Vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals and fibre and an important source of antioxidants. They play a key role in supporting your child’s physical development, immune system and digestion, and Canada’s food guide recommends that half of every meal be made up of fruits and vegetables.
But if your kids are picky eaters, getting them to eat the vegetables you serve can be challenging. You may need to get a little creative. Here are 15 ideas to try.
1. Mix it up
Zucchini or cauliflower on its own can be intimidating. Instead of serving veggies on the side, incorporate them right into your kids’ favourite dishes. For example, mix zucchini noodles in with regular pasta or top mac-and-cheese with grated cauliflower.
2. Spread it out
Children should have two to three servings of vegetables a day. A “serving” is ¼ cup (cooked) for ages 1 to 6 and ½ cup for ages 7 to 10. It’s the daily total that matters, and you may find that multiple, small servings work better than three larger servings at mealtime.
3. Vary the prep method
One of the great things about vegetables is that there are so many ways to prepare them — steamed, baked, stir-fried, grilled, roasted, raw… And how you prepare them can completely change the taste, so even if your kids don’t like steamed carrots, they might love the oven-braised version.
4. Make it fun
Carrot sticks are boring. Carrot curls, hearts or stars are a lot more fun, and they’re easy to make. Simply cut the carrots (or zucchini or cucumber) horizontally into slices and use a small cookie cutter to make shapes.
5. Combine and conquer
Where your kids’ health is concerned, it’s okay to be a little sneaky. So if they love your mashed potatoes, mix in small amounts of other vegetables to boost the nutrient content without affecting the taste.
6. Let them dunk
Kids love to dip finger foods, and vegetables are a perfect option. Offer baby carrots, sliced mushrooms, cauliflower or broccoli florets and sliced zucchini along with healthy dunking options like hummus or salsa.
7. Let them help in the kitchen
Having tacos or pizza for dinner? Set out the veggie toppings in colourful containers and let the kids build their own. In the summer, fire up the barbeque and let them thread their favourites on a skewer for a custom-built veggie-kabob.
8. Make a veggie smoothie
Rather than serving vegetables on a plate, serve them in a glass. Blend a ripe banana and fruit juice with a half-cup of spinach and chances are your kids won’t even know they’re eating vegetables.
9. Offer food choices
Kid or adults, we all have different likes and dislikes. To improve your chances of success, offer a variety of foods and food groups to help your kids get interested in eating what’s good for them.
10. Serve the vegetables first
Put salad on the same plate as the hamburger, and kids are likely to just eat the burger. So serve the salad first, as a starter. The burgers don’t come out until the salad is done.
11. Grow your own
With a few pots, some soil and a little sunlight, you can have an indoor garden year-round. Micro-greens (baby kale, beets and arugula) are easy to grow and have 40 times the vitamins and nutrients of their full-size cousins. In just two to three weeks, your kids will be able to “harvest” a small handful to top their favourite sandwich.
12. Give them what they want — sort of
Let’s face it — kids love French fries. But who says you have to buy them from a fast-food restaurant?
It’s easy to make your own, healthier, alternative at home. Simply toss slices of sweet potato, new potato and baking potato in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper, spread them on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 F for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping with a spatula half-way through.
13. Release their inner artist
Sometimes it’s okay for your kids to play with their food — when they’re making veggie-face edible wraps. Any round flatbread will do as a base. Simply spread with hummus or cream cheese and let your child create the face. You can set out cherry tomatoes or black olives for the eyes, mushroom slices or cauliflower florets for ears, bean sprouts for hair and a slice of red pepper for mouth. There’s no limit on what you can imagine, and it’s a great way to clear out the crisper.
14. Lead by example
Children love to imitate grown-ups. If they see you loving your veggies every day, they’re likely follow suit.
15. Keep trying
If your child outright refuses to eat vegetables, don’t give up. Try again — and keep trying, with a variety of foods. Research shows that you may need to introduce a new food multiple times before your child accepts it.