5 Ideas to Get Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables

Many parents know the struggle of getting their kids to eat vegetables. However, it’s important that children consume this necessary, nutrient-dense food group.

This article will explore effective strategies to make vegetables more appealing to kids, all while making mealtime a more positive for parents and children.

Why it’s important that kids eat vegetables

Vegetables are particularly rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, offering various health benefits. The nutrients found in vegetables play an important role in growth and development as well as fostering a healthy digestive system.

By encouraging vegetable intake and establishing healthy habits early on, it’s more likely that children will eat more nutritiously as they get older.

You might be wondering how many vegetables kids should eat each day. It’s recommended that children 1-3 years old should have 2-3 servings of vegetables each day, children 4-8 years old should have 4-5 servings of vegetables each day.

While it’s important to encourage your child to eat their vegetables, it’s not always an easy feat. These following sections will explain some ways to make vegetables more appealing for kids, setting them up for healthier habits for years to come.

Offer fun and tasty supplements

One effective way to get your kids to eat their vegetables is by introducing fun and delicious supplements.  If you have a particularly picky eater on your hands, or you simply don’t have the time to prepare a vegetable, offering a supplement is a great option.

Plus, when they taste good, kids will look forward to their daily dose of nutrients.

The tasty and fun kids multivitamin gummies from Naked Nutrition is a convenient choice for your kids to get 17 key nutrients essential for optimal development and growth.

Offer the vegetable several times, in different ways

It’s common that children will say they don’t like many vegetables, especially when they first taste them. Keep in mind that many children need to try a food up to 10 times before they accept it, and even 10 more times after that before deciding if they will like it (1).

With that being said, try offering the same vegetable to your child in different ways to see and encourage them to keep trying it each time. For example, if your child dislikes a cooked carrot, try giving it to them raw with a tasty dip, or perhaps blended in a carrot and ginger soup.

Experimenting with various cooking methods can bring out different flavors and textures that may resonate with your child’s preferences.

You can also consider offering a small amount of the vegetable with a food your child likes, to help them associate with something positive.

If your child does not eat their vegetables despite your efforts, there is no need to worry, as your child will probably change their mind about vegetables at some point.

You can also try involving your child in the decision-making process by asking them which vegetable they’d like to try and how they might like that vegetable prepared. By allowing your child to be more involved it may help foster a sense of independence, allowing them to be more open and excited to try new things.

Involve children in the cooking process

Getting your kids involved in the kitchen can be a game-changer when it comes to getting them to try more foods.

When children are participating in the cooking process they become more curious about the ingredients and more likely to try them.  Start by taking your child grocery shopping and challenge them to pick out vegetables that they find interesting.

Once the vegetables are back home, have your child help wash, peel, and cut the vegetables with you. Not only will this help them develop curiosity but it will teach them useful kitchen skills as well.

When it’s time to eat, your child is more likely to at least taste the vegetables that they helped to pick out and prepare (2).

Choose different shapes, colors, and textures

Keeping things interesting in terms of shape, color, and texture can help intrigue your child and make it more likely they’ll want to try it.

Experiment with cutting vegetables into different shapes, and trying vegetables of a wide variety of colors is helpful. Not only does a variety of colors make the vegetables more visually appealing, but the different colors offer a wider variety of nutrients and antioxidants as well.

There are many ways to experiment with shapes and textures when it comes to vegetables. For example, try making zucchini noodles, or mashed butternut squash to mimic the texture of mashed potatoes.

Some kids might like a vegetable kabob or vegetables arranged in a fun shape on their plate. Visually appealing displays can help capture a child’s attention and make the foods seem more exciting.

Offer cold and crunchy bell pepper strips, or try chopping up broccoli and mixing into scrambled eggs. The options are endless, it just takes a bit of planning and creativity to keep your vegetable offerings exciting.  

Sneak veggies into smoothies and treats

You can also try a more subtle approach when trying to get your child to eat more vegetables by blending vegetables into foods they already enjoy.

For example, blend frozen cauliflower or even beets into a strawberry smoothie, or blend spinach into pancake batter for fun, bright green pancakes.

You can also puree carrots or other orange or red vegetables and add it to a tomato sauce for a more nutrient-dense dish. Consider incorporating veggies into baked goods such as zucchini or carrots, for example.

This strategy allows you to boost your child’s vegetable intake without them even realizing it.

Conclusion

Getting your kids to eat more vegetables definitely requires patience, planning, and some creativity in the kitchen. Once you understand the value of ensuring your kids eat enough vegetables daily, you can then take the necessary steps to increase their veggie intake. Consider involving your child in the decision-making process in the store and in the kitchen. Offer many shapes, colors, and textures to make vegetables more exciting.

Be patient and continue to offer your child the vegetable, even if they don’t like it for the first several times they try it. You can also blend veggies into different foods like smoothies or baked goods, or consider an easy and effective supplement to ensure your kids are getting the nutrients they need for optimal growth and development.