How To Get The Pickiest Kids To Eat More Veggies
When you ask most kids about their favorite foods, it’s unlikely that broccoli makes the top of the list. Getting kids to eat enough veggies can be a challenge for any parent, but you’re not alone. Whether you’re feeding the pickiest eater or simply looking to add more variety to your kid’s diet, there are plenty of creative ways to make veggies that kids love to eat.
Why are some kids picky with vegetables?
Kids are still developing their palates. What tastes good to them is often limited to sweet, simple flavors and familiar textures. While the refined taste of an adult might love the slightly bitter flavor of a crispy Brussels sprout, they can be gross to younger taste buds. That doesn’t mean all hope is lost, though. It just takes some time and patience for kids to get used to eating veggies. Some experts say it takes as many as 10 tries before kids go from saying “yuck” to “yum” about the veggies on their plate.
Tips for getting your little one to eat more vegetables
Getting your kids to eat their vegetables takes a multi-directional approach. Experimenting with cooking methods, embracing natural sweetness, and including kids in the cooking process are all among the tips fellow parents and experts recommend.
Try different cooking methods
If you want veggies that taste good to the whole family, the right cooking method is key. Kids might gag at mushy steamed broccoli, but love the nutty flavor of the same bunch roasted in the oven. Different kids have their own unique preferences, so don’t be afraid to experiment. Some kids might be averse to cooked veggies altogether, but love the crunchy texture of raw vegetables.
Let them help you cook
Cooking together can help kids change their view of veggies to something more positive. The more you involve them with meal prep, the less unfamiliar everything on their plate seems. Kids will be super excited to enjoy something they helped make. Even just letting your toddler place vegetables on the baking tray or mash an avocado lets them feel helpful. And when you cook with meal kits like Purple Carrot, prep work is typically quick and easy, with plenty of kid-friendly, safe, knife-free tasks for them to do.
Start with something naturally sweet
A plate of leafy greens might not be the best way to introduce veggies into the menu. Try options that already have a little sweetness built in, like butternut squash or sweet potatoes.
Add extra flavor
Sometimes all you need is a little extra seasoning or sauce to make kids gobble up all the veggies on their plate. It doesn’t have to be anything too complicated either. Try a spoonful of maple syrup on some roasted carrots or a dollop of non-dairy butter on a serving of green beans. Pairing with flavors that your child already loves is a great way to increase positive association with vegetables.
Give them something to dip in
Vegan ranch or other dipping sauces make carrots or cucumber slices taste great to even the most picky eaters. There’s also strong nutritional reasons to add a dipping sauce to your kid’s plate. The healthy fats in a plant-based dipping sauce can help with absorbing fat-soluble vitamins.
Taste the rainbow
Involve their other senses to get them excited about eating vegetables. Some kids respond positively to bright, colorful foods. Many dieticians and medical professionals recommend painting a rainbow with your plate, so adding in more color is also a great way to make sure kids are getting a good variety of nutrients. (Yes, we’re making the case for rainbow carrots instead of regular orange ones!)
Blend with their current favorite foods
Some nights it’s just not worth the fight. When you want to make sure your kids are getting the nutrients they need, but nothing else seems to work, hiding vegetables in their favorite dishes is sometimes the only answer. If you’re making a pasta dish, add some extra veggies in the blender to make an even tastier, more nutritious tomato sauce.
Work on positive reinforcement
Eating vegetables isn’t a punishment. The more they’re exposed to veggie-heavy dishes in no-pressure, positive settings, the more open they’ll be to trying them out. For instance, if they see you saying good things about how yummy the veggies on your own plate are, the more curious they’ll be. When your kids do try out new vegetables, tell them how proud you are, even if they don’t like it on the first bite. Reminding them of how great they did by just trying something new is a start in the right direction.
5 vegetables that kids love
For parents trying to add more vegetables to their child’s diet, start with these five vegetables that are already in the kid-friendly zone: potatoes, bell peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes, and corn.
Potatoes
Great source of: Vitamin B6, C, potassium
We don’t always think of potatoes when we think of vegetables — and that can work to your advantage when it comes to getting kids to increase their veggie intake. This starchy spud is indeed a nutritional powerhouse and can be prepared in a variety of kid-friendly recipes.
Bell peppers
Great source of: Vitamin A, B6, C, E, K1, potassium
Crunchy and colorful bell peppers offer a fun, full sensory experience. Many kids like the mild, slightly sweet flavor, making them an ideal veggie snack. Plus, bell pepper slices are perfect for dipping in their favorite sauce, hummus, or guacamole — nutritional powerhouses on their own!
Carrots
Great source of: Vitamin A, B6, K1, biotin
Carrots are a super popular choice among younger eaters. And you’ve got plenty of options for how to serve them, whether as a raw crunchy snack or steamed and a bit sweet, topped with honey and cinnamon.
Sweet potatoes
Great source of: Vitamin A, B6, C, beta carotene
Mash them up, roast them whole, or dice them up and turn them into oven fries. The natural sweetness and versatile texture of a sweet potato makes them one of the most kid-friendly vegetables you can find.
Corn
Great source of: Vitamin B6, potassium, phytic acid
It’s corn: a big lump with knobs, it has the juice! Corn kid took this veggie staple viral back in 2022, and for good reason: corn’s sweetness, unsurprisingly, makes it a kid-friendly favorite. It’s perfect with a bit of vegan butter and salt, and eating it right off the cob makes for a fun eating experience. You can also easily slice it off the cob and whip it into a kid-friendly vegetable side dish like corn casserole or pasta salad.
3 quick and easy kid-friendly vegetable recipes
Get some inspiration for veggie-filled dinners that everyone will love. These family-friendly plant-based recipes are ready in under an hour and super fun to make with your kids.
Peanut BBQ Cauliflower
If you’ve got a kid that loves peanut butter sandwiches, this meal is the perfect way to acclimate them to cauliflower with the help of a familiar flavor. The recipe also features collard greens and roasted potatoes, so they’ll get even more nutrients. If they’re only brave enough to try the cauliflower, though, that’s still something to celebrate.
Delicata Squash Paella
This colorful recipe is a perfect example of hyping kids up with an appealing rainbow-like dish. They’ll also get a good variety of textures with soft and sweet delicata squash and crunchy almond slivers.
Zucchini Corn Cakes
Ready in just 30 minutes, your kids may not even notice they’re eating vegetables at all. Made with cornmeal and zucchini, these crispy cakes are the perfect balance of sweet and savory. You might want to shred the zucchini yourself to protect their fingers, but assembling the cakes is a fun way for kids to join in and help out.
Purple Carrot: Nutritious and delicious for the whole family
Increase your vegetable intake for everyone in the family when you cook with Purple Carrot. Our plant-based meal kits are chef-crafted and dietician-designed for busy families just like yours. Your kids will love to help out with these flavorful, quick and easy recipes. Shop Purple Carrot now and before you know it, your kids will be asking when it’s time for your next box of plant-based meals to arrive.
