Dr. Lucy J. Cooke of University College London may just have the answer to that question. The doctor and her researchers learned that almost 80% of kids inherit that fear of food from their parents. This fear of food is called "food neophobia" and unfortunately many young food neophobics avoid healthy foods like vegetables, preferring the safety of less-healthy but more familiar foods.
So does this mean you might as well give up your dreams of parenting a child who loves sushi and salads instead of burgers and fries? No. Not at all. Kids will try foods when they feel comfortable with them. They may need to be exposed to a new food several times before they even take one little nibble.
Be patient, offer the new foods several times along side other foods your children already like. In time, they will learn that vegetables, and other healthy foods, really are quite edible.
Source:
Cooke LJ, Haworth CM, Wardle J. "Genetic and environmental influences on children's food neophobia." Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Aug;86(2):428-33.
