How do I get my kids to eat more veggies?

Question

Sometimes my daughter will try one bite, but that's it. My son won't even touch them..No matter what I do.

Answer 1

I guess this is a problem most parents face - so here are a few tips -

1. Persistence pays - keep on offering veggies at lunch/ dinner time - ask them to try atleast 1 bite.
2. Set an example by eating healthy yourself - kids learn from their parents
3. Try innovative veggie dishes - maybe a Thai curry or a Mexican dish or a baked veggie dish with cheese and pasta or even in soups.
4. Cut out all junk foods - dont even keep them at home. I have a friend who offers her kids veggies, but when they don't eat it she offers them junk food or milk as she feels guilty about them going hungry - remember kids will eat if they are really really hungry! Ask your pediatrician.

Answer 2

How old are they? Can you grow some of your own veggies? Maybe by seeing the miracle of seed-to-vegetable they will get interested and feel some pride of ownership. Did you like veggies as a kid? Think back to your own experience. What are their blood types? Some blood types resonate better with specific foods than others. Maybe you need to try more variety on them. Something just might click... Raw organic veggies probably taste better than cooked factory farmed stuff. Or you could just put sugar on them (the vegetables, not the kids). Caramelized onions are a whole 'nother "animal." This is a great strategy if they're still on their baby teeth which are just gonna be replaced anyway.

Answer 3

Hi!
Try giving veggies as a snack. Make a dip and place carrots, brocoli, red peppers, celeri, cucumbers around and let them dip in.

If they are young, have them help you prepare meals along with you and ask for advice on what veggies you should use.

Make them a good hearthy home-made soup! If it still does not work, pass the soup through a mixer and have them drink it out of a cup. Fast and easy to eat, all they have to do is gobble up and run!
For very young kids, telling stories while feeding them works wonders. Make the vegetables part of your story, with our son, brocoli became little trees that grew in a field of mashed potatoes that had to be eaten before the sheep (meat) got to it!!! Believe it or not it worked.

And show them how YOU like veggies... If you hate the stuff and try to feed it to your kids it won't work!

Answer 4

This is another one i learned that tastes great and i eat it and my kids love it, If your kids like cheesy scrambled eggs, Shred carrots like with a cheese grater and they are disguised and put a lot in there , it gives the eggs a mildly sweet taste and its really good for you, Make sure you only use one yolk egg for each person and use egg whites only for the rest of the serving. It would defeat the healthy purpose if you used bad stuff for you. My kids have loved veggies since they were born, but they were rasied on them. PLus, baby fruit, the kid for the newborns is REALLY good. I eat it still, lol, so try that, let them pick out their own ones. They are tastey. Veggies are not that important yet, as long as they are taking complete vitamins, and eating fruit. Also cut up fine peices of spinach and put it in speghetti, it is REALLY good, and cut up several tomatoes and put them in the sauce if your buying store bought. Also try speghetti squash instead of noodles. Dont let them see you cook it, and they will love it, lol

Answer 5

I sneak them in all the time, but not for the kids... For my husband... LOL. Buy a food processor!!! Carrots disappear well in macaroni and cheese. Finely chopped spinach looks like basil in spaghetti sauce. Mixed pureed cailflower with mashed potatoes. I have even hidden green beans in meatloaf. Be creative. And keep offering them because they may change their minds as the food become more familiar. The rule at our house is that you don't have to like it, and don't even have to eat it all- but you DO have to try it. They'll come around. Plus, offering children between 2-4 a "dip" of their choice (ketchup, ranch, etc) will get them to eat darn near anything... Good luck.

Answer 6

sometimes its the texture they don't like so try serving them raw and experimenting with different kinds of dips. You can also make it fun for them if the veggies are cut into different shapes.

Answer 7

try making a veggie pizza just don't tell them lots of cheese also try breading them and either fry them or bake them make there favorite dipping sauce. It worked with mine. Good Luck

Answer 8

Try disguising them, of making them part of other foods. For example..... Putting peanut butter and a few raisens on celery makes it ants on a log. A kid favorite.... Honey on steamed carrots is another kid favorite.... Be creative

Answer 9

I found some info on this site...
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/kids/feature/dony199612_ffasknut/dony199612_ffasknut2.html

Answer 10

TAKE AWAY THEIR FREE TIME, OR ELSE COVER THEM,
THE VEGGIES, WITH CHOCOLATE!!!