We all know vegetables are good for you, but for kids, a baby carrot is a poor substitute for a nice, greasy cheese puff. It’s almost impossible to get children interested in eating healthily.

However, some fruit-and-veggie producers are aiming to change that. Bolthouse Farms, for instance, has introduced something called Veggie Snackers—essentially baby carrots with a kick. The product includes a pouch of spices that consumers shake over the carrots, giving the veggies a more savory taste. “They give you that crunch and flavor (almost like a Dorito) says Bolthouse CEO Jeff Dunn. “You’re going to lick your fingers and get the same sensory (experience) you get with salty snacks.”

Food outlets such as Giant Eagle and Walmart are making their produce sections more kid-friendly, too, giving them the flavor of their candy or cereal sections. Some experts say the push might work.

“I think the kid-friendly snacking stations are an absolutely fascinating concept,” says Cornell University Behavioral Economist David Just. “(Kids are) not concerned about beta-carotene or what diseases they might get when they’re 50. They’re much more in the moment.” (National Public Radio)

Paul Asay has written for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for PluggedIn and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He recently collaborated with Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, on his book The Good Dad. He lives in Colorado Springs with wife, Wendy, and his two children. Follow him on Twitter.