How to Have Your Kids Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

We’ve all been there. It's dinner time, the meal is on the table. Everyone is served and conversation about the day begins with the backdrop of forks and knives clinking. Mealtime can be a pleasant experience, you’re thinking, until you turn to your child and see that the broccoli is still sitting, untouched on her plate. You try to no avail to get her to nibble at the veggie, but she clamps down her lips and looks at it like it’s a bug on her plate, and not food. This scenario is played out in so many households and many frustrated parents simply have no idea how to confront a stubborn child refusing to eat the green part of their meal. These foods are imperative for good health, however, so conceding defeat is not an option for a parent. Learn how to ease these foods into your child’s diet with less frustration and fighting.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Kids
• Vegetables
• Patience
• Consistency

1. Smile and Say Cheese
   Parmesan cheese is a lower fat but tasty version of cheese that can be sprinkled atop many offensive vegetables to make them more palatable to your child. Use it sparingly, maybe a half of a teaspoon per serving. The veggies should disappear much faster. If you have a lactose-intolerant child, then there are soy versions of sprinkle cheese that you can try.
2. Get Spicy
   If cheese isn’t high on your child’s list of loved-foods, then a little garlic powder or even a pinch of salt can enhance the flavor of a vegetable. If there’s a certain spice that you know your little one likes, then use that or ask them what they want to use on the veggie. Knowing that they play a part in the preparation may open them up to trying it more readily. For fruits like papaya or mango that can be overpowering, use a little sugar substitute or cinnamon to mask the flavor.
3. Raw Works
   It’s not necessary to cook most vegetables, and it allows your child to get the most nutrients out of them when they’re not lost in the cooking process. Try the broccoli or carrots or even string beans raw with a little low-fat ranch dressing as a dip. Kids love to dip things and will like the crunchy texture of the raw veggies. If they put their nose up to the look of an avocado, let them scoop out the soft, green insides and mash it up themselves so they can feel like they helped.

Tips & Warnings

• Be patient but persistent about vegetables and fruit being part of a diet, and of course, lead by example and eat them yourself!