How to Get Your Child to Eat Raw Fruits & Vegetables

Prepare food with your child to make her more invested and interested in it.

Parenting small children can be frustrating for several reasons. One reason is that many children do not like to eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables. Getting them to willingly consume these healthy snacks is a challenge. Serving the plants raw is a good start, as some kids prefer the taste of crunchy, fresh fruit and vegetables instead of the soggy, steamed varieties. Still, there are challenges to overcome if you want to get past the childhood aversion to fruits and vegetables.

Things You'll Need

• Plate
• Dips (caramel, ranch, peanut butter)
• Bowl

Instructions

1. Slice the fruits and vegetables and arrange them on a plate. This makes them appear more like a snack than a chore. Enlist your child's help as you prepare them. An older child could even help slice under your watchful eye. When a child feels like part of the process, he is more interested in the end result.

2. Pour some dipping sauces or spreads into a bowl. Peanut butter is good for celery or carrots, while salad dressings such as ranch or bleu cheese are good on most vegetables. Caramel dip can be used on fresh apple slices to make them more appealing.

3. Place the bowl next to the plate of sliced fruits and veggies and present the snack to your child.

4. Eat some of the snacks alongside your child. When your child sees you doing something, she may be more inclined to do it as well. Monitor your child as she is eating to make sure she is not drowning the veggies in ranch dressing or eating more caramel than apple. The dips should simply make the food more appealing, not act as the main attraction.

References

• Huffington Post: 10 Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables