We all know how hard it can be to get your kids to eat vegetables. I honestly thought my girls would love veggies since my husband and I eat so many. When my oldest was less than 2, she would eat EVERYTHING and try all kinds of veggies. As soon as she hit 2 years old, it all changed. At that point we started to get a little more lienent with sweets and other “not so good for you” foods. Although we are pretty strict with what the girls eat, I do let them endugle for time to time. I think my oldest realized salty and sweet foods taste so much better so it became more challenging to get her to eat her veggies. Below are some ideas to get those stubborn toddlers to eat their vegetables.
Smoothies
Every day I make a smoothie for my girls with either kale or spinach. Sometimes I add carrots or beets. You can get really creative and as long as you add fruit for the sweetness, the more likely your little one will love it! Our personal favorites are Pineapple Green Smoothie and Mango Berry Green Smoothie.
Dips
This is a great way to get your kids to eat more veggies. Depending on the dip you make or buy, you can add more nutrition into their diets as well.
- hummus :: is super versatile and is made in so many different flavors. It’s also really easy to make at home.
- mustard :: I love all things spicy and my girls are used to spicy things from being in the womb, so they really love Dijon mustard, but real honey mustard is also great for kids.
- tahini :: is ground sesame seeds and often used in hummus. You can also mix a little bit of lemon to make a nice dip or dressing. This is a great nut free option for kids in schools.
- peanut butter or nut butters :: most of the time nut butters are great with fruit, but it is great with celery (“ants on a log”). I also like making peanut sauce for stir fries and this would be nice with sliced up carrots, peppers, and celery.
Sauces
My girls really like whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce. We make a garden in the summer and grow tomatoes to make our own sauces. Unfortunately it will only last us a few weeks, but there are some good store bought versions, you just need to pay attention to the labels for sodium content. Buying plain canned or fresh tomatoes and adding your own vegetables is another way to get added nutrition and your kids won’t even know. Onions, garlic, carrots, eggplants, zucchini, summer squash, etc. Put all of the vegetables and canned or fresh tomatoes in a blinder to combine, then simmer on the stove for about 15 minutes.
Roasted
- sweet potato :: I always make my own roasted sweet potato “fries” because they are super easy and my girls like them.
- broccoli :: Roasting broccoli with a little bit of soy and sesame seed oil has the perfect amount of salt and a little crispy.
- kale :: kale chips are easy to make and kids like the crunch. Plus you get to control the amount of salt.
- carrots :: add a little bit of maple syrup and or cinnamon for extra sweetness.
Fun shapes
- spiralize
- thin slices
- create fun designs
Breakfast foods
- muffins :: this is one of the easiest ways to get kids to eat vegetables and there are so many different recipes online. The chocolate muffin recipe pictured above can be found here. This was definitely a hit with my kids, especially my youngest.
- pancakes :: my girls eat pancakes often and I like to try to make them as healthy as possible, check this recipe out here.
Purees
I made more purees when my girls were younger, but they can still be great when I make my own pouches. Whenever I make a vegetable, I always add an apple to sweeten it up. Sweet potato and apple is our go to puree and sometimes I add it with plain yogurt. Beets mixed with strawberries is another winner.
Add Sweetness
Who doesn’t like sweet things? I certainly have a sweet tooth and so do my girls. Some vegetables go really well with natural sweeteners, like roasted carrots and maple syrup. Maple glazed brussels are also great too. Another recipe my daughters love and ask for almost every day is this avocado pudding recipe. Although it has a little bit of cane sugar, it is really healthy and delicious. My girls will now eat my homemade guacamole without a problem. I think because I introduced them to avocado in this sweet pudding, it really helped to get them used to the taste.
Always serve vegetables first
Giving kids food in courses can really help get them to eat their vegetables. When they are really hungry, they will be more likely to eat them. This is something I try to do at lunch and dinner. On Sundays, I try to prep foods to make my life a little easier and I usually cut up vegetables for my family. That way it is really easy to give the girls snacks. When I am making the rest of their lunch and or dinner, I will give them the pre-cut vegetables first while they wait.
Just remember, don’t give up! Kids taste buds are always changing as they discover new flavors and textures. Something they didn’t like months ago, they might like now. As they start to get more used to the flavors of vegetables you will be able to pick out the ones they will eat. Pair the ones you know they will eat with new ones they haven’t tried yet or didn’t like originally. It is possible to have a kid that likes vegetables!
Resource:
Get Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables, parents.com :: this is a great article with additional tips and amazing recipe ideas. It’s worth the read!
