eat green lately is in a smoothie. My sister-in-law Hwashing was the first one to give me the idea that even a healthy handful of tender baby spinach in a fruity smoothie goes largely unnoticed. While I’m not always a fan of sneaky nutrition, this easy application of what I consider to be a pretty grown-up veggie is irresistible. I call it a Popeye Smoothie, and while my children are clueless about the cartoon that inspired it, the Creamsicle color and promise of big muscles seem to be enticement enough.

I’d love to hear readers’ ideas for helping their kids eat—and enjoy—their greens. A secret recipe? Zippy dressing? Comment below.