8 Fun Ideas to Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies

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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:

2 cups apple juice
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 

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Cooking books and tools for you and your kids.

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

Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini: The Essential Reference: 500 Recipes, 275 Photographs

by: Elizabeth Schneider

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 Rating

Amazon Price: $43.87 (as of 11/27/2009) Buy Now
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.

Start out with a can of crescent rolls. Unroll the dough, but don't pull the triangle shapes apart. Instead push the seams together and bake on a baking sheet according to the package directions. Let the sheet of dough cool completely, then spread with some crème cheese (we like a vegetable or herb flavored one) and top with some thinly sliced raw veggies. Cut into squares and serve.

 

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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

The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals

by: Missy Chase Lapine

A must have for all parents!

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 11/27/2009) Buy Now
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

Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up

by: Mollie Katzen, Ann L. Henderson

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 Rating

Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 11/27/2009) Buy Now
List Price: $17.95

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8. If Everything else Fails, 

Hide The Vegetables in other Food

My mom used to make us some special orange mashed potatoes. We thought it was very fancy, but all she did was to cook some carrots with the potatoes and mashed them right in there. You can also cover broccoli with tomato sauce or cheese. Think of a dish your child really enjoys and sneak a little bit of vegetable in there.

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.

Your Secret Weapon for a Healthy Eating Lifestyle

Would you like us to help you cook healthier for your entire family? Join the Menu Planning Central today. We make healthy menu planning easy with kids approved meals.

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Credits 

The photo of the smoothie is taken by:
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? 

Do Your Kids Eat Their Veggies?

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Yes - no problems

forthekids08 says:

yes

Posted March 31, 2008

Veggies-Kids is that a combination?

 

Kids and Foods in Breaking News 

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Being a nutrition counselor I know how important it is to eat healthy expecially for our small ones. I hope you enjoy my lens.

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