From picky eaters to veggie lovers

How to get your kids to eat vegetables?

Do your kids eat their vegetables? If you already follow me on Instagram, you probably already know that my kids love eating vegetables more than meat. They can become vegetarian easily, but that’s not our goal at this moment.

Other questions popped up

• “Since when do they eat vegetables?”,
• “How you cook your vegetables?”,
• “What vegetables do they like most?”
• and many more.

In this article, I will share my own tips that I really do in my house. All of the tips are from my own experiences. Ok, let’s dig in on getting kids to eat vegetables.

Getting kids to eat vegetables

In this article, I will not give tricks on how to cook or hide vegetables in your meals.

My tips will start with us parents. It may not be easy. Thus, keep reading for these ideas and plans.

Everyone has different personalities, especially parents.

What works for me may not work for you, but I can give you some basic ideas on where to start.

As such, these tips come straight from my daily situation at home.

Kids, Parents, and Eating Vegetables

Here are two key questions that are important to ask yourself.

1. “Do we love vegetables?”

This is a fair question to ask. If we don’t love vegetables, don’t force our kids to love vegetables. It’s a basic rule. Kids imitate their parents. Kids are like soldiers who follow what their commander does.

They will be confused when the commander says “Eat your vegetables. Vegetables are good for you” but the commander never eats vegetables.

2. “Do we like only certain vegetables?”

What if parents only like cauliflower, broccoli and carrots, and they keep serving only those three vegetables.

• Those are the most important questions for ourselves.
• Is it possible to serve other vegetables?
• Is it OK to only serve three vegetables all the time?
• How is our vegetable eating habit?
• Do we like only certain vegetables? Or do we like all vegetables?

Kids, Parents, and Eating Vegetables

1. Choose three vegetables that do not have the same colors.

Why does it have to be different colors? Different colors mean different nutrition. Keep consistent with that and don’t serve all of three at the same time. For example: Monday: carrots, Wednesday: broccoli, Friday: bell peppers.

2. Start with small portions.

The goal is that everyone finishes their vegetables. Eating vegetables should be fun and it’s not associated with pressure.

3. Don’t hide the vegetables.

Well, you can hide it but don’t lie about it. It’s important for kids to know exactly what they eat. If we hide it, we still have to tell them what vegetables are in it. If they don’t like it, there is always room for discussion and try another vegetable.

4. Be creative on how to serve.

There are many ways to cook: fry, steam, and boil. Please, don’t worry about what is the best way to maintain their nutrition. Our goal is to enjoy vegetables. Keep to that goal first.

5. It’s an ongoing process.

Think of this situation as an experience for family bonding, learning together what vegetables everyone likes, dislikes and the compromise in between.

6. Stick to the rules & be consistent.

Rules are important. It informs our brain that we make progress, that we succeed. If the rule is everyone should have one bowl of vegetables before dinner, so stick to it. Everyone should do it and wait until everyone finishes their vegetables before having the main course. We can make a game by counting the time or counting the vegetables.

7. Set a Routine

Kids love routine because they know what will happen next. It creates a sense of security. They know what to expect. Set a routine when and how they will have vegetables.

Here are the routines in our house:

• My boys will have a big bowl of vegetables before having dinner.
• On the weekend, they will also have vegetables during snack time.
• I pack vegetables in a small container for their snack time at school.
• If they don’t finish their vegetables, they have to finish it when they get home.

8. Don’t overdo it with rewards.

Eating vegetables should become a habit, not an obstacle to conquer. Well, perhaps rewards can be given once a while…

I would like to share some tips on rewards. This is how we do it at our home:

Kids imitate us, adults. They see adults like someone who is in charge of the situation. That’s how we are, parents. We choose, we decide what is good. Let kids do that too. They want to be in charge too, once a while, like us, adults.

9. This is the ultimate tip: Make FOOD ART!

Yes. You guessed it, you are right. Making food art for them or making food art with them and having vegetables in the food art!

You can mix the vegetables they like and the vegetables they don’t like (in smaller portions) and make food art out of it. My kids eat with their eyes first. So, food art is definitely a MUST TO-DO activity to introduce new vegetables and fruits for them. Also, they love to be involved in the making of the food art. The more they do it by themselves, the more likely they will finish it.

Below is one of their food art that they made in our youtube channel: food art challenge. 

Enjoy these Ideas for Kids to eat Vegetables

It’s all about progression, not perfection.
One small step ahead is always better.
I hope this article gives you some ideas on how to get your kids to eat vegetables. I will be happy to share more ideas and tips.

You can send me a message.

Or take a sneak peak in our youtube channel. Let’s eat vegetables!

Happy to know you,

Sekar