How to make kids eat vegetables?

Answer 1

give them to them from a very early age, worked for me

Answer 2

No one can make another human eat something that they refuse to eat. When I made it the child's decision, that usually worked best. It was a rule in our home that you must eat the things that are good for you before you receive treats. A two year old can learn very quickly that it is no fun to watch everyone else eat an ice cream cone while they receive none. We also had another rule that there could be one vegetable that you would never have to eat. We had four children so we made a board in the kitchen which this information was kept on. I always had raw vegetables and fruits as a trade off if the child's vegetable was on the menu that evening, so they could choose something else. We had a large vegetable garden in the summer and many days my children would pick vegetables from the garden and eat them raw with ranch dressing for lunch. I tried to give them the option of making as many decisions for themselves, as I could. My husband and I felt that this prepared them for life. They are all adults now and each one still has a vegetable that they won't eat, but so do I. Also I put cheese sauce over some vegetables and everyone loves this. As adults this is one thing that they all request when they drop over for supper. I hope some of these ideas work for you. Just think about it. When someone tells you that you have to do something, it is much more difficult to do than if you made the decision to do it on your own.

Answer 3

My son is now 34 and eats a wide variety of vegetables, however, as a child that wasn't the case. I'm sure the child psychologists would frown on my method, but I don't care--it worked. I did not want mealtimes to be a battleground. You have to make them WANT to eat the food.

Since his servings weren't that large anyway, I made him eat just one good bite--one cauliflower or broccoli floweret, one forkful of dark green lettuce, etc., and then gave him a small non-food reward, usually 25 cents or some privilege. The trade off was too attractive, and he mustered the courage. He still made a grimmace, but the bite was eaten without comment. After a few months, we worked on him being a big boy, the importance of vegetables, and he stopped requiring the reward.

Answer 4

My son went through a very faddy food phase at about 3 years old for no apparant reason! He had been eating all foods when he was weaned and up to the time when he just started saying that he didn't like stuff.

I used to find that hiding them in pasta sauces was a very good trick.... you could try growing your own veggies in pots, runner beans up a wigwam cane work very nicely as do peas and stuff like marrows and courgettes. Children these days don't seem to have a clue that their vegetables are grown in the ground!

If your child enjoys eating fruit, then don't worry too much about the veggies as long as they are getting their 5 portions a day.

You could also offer a tiny amount of the vegetable that they are refusing (like 3 peas for instance) and/or offer a dip (even ketchup) so your child can dip it.

Try offering raw vegetables, many children don't like the cooked texture... carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, sugar snap peas are all good.

Don't force it, your child will in turn come around, but don't get into the habit of cooking him/her separate meals. Whats for dinner is whats for dinner, eat it or go hungry.

Good luck.

Answer 5

With my 2 year old....what works best is to give him the vegetable that I want him to eat first. When he is really hungry he will eat them. Then give the meat and bread or whatever else you are including with the meal.
He usually will eat that kind of stuff even when he's not very hungry!!!!! Also remember to make them taste good. Take a bite before you feed it to your child. If you don't like it.....he probably won't either. Country crocks spread with calcium is pretty low in fat and it adds calcium and a bunch of other vitamins to the food. Not to mention makes vegetables taste alot better!!!! Good Luck!!

Answer 6

1) start giving them vegetables from an early age. If they are allowed to pick them up with their hands, they seem to like them a lot better.....
2) "hide" them in pastas, soups, rice, sauces or even in things like meatballs. At least you know they eat them and they get gradually used to the taste of them
3) offer vegetables every day, don't offer the same ones over and over again, don't overcook them, don't give enormous heaps of them, make them look attractive and, what the hell, if they want to eat them with their hands, don't be too fussy about it
4) when they are a bit older and are able to count, we always had the following rule: according to their age, they have to eat as many bites or pieces of the vegetables. So if they are 6 years old, they would have to eat 6 little pieces of broccoli. (I don't really understand why this works, but it does: according to my children they feel that it is "fair" . Also, they want to show off that they can count and that they know their age! The only possible exception is one of my daughters, who, when we pointed out that she would have to eat 4 spoon-fulls of spinach, would yell "no, no, I want 5!" and would eat it as well!! )
5) show the right example!!! If you don't eat vegetables, or don't seem to like them, why would your kids bother to eat them???
If you do like them your kids sooner or later will start eating them as well......

Answer 7

This is how I do it with my children.
In the winter I make a soup with every vegetable under the sun and put it in the blender, I tell my youngest its just chicken soup with no vegetables, sometimes he might find one and I say oh no!! dont worry we will take that out :)
In the winter I make vegetable juice, with my 'juice master' machine
Good recepie for a family is 2 bags of carrots
4 apples (this is the basis)
packet of celery (gives it bite)
brocooli
pear
cucumber

You can add your own choice of vegetables but you must use the basis.

Then of course I bribe them with their favourite desert / sweets after
good luck.

Answer 8

Always get your kids started on the veggie before the fruits, and if its too late for that, try putting applesauce on them if cooked. And instead of sweets, chips, etc. as snacks offer them those little baby carrot, boccolli, etc, with ranch dressing. If you have no junk in the house (even for just a little while) they will probably start asking for the veggies because they have no other options. And if your talking babies...try getting them eating the green veggies first. If you have a a babe or tot that is hooked on carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, (the orange stuff!) don't panic when they start ot turn orange themselves. It happens...just start mixing some of the green in and your little one will be back to normal color in no time.

Answer 9

Tell Ur kids if they don't eat there vegetables then they wont be able to grow up big and strong.... Tell them there favorite celebrities or singer eats vegetables and they will do the same...

Answer 10

I have never made my children eat anything they didn't like they were made to try everything though. i have also always made two veggies at dinner time so they could have one or the other. snack were never sweets and if they didn't eat all of there supper ther were no snacks or desserts but i never said if you dont eat dinner you don't get dessert. i never tried to talk them into it or convince them either they eat it or they don't. They are all eating great now and none are picky anymore i think its just a thing they al go through just because that is the one thing they can control.

Answer 11

Ha-ha...Grind them and mix with honey but you will be taking risk of making your kids diabetic. There is no good answer as each child is different. I guess, you will have to observe what works the best and improve these recipes. Of course, there is nothing wrong with trying to get kids eat whole carrot or celery stick etc.