What do you do when your 5 year olds (twin boys) refuse to eat anything even resembling vegetables?

Question

I remember I hated vegies when I was a kid, too. I remember actually vomiting once when my mom forced me to eat broccoli. (She never did that again).

Thesekids are mostly perfect in every other way. I'm really a lucky dad. They may be a little spoiled, but far less than most of their friends. I give them vitamins, but I'd love them to eat something green besides sweet-tarts and boogers. :)

All suggestions welcome, but I'd really like to hear from parents who actually solved this problem!

WOW! What a bunch of great suggestions! I don't understand the thumbs down on any of the answers. I gave everyone a thumbs up for helping. I don't think I'll use every single one, but I'm going to print them out and number them in order starting with my favorite and start tomorrow! Thanks EVERYONE!

Answer 1

Well, I had a very picky eater...he lived on soft boiled eggs, peanut butter and toast and milk for almost a year when he was 2... I fretted so much but the Dr. said - "hey - he's getting his protein and other good stuff - as long as he's gaining weight, ride it out..he'll change". Well, he changed alright - he was picky until the day he moved out when he was 20. Now he is vegan and has been for 25 years - healthy as a horse...

Anyway, as to your question....If it is simply the nutrients in the veggies you want the darlings to get, here is a good way - it worked for above mentioned picky one. Most kids LOVE spaghetti and meatballs....ok, you can finely chop all kinds of veggies and brown them up in olive oil before you add the tomato products....season it all up well and let it cook a coupla hours... They won't even recognize they are eating carrots, green peppers, onions, celery and garlic.

I used to add mashed peas and really finely minced carrots to my meatball recipe along with the meat of your choice (beef, pork, chicken, veal, whatever) - along with the grated onion, garlic and some seasonings like oregano...Again, they won't even know they are eating them.

If you are more concerned about them learning to LIKE veggies - be creative. Cut up some veggies like potatoes, quartered onions, parsnips, carrots, cherry tomatoes, maybe some zuccini and whole asparagus..don't do them too fine but nice size that can be picked up with the fingers. Throw them on a cookie sheet, sprinkle them really good with olive oil, some salt and pepper - toss them well - make sure they are all one layer - then baked them at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes - tossing them around once...You want them to still be slightly crunchy but roasted a bit...then put them on the table right in the pan...don't say anything to them, just start eating them with your fingers....Let them take the lead. If you and your kids like garlic, you can mince some and toss with the veggies and oil before roasting.

Sooner or later, they will outgrow the veggie aversion so don't fret...the bigger issue you make - the more resistant they will be...I'll bet you know that already, huh?

Answer 2

When I babysat, I would have to give kids vegetables that they didn't like.

I would look as sad as possible, give them their food, and watch them eat it. They would look at me funny until I said, "Oh, I wish that I could have some broccoli. It makes you so big and strong, but your mom said that it's just for you. I bet if you eat it, you will get to be as strong as daddy, but I will just be weak. Pretty soon, you will carry me around or have to come babysit me because you will be big and I will be little."

The thought of reversing roles with the babysitter so tickled them that they would eat as fast as possible to show me how strong they had gotten from eating the veges.

Answer 3

This may sound strange but it is true. My nieces and nephews hated to eat veggies. my sister started showing them the veggie tales movies. now they seem to get a kick out of eating "Bob" and "Larry" the sadistic little kids :)

Answer 4

Kids will test their 'boundries' at every given chance. I remember stuffing potatoes in my cheeks and then going to the bathroom and flushing them away! i hated potatoes....

did I make my kids eat them? yes... and i got to the point where i could eat them too LOL

Sometimes, it helps to let them know that they must eat vegetables in order to remain healthy... and you can take them to the store and tell them they can pick out the vegetables for 1 meal a week.... but they have to eat veggies or their bodies will not grow as well.

I would stop giving them snacks and sweets until they can learn to eat veggies (what i mean by snacks is the candy/cookies/chips/soda/etc kids like to eat) it was amazing what my oldest started eating once he realized we all got ice cream but he didnt until he would eat his veggies!

Answer 5

You must resort to lies and trickery. :)

Mashed potatoes made out of mashed/pureed cauliflower is a great disguise. Cooked spinach doesn't taste like anything when baked inside brownies, waffles, or other baked goods. Shredded carrots, or pureed vegetables in soups and sauces (especially spaghetti sauce) go unnoticed. Spaghetti squash with butter, cheese, or tomato sauce on it looks like noodles to little kids, too.

In general, vegetables they don't recognize are easier to pass off than the standards. My daughter likes raw/blanched soybeans, if you can't believe it. She loves to pop them out of their pods like peanuts. She fell in love with artichokes and asparagus "sticks", but still hates cooked carrots, onions, and zuchini/squash.

Hope some of this helps, good luck!

Answer 6

Tell them that they can't grow up big and tall if they don't eat their veggies. I remember that my mom used to make me sit at the table until I ate my carrots. I hated it and sometimes I sat their for over an hour, but it worked.

Answer 7

ABC vegetable soup by Campbell's

vegetable lasagna

pot pies in the frozen foods--use a toothpick to prick their initials into the crust, or something imaginative to make it fun

baked french fries

Answer 8

show them spiderman 2. You'll see and hide chopped up veggies in their mashed potatoes, and put food dye in the mashed potatoes like cool blue and green colours for excitement.

Answer 9

Invest in a food processor. Puree veggies and mix with mash potatoes. (commonly used with my kids) Or mix with anything they love!

Answer 10

try lies i gues twin boys..hmm say something like they aren't veggietables they are magical super hero food that will give you powers! or something like that.

There are many different kinds of vegies out there i;m sure you could find at least one they'd like :)