How to Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies

 

Children are notoriously picky eaters, which can be especially frustrating after you've spent time putting together a healthy, delicious meal. However, dinner time doesn't have to be a battle every night. Here are our six best tips for getting your kids to eat their veggies:

Don't push it.

If you try to make eating vegetables an argument or a bargain, it will only make your kiddos want to push back harder. Keep serving bright, colorful, healthy foods without the badgering and convincing. Instead, simply continue exposing your children to the foods you want them to eat and watch as they slowly become more comfortable with eating them. 

Model it. 

If there's one thing you can do to help convince your children that vegetables are delicious and worth eating, it's modeling that behavior yourself. Make a big deal out of enjoying your vegetables and talking about how much you like them. 

Serve with a dip. 

Dipping is a fun, sensory practice that can go a long way in making kids more comfortable with unfamiliar foods. Try hummus, sour cream, veggie dip, or even ketchup and Ranch dressing — whatever gets them to taste the veggie! 

Try new seasonings.

Bland, unseasoned vegetables are...not great. If you wouldn't want to eat them, assume your kids wouldn't want to either. Try new seasonings and mild spices to bring out stronger flavors. Looking for something they're bound to love? Our Everything Seasoning is kid-tested, kid-approved. 

Prepare in new ways.

While steaming is effective, it's far from the most flavorful way to prepare vegetables. Try roasting, air-frying or mixing into stir frys and soups to switch it up. Incorporate veggies into familiar dishes, like scrambled eggs, pizza toppings or inside quesadillas so your children get used to seeing vegetables as part of their favorites. 

Play games.

Don't be afraid to have a little fun with mealtime. For instance, does your kid feel any differently about asparagus when you pretend it's a green snake and bite off its head? What if you chomp off the leaves on "mini trees" (aka, broccoli)? Make eating vegetables a fun experience that they'll want to join in on. 

Above all, don't stress too much. It's normal for children to be picky, and their palates are likely to expand as they grow. Just be consistent and continue offering vegetables. 

Let Auntie Nono help!