Getting Kids to Eat Those Veggies

I started very early with getting vegetables in my oldest child (who is almost 4). I am very lucky in that she eats very well and isn't picky, but I do have some tricks that I use in my kitchen.

We have a 2 bite rule. If my child doesn't like it, she doesn't have to finish it, but at least she's had 2 bites.

If she doesn't eat well at dinner, she doesn't get a treat after.

I make up stories...for example, kale in my house is called dinosaur bites. The first time I served it to her, I told her a story about how dinosaurs used to eat this very thing and it made them so big and strong. Raegan is almost obsessed with being the biggest, tallest, fastest, strongest, etc. Veggies will get her there! I had one friend who got her daughter to eat broccoli by telling her it will make her hair grow like a princess. Kids love stories. Carrots are high in Vitamin A, which helps keep eyes healthy. My dietitian friend tells her son they will make his eyes sparkle and he'll be able to see like Superman. Google what you're serving and tell your kids what the foods will do for their bodies.

Be sneaky if you have to be. Quesadillas cover up tons of things. Try this recipe here.
Get a box grater or food processor. Grate up raw carrots, zucchini, and squash. Puree raw mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, spinach. Stir pureed or grated foods into soups you already make. Stir grated or pureed veggies into spaghetti sauce. Buy 4 jars of sauce and 2 lbs ground sausage, turkey or hamburger. Brown up the meat. Puree or grate a couple carrots, a zucchini, an onion, a few cloves of garlic and a bell pepper. Stir it into the meat. Pour in the sauce and simmer 1 hour on medium-low. Freeze in glass jars or Ziploc containers and thaw/defrost as needed when its spaghetti night.

My friend Betsy purees a cooked sweet potato and stirs it into boxed mac & cheese. Whole sweet potatoes only take 5 minutes in the microwave. Sprinkle with extra cheddar.

Kids love to dip. Let them dip cooked or raw veggies in ketchup, BBQ sauce or ranch.

Kids love cheese. Cover new foods with cheese and see if they'll like them more.

If your kids dissect every color and question "what is this red thing?" I would start with casseroles and add pureed vegetables.

Check out some new cook books from the library or from amazon like these.

Check out these links for more info, tips and recipes:
Sneak in Healthy Food
Healthy Eating for Kids
Kid Friendly Recipes (that You'll Love Too)
Picky Palate Recipe Index
There are tons of recipes that pop up when you google kid-friendly recipes

Remember food jags, where they only want 3 things over and over, are normal for toddlers. Raegan used to go nuts for Nutri-grain bars. It was the ONLY thing she wanted to eat. It got to the point where there were melt downs if she didn't get a few a day. She was obsessed with them! Needless to say, I quit buying them. She didn't have them as an option and would eventually ask for something else. She's like this way about a lot of packaged food, and it helps if I either hide them in a cupboard or don't even buy them in the first place.

Post your veggie tips in the comments...