8 Fun Ideas to Get Your Kids Eat Their Veggies
Do you have trouble getting your kids to eat their veggies? I sure do.
My daughter used to be great about trying and eating just about anything and then she turned 2 ½. Now it is pretty much impossible to get her to eat anything other than corn when it comes to vegetables. So I had to come up with some fun and sometimes sneaky ways to get some veggies in her. Here are a few of my favorites.
1. Make a Big Pot of Vegetable Soup
and then add some fun noodle shapes
You can use alphabet noodles or look for some fun novelty shapes. You may be able to find some cartoon characters, toy and sports shapes etc. I have even seen pumpkin and Christmas tree shapes. With a little luck your kids will be too busy spelling words, or identifying the shape to notice all the veggies they are eating in the soup. 2. If You Can't Make Them Eat, Make Them Drink it
Pour some vegetable juice over ice and add a straw, a cocktail umbrella or a stick of celery and watch them drink it up.Here is a Kids Approved Juice
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated orange or lemon peel
dash salt
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
2 (about 3/4 lb.) Red Delicious apples, cored and diced
1-1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
How to:
1) Combine apple juice, lemon juice, orange or lemon peel, salt and cinnamon sticks in saucepan.
2) Bring to boil and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
3) Remove cinnamon sticks. Combine apples, pineapple and orange.
Pour syrup over fruit and chill.
Your kids may not get as much fiber as eating the entire vegetable, but getting them to drink their vegetables is better than not getting any vegetables in their system.
Cooking with Kids
Cooking books and tools
3. Have You Tried Offering Them ...
Some Raw Vegetables...
with some ranch dressing to dip them in? Many kids who don't care much for cooked vegetables will eat them up if they can dip them. Just grab a bag of baby carrots and cut up some red and yellow peppers and some cucumber.Arrange them on a plate with a little bit of ranch dressing or your favorite vegetable dip on the side.
You can also use houmous as the dressing, it is healthy and if you make it yourself you can ajust the garlic (or leave it out).
All about Veggies
Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini: The Essential Reference: 500 Recipes, 275 Photographs
This book is an absolute must for anyone serious about cooking. Winner of the IACP cookbook rewards, it covers every vegetable that you will ever come across in your grocery stores, in full detail.
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $43.87 (as of 11/04/2009) 
List Price: $65.00
4. Take It Even a Step Further and Let Them...
Create Artwork
... out of their vegetables. Offer raw vegetables in different colors and shapes and encourage them to make a vegetable collage on their plate. You can easily make a face using slices of cucumber as eyes, a baby carrot as nose and a slice of red pepper as a mouth. You can use watercress or shredded carrots or even some cheese as hair. Before you know it, you'll find them sampling their "art supplies". 5. Get the Kids Together and Make a Cold ...
Vegetable Pizza.
6. To Get Them to Eat More Vegetables at...
Dinnertime Try a Salad Bar
Put out some lettuce, some sliced or chopped tomato, slices of cucumber, shredded carrot, slices of red and yellow peppers, small broccoli flowerets and anything else you can think of.You may also want to offer them some choices when it comes to salad dressing.
Favorites in our house are Ranch, Italian, Catalina, and French. To top it all of set out some croutons and shredded cheese
The Sneaky Chef
The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals
A must have for all parents!
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 11/04/2009)
List Price: $17.95
7. Get Them Involved in the Kitchen
Especially When it Comes to Cooking
Ask them to wash the vegetables, if they are old enough let them cut veggies (under your supervision of course), let them help you stir, or anything else you can think of that would be age appropriate.
You'll be amazed at how proud they will be of their finished product.
Believe me, they'll try just about anything if they made it.
Cooking with Kids
Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up
This is a big hit in our house, the kids love it so much they want to use these recipes only! Used from $4.99.
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 11/04/2009)
List Price: $17.95
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8. If Everything else Fails,
Hide The Vegetables in other Food
Give a few of these ideas a try and see which ones work best for your children. Keep at it and sooner or later they will start to develop a taste for vegetables.
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Credits
Tanja Sund
The photo of the soup is taken by:
Cheryl Lee
The photo of the cucumbers/carrots with houmous dip is taken by Steven Woods
Photo with the black background is taken by Melodi T
The "saladbar" photo is taken by Josee Holland
The Food Pyramid for Kids
- MyPyramid.gov - United States Department of Agriculture - For Kids
- The following MyPyramid materials were designed specifically for children aged 6 to 11. MyPyramid Blast Off Game. An interactive computer game where kids can reach Planet Power by fueling their rocket...
... and tips for the families on healthy food.
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How About Your Kids?
Kids and Foods in Breaking News
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byDo you have a tip to get your kids to eat their veggies?
ChineseKitesforKids wrote...
My Mom used to mix veggies in her mash potatoes.... ha ha That's too funny that you said that. One thing that I like to do in my daycare is teach the kids sign language. I know it sounds weird but it really has been a terrific resource for getting kids to eat veggies. The kids are excited when they can communicate effectively with me and they love signing foods. Naturally they sign for a cookie, ice cream or candy first....ha ha But when its time to choose foods that are healthy they know how to sign carrot, corn, green bean, peas, grapes, apples, etc. They love signing "carrot" and then getting a carrot for snack, they're just tickled to death.
You have some really great tips here! Thanks for sharing! 5 stars! Come and check out our lens Daycare School Nutrition.
Posted June 02, 2009
Wysiwigs wrote...
Great ideas! Believe it or not, my daughter eats veggies just fine - I'M the one that hates 'em :o) I wonder if it works in reverse?
Http://www.squidoo.com/ConnieCrankpot
Posted December 16, 2008
oneskms wrote...
Some good ideas here and also think daoine has an idea with a little vegetable patch for them to grow some of their own. Please stop by our Disney Pixar Toys lens
Posted October 06, 2008
lisadh wrote...
Great ideas. My kids and I! enjoy spinach brownies, which sound awful, but are amazingly good. (Just doesn't eat them when they're warm.) The link goes to Parents magazine, which invented these treats. Try it. You'll be amazed.
Posted May 15, 2008
stargazer00 wrote...
Nice lens, great subject. I puree green peppers and onions and put them in spaghetti sauce. What about letting the kids grow sprouts? They might be more likely to eat them.
Posted May 08, 2008
Evelyn_Saenz wrote...
Great Lens!
Fancy Nancy is blessing your lens with extra stars. You made my day a fun and fancy.
Posted April 13, 2008
eccles1 wrote...
you are right getting the family to eat more veggies good job!
Posted March 22, 2008
DAS wrote
ADDA
Posted March 01, 2008
georgieworld wrote...
Great lens! So what is your take on the Jessica Seinfeld book about hiding the veggies in the kids food?
Posted January 06, 2008
tonyab wrote...
VERY nice lens - I have this problem and these ideas are very useful!!! Definitely 5 stars. :)
Zoobie Pets
Posted January 01, 2008
SmartWeb wrote...
You've been added to the links plexo on Healthy Secrets They Don't Want You To Know About... Welcome!
Posted November 18, 2007
Book-Club-Critic wrote...
I never make mac and cheese without cramming it full of peas and chopped broccoli. My boys love it, and I get an easy no fuss meal.
BTW, I just discovered Easy Mac, but you have to put a wooden spoon in the microwave bowl while it cooks, or you'll be left with boilover sludge in your micro.
Posted August 28, 2007
webseitler wrote...
You have a wonderful lens here on such a needed topic! Love it! Thanks for these ideas. :)
Posted August 23, 2007
willemvanweperen wrote...
Nice lense. Sparkling ideas. Too bad my children are already grown up. Maybe I'll benefit in the near future when I become grandpa :)
Posted August 20, 2007
Swiftwalker wrote...
again another great lens on a valuable subject how to get your kids to eat vegetables.
5 stars for your lens**
cheers Tony.
**please take a look at my lenses**
Posted August 08, 2007
Graceonline wrote...
My kids liked to cook with me in the kitchen. One of their favorites was "ants on a log." That's celery sticks, stuffed with crunchy peanut butter (we used the organic, unprocessed kind that you have to stir), dotted with raisins. (They're the ants.) Btw, I voted for this lens on www.lensroll.com.
Posted July 26, 2007
Minivan_Mama wrote...
I LOVE this lens! Great tips on a tough subject. 5 stars and I have lensrolled you on my Alpha Omega Homeschool Curriculum Review lens.
Posted July 18, 2007
Dine wrote
I put freshly washed baby carrots in their school lunch as their "vegetable/fruit" choice, along with a sandwich and dessert. Kids are so hungry at school by the time lunchtime rolls around that even if they have only a lukewarm feeling towards carrots -- they'll eat'em then!
Great lens topic!
Posted July 13, 2007
EverythingMouse wrote...
Great Lens. The idea to make them drink their fruit and veggies really worked for me with my 5 year old.
Posted July 11, 2007
CreativeArtist wrote...
Love your lens. Lots of great ideas! I plan to use some.
Posted July 07, 2007
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by surfsusan
Being a nutrition counselor I know how important it is to eat healthy expecially for our small ones. I hope you enjoy my lens.
