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1. Prepare the same foods. You are far more likely to bring up a child who is a non-fussy eater if you give her the foods you have prepared for yourself, so she sees you eating them. She will want to copy the food she sees you putting in your mouth – and it's far easier to prepare only one set of meals.

2. Make soup. Soups are a good way of getting your baby to eat a variety of foods, all in one bowl. And you can sneak all sorts of things in and make them disappear by blending.

3. Don't be scared of giving your baby cheese. It can be introduced as soon as you progress from fruit and vegetable purées. One of the best is ricotta, which is only one step up from milk – it's mild and creamy and they'll love it.

4. Stick to full cream yoghurts. Babies need these until they are at least 3 years old, and low fat yoghurts can have a lot of added sugar, so make sure you read the labels.

5. Eat with your baby. From ten months she will want to feel she's taking part in the same things as you, so sit with her as much as possible. If you find she's not eating from her own plate or bowl, pop some things on your plate and allow her to take them off and mimic you. Shop and eat together. Involving children in food shopping helps to build their relationship with food. Let them peel vegetables and plant their own in the garden.

6. Buy a hand-held blender. They cost £20-£30 and you can pop it into a saucepan and make mash, soups and fruit purée with very little effort, and it saves on the washing up!

7. Much of a fruit's goodness is under the peel, so scrub vegetables rather then peeling them. At 2 or 3 years old, children can explore whole fruits.

• Next: How to encourage your baby to eat part 2

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