Though it’s often a trope used in TV shows, getting kids to eat their veggies isn’t always the easiest thing to do. Of course, they’ll tend to want more fruits or junk foods because those foods often taste better. Yet, eating veggies is crucial for their growth. When it comes to getting kids to eat more veggies, there are lots of things to try. Don’t just pick one or two – try as many as possible to encourage healthier eating.
Choose Healthy Options at School
Help kids make sure they’re picking out a healthy lunch to eat, even if they get lunch at school, instead of packing their lunch. Schools that take advantage of school lunch delivery services often have a variety of healthy options, so there are going to be foods your kid loves and new foods they might want to try. Plus, when all of the kids are eating healthy options, it helps encourage the kids who are picky eaters to try them, too.
Model Proper Eating
At home, eat healthier options and eat together as a family. When life gets busy, try to eat together at least a few nights a week and cook at home to have healthier options to pick from. When eating out, get a salad for a side or choose a different vegetable, like broccoli or corn, to show kids how important it is to fit in more veggies when they eat. The more you model healthy eating, the more likely it is the kid will pick up on these habits and start eating healthier on their own.
Try and Try Again
Kids aren’t instantly going to like all new vegetables. While they might try one and find out they have a new favorite, they might also try something new and realize they don’t like it. Often, it takes seven to 10 tries before kids are willing to eat the new food and another seven to 10 before they start to like it. Keep trying and, eventually, they’ll start to enjoy eating more veggies. If they’re not willing to take a bite at first, have them start by licking the vegetable on their plate to see what it tastes like. They may be willing to take a bite after that.
Get Help With Cooking
Even if you’re a fantastic cook, it might be time to get a little help. Don’t hire a professional chef – let the kids do the cooking. Even the tiniest kids can help cut vegetables with proper safety precautions, and everyone can stir, even if it makes a bit of a mess. Have kids try out kid-friendly recipes for vegetables and they’ll be sure to find a few new favorites.
Make Them Accessible
Make it as easy as possible for kids to pick out veggies to eat and try to make sweets or junk food harder to access. While a junk food-free household may not be possible, these foods can go higher up on the shelves where they’re out of sight and out of mind. Instead, within easy access to the kids, keep a variety of vegetables that can be eaten raw. When they’re easy to access, and kids get hungry, they’ll likely pick out a vegetable for their snack.
Try New Colors
Green veggies are crucial for growth, but there are plenty of colorful veggies to try, as well. If the green color is giving your kid a pause, try out other colors like blue, purple, orange, or red. Even carrots come in a variety of colors, not just orange. The new colors and textures might be fun to experiment with during dinner, and kids are more likely to eat a variety of vegetables if they’re available in many different colors.
Get Them into Other Foods
Nothing will be a quick fix to get kids to eat more veggies, but they do need to start now. When cooking dinner, put the veggies into other foods to get them into the kids. It’s not necessary to tell the kids there are hidden veggies, but while you’re waiting for them to discover veggies they like, this will help get your kids the nutrients they need. Try blending veggies in with the soup, making or buying noodles with veggies, or hiding them in other foods.
Getting kids to eat their veggies doesn’t have to be a huge struggle. In fact, arguing, threats, and force can make the issue worse with time. Instead, try out these tips to help your kids eat healthier and make sure they’re getting plenty of the vegetables they need to help their bodies grow.
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