I have tried hard to expose my children's palates to a variety of different foods since they started eating solids. In general, I have to say that my kids are not the pickiest eaters in the world. Sure, we down our share of chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, and pizza, but I usually don't have to fight with them to try new foods. I have discovered the secret to getting kids to eat anything.

I have yet to see it in any parenting how-to book, although I have heard whispers of it in friends' Facebook posts and I've seen evidence of it in action in many, many photos of kids happily chowing down on exotic, non-kid type foods, so, maybe it's not that big of a secret. But just in case you missed, or haven't figured it out on your own yet, I'm going to share it with you. Here it is: Put ketchup on it.I am at a loss to explain why this works, because I have clearly explained to my children that ketchup is little more than smooshed tomatoes with some seasoning in them, and God knows they wouldn't touch a plain tomato with their sibling's fork. If you poured a little ketchup over that tomato, they'd scarf it down in a second, no questions asked. Just to reinforce my point, I've enlisted their help to make our own ketchup. They especially love cranking away on the food mill. It's an enjoyable process for all of us, and my kids are completely aware that ketchup is mostly tomato. Still … dislike tomatoes, love ketchup.I am not the biggest ketchup fanatic, either. So, it is a mystery to me how this condiment became a staple at our breakfast, lunch and dinner table. I rarely make hot dogs, and while I do use ketchup on a burger, I am more likely to top it with tomatoes, mayonnaise and cheese. I personally love mac and cheese and tomatoes, but would probably not be caught dead squirting Heinz into it. How did they figure out that ketchup can go on every single thing on their plate? I'd blame school, but this infatuation started long before they were in school. In fact, school is apparently lacking in the ketchup area, because they have started asking me to send in small containers of ketchup for them to use with their school lunches.I think maybe it started in restaurants. Ketchup is usually on the table in most places, and a lot of times, when we are eating out with the kids, we tend to stick with what we know they will like, rather than spend money on something new that they may not eat. Squirt bottles are always a ton of fun to play with, and those little cups that they sometimes get to fill up from the big vat of ketchup are also a novelty. Maybe that's where they got the idea of putting ketchup on everything, and they soon discovered that we had our own bottle of giant, squeezy fun at home.When I say they put it on everything, I do mean everything. I've pointed out to them that pot roast already comes with its own gravy, and they don't need to add ketchup to get that saucy coating, but they insist. I think E adds ketchup to her mashed potatoes simply to turn them pink. When A's hamburger dripped ketchup all over his side of broccoli, he happily called it the invention of a new side dish, suggesting that the festive red and green combo might make it suitable for Christmas dinner. G takes things to a new level, however, dipping his sausage, eggs AND pancakes into it during breakfast, and adding it to pizza regularly."Mom, it just makes sense. It's tomato sauce, cheese and more tomato sauce!"I'll choose to take him at his word that it "tastes great!" because to me, it just looks like a pizza massacre.One of the unfortunate side effects of drowning their eats in the red stuff is that it invariably makes its way onto their face, their clothes, their hair, and basically everything within a 1-yard radius. I have managed to stop having small heart attacks when I see what appears to be blood coming from somewhere like their ear. Nine out of 10times, it's just ketchup. On that tenth occasion, when I accidentally rub at an open wound, I remind them that this is the consequence of being a slob and loving ketchup, and encourage them to try another condiment, or be neater. They look at me like I'm speaking a foreign language.I don't see this letting up any time soon. G has been seen eating ketchup by the spoonful, straight. Since I use my own recipe some of the time, and there are low-sugar, and all-natural options, free from artificial colors and ingredients, available, I don't think this is the worst eating habit they could have. I'm also grateful that colored ketchup, which made a brief showing in the early aughts, never caught on. I'd also advise everyone to invest in tomato farmers, as my kids will be keeping them in business for years to come.Liz Pinkey is a contributing writer to the Times News. Her column appears weekly in our Saturday feature section.