It’s never too late to promote healthier eating habits, whether you have a baby, toddler, or teen. Having said that, it can feel impossible to serve a balanced, nutritious meal when one or more members of your family are finicky eaters. Try these strategies for getting picky eaters to eat vegetables if you’re sick of serving the same thing over and over again with little success.
Strategies for Getting Your Kids to Eat Vegetables
Last but not least, be sure to share these suggestions with your partner, caregiver, and grandparents. If you’re not the only one who cooks for your child. The Key is consistency.
Eat Meals Together Whenever Possible
I realize it’s easier said than done. The stars don’t always line up because of schedules and activities. However, try to eat vegetables with others whenever you can. This involves avoiding media distractions during meals, such as TV and mobile devices. Speak with someone! Put good eating on display during this time. If your child rejects the dinner you’ve prepared for the family, resist the desire to cook another one. Picky eating is only facilitated by this.
No matter if your child eats it or not, try to include at least one thing they enjoy with each meal and continue to serve a balanced meal.
Try One More
Don’t give up if a child once rejects a veggie. Continue introducing new meals and ones your youngster previously disliked. A toddler’s taste buds may need to be exposed to food up to ten or more times before they accept it. Ensure your child is hungry when new food is introduced and encourage them to try it. Keep in mind that having set mealtimes (and restricting snacks) can assist.
Make Eating Fun
Foods prepared visually appealingly and creatively tend to be especially appealing to toddlers. Arrange foods in appealing, vibrant forms that young children may identify to make them appear appetizing. Children of this age also frequently like any food that comes with a dip! Toddlers frequently enjoy eating with their fingers. Cut solid foods into bite-sized pieces that they can easily consume on their own, being careful to keep the portions small enough to prevent choking.
Include Vegetables In Baked Goods
Slip ’em in! Even though I strongly recommend giving your child vegetables, I understand that it’s not always simple (or fun). And that’s where baked products with lots of vegetables come in. This relates to another suggestion for persuading picky eaters to consume their vegetables: get your kids involved in the baking process. Many infants and young children like lending a hand. Also, don’t forget about smoothies. They are an additional means of including produce including leafy greens, celery, cucumber, and carrots.
Let Kids Help With Planning And Shopping
Make use of your child’s increasing curiosity. Allow your child to choose the fruits and vegetables for dinner at the grocery store. Let your child choose new recipes to try from kid-friendly cookbooks as you read them together. Involving children in the planning process lets them feel like adults, and we all know how much children love to be in charge and control. Give them the option to select 2-3 veggies, and then see if this empowers them to make decisions.
Support Kitchen Assistants
Sifting, stirring, counting ingredients, and adding vegetables to a pasta salad are a few cooking tasks that toddlers can easily handle. Have your kids make smoothies with leafy greens or roast Brussels sprouts with sea salt and olive oil. Even making your own pizza is a terrific way to eat lots of vegetables. They’ll be a rush lot more eager to consume what they’ve produced! According to research, youngsters who help prepare foods like vegetables tend to have more favorable views and preferences for certain foods.
Honor Veggie Victories
Your kids are more likely to eat vegetables if you pay them less attention and exert less pressure on them. But it’s crucial to acknowledge even little victories for vegetables! Instead of giving them dessert, make a whiteboard grid that they can decorate with magnets. When they finish the grid, they are given additional outside playtime, a fresh sticker book, etc. We want to try not to use dessert as a reward every night. For example, you can have a cookie if you eat your broccoli. The natural ability of your youngster to control hunger may be hampered by this. Additionally, it encourages children to indulge themselves after each veggie meal. Always use moderation.