Unlike in the past, when they were not choosy

[Bassim]

I am wondering if my sentence sounds natural.

Unlike in the past, when they were not choosy, the children nowadays often must be coaxed to eat spinach, broccoli and other vegetables.

 

[emsr2d2]

I am wondering if my sentence sounds natural.

Unlike in the past, when they [strike]were not choosy[/strike] weren't so fussy, [STRIKE]the[/STRIKE] children nowadays often [STRIKE]must[/STRIKE] have to be coaxed into eating spinach, broccoli and other vegetables.

See above. It's rather wordy but it's OK. You could replace "spinach, broccoli and other vegetables" with "their greens" in BrE. "Eat your greens" is a well-known and well-used phrase directed at children meaning "You must eat your vegetables".

 

[GoesStation]

Greens are leafy vegetables in American English. They include spinach, kale, collard greens, beet greens and turnip greens.

 

[andrewg927]

You can use "picky" in place of "choosy" and "coaxed into eating their vegetables" in place of a list of veggies.

 

[GoesStation]

Greens are leafy vegetables in American English. They include spinach, kale, collard greens, beet greens and turnip greens.

Also mustard greens.