On a recent visit with my brother's family, I was amazed to see my niece and nephew eating serving after serving of asparagus. My kids are fairly well-rounded eaters, but this is one veggie I've yet to conquer. "How in the world...?" I asked. "It isn't asparagus," he whispered, "It's green crayon asparagus."

Renaming a food to sound more interesting doesn't just work with small children, and it can be a simple way to get your family to eat healthier dishes at your next holiday meal. Studies have shown that when food is labeled with a "prettier" name, people are more likely to report that it tastes good. Researchers say that it's because when we hear words like "juicy" or "tender," those receptors in our brain are turned on.

So this holiday season, instead of calling your fresh veggie dish by its proper name, give it a name that makes it worth a second look. "Crunchy roasted green beans with sea salt," sounds better than "pass the beans, please."