Before my son turned into a full-fledged toddler, he ate vegetables no problem. How I remember the days of steaming cauliflower and broccoli! Unfortunately, those days are gone and now if I even try and slip a few peas into a cheese-coated macaroni dish, my son makes us pick every single pea out as if we’re secretly trying to hurt him with fiber. I guess we’re lucky that fruit hasn’t really been a problem with my son, but vegetables remain a battle.
So, how do I get my kid to eat vegetables? Here are a few things I’m trying:
- Hummus: Now, I know not all kids like hummus, but it is worth the shot! My son will eat carrots, chicken and black bean burgers as long as they’re dipped in the stuff.
- Smoothies: My husband and I were late to the game on these. We should have started a lot sooner, but better later than never. Our favorites consist of baby spinach, blueberries, strawberries, 1 banana, milk, and ice. But you can make them however you want! I think the key is putting it in a cup that you can’t see through with a top and a straw. That way if your child is horrified at the sight of anything green like mine is, he or she won’t be able to see the color.
- Toddler Muffins: These are great and I have many friends who make them. Take it from me: I HATE cooking and baking and these mini muffins aren’t bad to put together at all. You can also add an apple to these, which I did during apple picking season because apparently, I’m an apple picking-type person. One of the many things I learned about myself once I became a mom. We also tried these oatmeal green smoothie muffins, but my son didn’t like these as much as the first recipe. What does your child think?
- Hidden Veggie Products: There are a lot of these types of products you can buy right from the grocery store. There is an actual pasta called “Hidden Veggie” by Mueller’s. My son will also eat spinach fettuccine with just a little melted butter. You can also go into the sausage section and you should be able to find, for instance, a chicken sausage that has greens in it. The appearance of green in this case, for some reason, does not seem to bother my son and I’m not having to scald my fingers picking greens out of hot chicken sausage. Lucky me. Lastly, the freezer section should have nuggets with hidden veggies, or you can make your own with all that extra time you have on your hands as a parent.
Other Resources
- Jessica Seinfeld (yes, that Seinfeld) has a great book on the subject of how to get kids to eat healthy meals. She is a mom of three.
- And if you’re thinking “Who has time to buy and read a book?,” then check out @kids.eat.in.color on Instagram. I’ve gotten a lot of great ideas there.
- This DC Area Moms Blog post on picky eating offers some great tips and local resources on introducing new foods to the pickiest eaters.
Compliments to the Chef!
My friend and co-worker Angie Goff has a fantastic podcast where she recently had on Chef Spike Mendelsohn. You may know him from Bravo’s Top Chef, and he’s also a father. His answer to the veggie problem? One day out of the week, cook with your kids—get them involved! Make food less of a “rule” and more fun! Or you can even garden with your kids because they may be more inclined to eat what they have grown themselves! For me, I don’t have any plants in my house for a reason. I’m incapable of keeping them in the world of the living, so I’ll be sticking with green smoothies and store-bought spinach pasta.
