Think kids hate veggies? It doesn’t have to be that way! Vegetables are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals to help our kids grow big and strong. Although kids can be reluctant to eat their veggies, I’ve learned a lot of tips & tricks to make it easier!
First, it’s best to start really young! Before kids turn 2 years old, they’re much more open-minded and adventurous about flavors. After that, they tend to get into a more picky stage where they prefer really simple flavors (think chicken nuggets and crackers). They grow out of it eventually, but it’s easiest to incorporate veggies from the beginning to make them just a regular part of your kid’s daily meals.
It’s also incredibly helpful to find ways to load veggies into their favorite recipes without affecting the flavor too much. For example, these homemade veggie tots have several different types of vegetables in them, yet they’re still crispy and full of flavor! They’re similar to these sweet potato fritters, which are almost like sweet potato pancakes!
These green monster muffins are packed with spinach, yet taste like a regular muffin. They’re one of the easiest ways to convince picky eaters to eat their veggies without a fight!
You can also toss a handful of spinach or other leafy greens into this tropical green smoothie or sneak some diced veggies into these homemade pizza rolls.
When you serve meals like these, you’re much more likely to see your kids eating their veggies than if you offer them a big pile of steamed broccoli. Start early, build off the recipes you know they love, and show them that you love vegetables too!
Need more healthy treats & snacks? My ebook Healthy Little Bites has 40 easy make-ahead treats to make it so much easier to feed your little one healthy, nutritious snacks everyday!
I get it. Feeding kids can be tough.
I’ve learned that the key to getting kids to try new foods is to keep it fresh and exciting, get them involved, and inject a little enthusiasm and creativity into how you serve them up. Above all else, don’t give up. If you’re serving balanced meals and snacks throughout the day, then you’re doing a good job!
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