CHILDREN tend to be the most fussy of eaters, making parents feel frustrated that they're not getting the nutrition that they need.

Well High Street store Marks & Spencer is aiming to end the hair-pulling and teeth- clenching meal moments.

They've come up with a range of food made as a response to new daily nutritional guidelines for children.

The guidelines have been developed with a nutritional consultant and detail the recommended daily intake of calories, fat and salt suitable for children aged three to six years old.

These have been used by the store to develop a new range of "Everyday Eating" foods for children, so parents can feel reassured that children are eating a healthy, balanced meal.

The food comes in green packaging so parents can find it easily and includes dishes such as sweet and sour chicken balls with fried rice, sausage and ketchup pizza and chicken fajitas.

It includes main meals, snacks and desserts, which the company claims contain no artificial preservatives, colours or flavours.

"Kids don't care whether or not their food is good for them, they just want it to be exciting and taste good," said Annabel Karmel, a cordon bleu chef who helped develop the food.

"Children are far more sophisticated than most people think, and generally enjoy eating the same food as the rest of the family.

"The trick is to introduce them to new foods when they're young. That's just what we've done with this range."

Mrs Karmel has researched the subject of feeding young children and has worked with a consultant nutritionist at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

She knows how popular the new range will be as it was tested on her own three children.

Before M&S developed their new food there was only one established benchmark - known as Guideline Daily Amounts - for adults, but no equivalent for children.

"As a parent of two young children I am very concerned about children's diet and nutrition in the UK," said Judith Batchelar, of M&S.

"Like many parents, I am aware of what my children should be eating in general but until now there were no specific daily guidelines."

The move follows increasing concerns from the Government, health care professionals and consumers about the health of the nation's younger generation.

There has been an increase in dental decay and more children are overweight than ever before.

With more and more fast food outlets on our high streets and convenience food hitting the supermarket shelves, there has been a need for more healthy options.

"Luckily my children have never been too fussy at mealtimes but I know several mothers whose kids are," said mother-of-three Maria Hughes, of St John's, Worcester.

"I often give my three burgers, pizza and curry because I can't cook a proper meal every night, but you never know if it's any good for them.

"I'm glad Marks & Spencer have brought out this new range. Not only do I know they're getting nutritional food but it's easy to find too."

M&S now plans to share its work through the Institute of Grocery Distribution, the organisation responsible for establishing the GDA for adults.

"A recent Government survey identified a number of problems related to the diets of children in the UK," said Dr Judy Butriss, of the British Nutrition Foundation, which has welcomed the guidelines.

"The range of products they have developed will actively help parents to choose a healthy, balanced diet for their children."

Parents and children can decide together which foods they would like to try.

There's a wide range of traditional English food, such as sausage, beans and mash, shepherd's pie and mini chicken burgers and fries.

There are also many international dishes with mild curry and rice, chicken noodles, spaghetti bolognese and cheese and tomato pizza on the menu.

"We will still be selling treat lines such as chocolates and novelty confectionery and these will be packaged differently to our new Everyday eating range to make it clear and easy for people to make informed choices when buying food for children," said Mrs Batchelar.

The range is ready to buy from any M&S food hall. Prices range from 39p for lunch box cheese dippers, up to £2.99 for 12 mini chicken burgers.