Getting a toddler to eat vegetables early on is crucial as this is the stage when their flavor preferences are being formed. The nutrients in veggies are essential for your child's growth and development. Moreover, establishing a habit of eating a variety of colorful produce will set your child up for optimal health later in life.
However, getting your average kid to enjoy vegetables can be a challenge, so here are some tips to help your child develop a taste for veggies.
Let Them Sample a New Vegetable—Then Keep Trying
When introducing a new vegetable, encourage your child to simply taste it with their tongue before taking a small bite. Assure them that they can spit it out into a napkin if they don’t like it. Praise them for trying.
Even if the initial response is “yuck,” don’t give up. Reintroduce the veggie in future meals in different forms: warmed up versus cold, cut into different shapes, roasted instead of steamed, etc.
Offer Food Options—Including Different Textures
Give your child vegetable choices at every meal. This could be a couple of baby carrots, a few broccoli florets or several slices of red bell peppers, cucumbers or squash. Asking, "Would you rather have peppers or cucumbers?" is more likely to get a positive response than demanding they eat their vegetables.
Also, remember that your child might prefer fresh, crisp green beans over cooked ones or steamed carrots over crunchy ones.
Serve Vegetables with Dip
Kids love finger foods, so veggies with dip can be a hit. Try fruit salsa, guacamole, hummus, nut butter, pesto, ranch dressing and yogurt-based dips.
Rotate the dip choices at different meals and give your child ownership over their eating habits by offering options like, “Do you want hummus or almond butter tonight?”
Use Vegetables in Dishes Your Child Enjoys
Encourage acceptance by pairing new foods with old favorites.
Add veggies to dishes your kids already like, such as tacos, pizza or spaghetti. Filling tacos with beans and roasted vegetables can be a fun way for kids to try a new vegetable. Add zucchini noodles into pasta, use cauliflower as pizza crust or incorporate shredded carrots and chopped spinach into sauces and pizzas.
Sneak Veggies In When Your Child's Not Looking
You don’t always have to make a new vegetable obvious.
Juice veggies and add the juice to soups and stews. Puree cauliflower or yellow squash and mix it into mac-and-cheese or mashed potatoes. Use white-bean puree in place of butter in cookie recipes, or add pureed spinach to brownie mix. Shredded beets, carrots, or zucchini can be added to burgers, meatballs, breads, and muffins.
Take Them Food Shopping
Inspire your children by taking them food shopping and letting them help pick out vegetables. If possible, visit a farm to show them how their food is grown. Learning about where food comes from connects children with what they eat, and empowering them to pick the perfectly ripe produce is exciting.
Let Older Kids Help You Cook
Involve older kids in cooking beyond just setting the table. Let them pour water into a pot for soup or help put together a casserole. As they grow in dexterity and confidence, allow them to chop and dice, following a quick tutorial on proper technique and knife safety.
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Most Importantly, Eat Veggies Yourself
Model healthy eating by enjoying fresh carrots, roasted beets and cucumber salad regularly. Children are more likely to eat vegetables if they see you eating and enjoying them.
By following these tips, you can help your toddler develop a lifelong love for vegetables, setting them on the path to a healthy diet and lifestyle.
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**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
