6 food swaps that your kids won't even realise are healthy.

Parents, you’re going to want to write these down.

When you have a toddler in your life like I do, you quickly develop negotiating skills that United Nations officials would envy.

Step aside Ambassadors and Foreign Ministers. Mum has got this.

If I can coax my fussy little boy to eat something resembling a vegetable or a piece of cheese, I reckon I could have a crack at nuclear disarmament.

But, just like the UN, sometimes we have to have a couple of tricks up our sleeves to help get what we want.

When it comes to healthy eating, here are a couple of tricks I use.

1. Swap ice cream for “ice cream”.

This is my absolute favourite sneaky trick. It is so delicious I even make this for myself.

Grab a couple of really ripe bananas, chop them up into big chunks and freeze them. After about four hours, whack the frozen bananas into a food processor and process until smooth. It’s going to take a few moments longer than you might expect, but just keep processing. It will get there, I promise.

Related: You haven’t met a fussy eater until you have met this kid.

Once it does, you can serve your “ice cream” immediately or you can pop it back in the freezer for later.

This has been super helpful since my son discovered “dessert”. Yeah – thanks for that one Uncle James.

2. Swap flavoured snack crackers for corn thins and DairyLea cheese pods.

One of the things I’m always on the lookout for is artificial flavours, because I’m trying to make sure my kids get mostly natural foods. I find a corn thin or a rice cake with a piece of cheese is a great replacement. Kids get some grains into them and the cheese is full of dairy goodness.

DairyLea cheese pods are fantastic for the kids. They’re a mild cheese and full of calcium.

This is a great one for me too. A bit of cheese and a rice cake is one of my all-time favourite afternoon teas. Sharing something healthy with my son sets a good example and I get to spend some quality time with him too, assuaging my mummy guilt on two fronts.

See some of Dairylea’s other healthy snack alternatives for some lunchbox inspiration… Post continues after this gallery.

3. Swap popsicles for fresh fruit icy poles.

I love this idea because it’s a great way to use up fruit that is getting to the end of its shelf life.

Puree combinations of fruit and freeze them in your icy pole mould. Some suggestions: oranges and strawberries, blueberries and vanilla yogurt, banana, strawberry and yogurt, watermelon and pear.

If your puree is looking a bit too thick, add some fruit juice or a little extra yoghurt.

4. Swap muesli bars for dried fruit and nuts.

Muesli bars were the great treat in my house growing up. I never understood why my mother didn’t get them more often, because they seemed so damn healthy. But while they certainly aren’t the worst treat in the world, they probably aren’t the best option if you’re looking for something in that part of the food pyramid.

Related: 5 parenting hacks that will save you time (and your sanity).

This one is a little more difficult if your kids aren’t old enough for nuts, but a small handful of dried fruit and nuts is a great healthy snack for on the go. You don’t have to worry about keeping them cold or fresh. You just pop them in a small plastic container and throw it in your handbag. Done!

5. Swap the late afternoon lolly for a DairyLea Cheesy Pop.

I admit, I’ve gotten into the awful habit of giving my toddler a late afternoon lolly to try and get him through until dinner time. I pick the kids up from childcare and go straight to get groceries and, well, there’s the lolly aisle and in the late afternoon it can be difficult to stave off the tantrum.

A DairyLea Cheesy Pop is a great alternative. He gets a filling snack with a delicious source of calcium for those growing bones.

6. Swap sweet muffins for savoury muffins.

This is pure genius. I had some leftover corn, peas and ham in the fridge one day and made them up into savoury muffins. I asked my son if he wanted a “cake”. Ah, is that a trick question? Of course my three year old wants cake! Happily, this cake was full of vegetables.

Mummy for the win.

What sneaky things do you do to get your kids to eat healthier?