6 Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables

So, you've got a veggie-hater, huh? Welcome to the club! Studies show only 22% of kids ages 2-5, 16% of kids ages 6-11 and 11% of teens eat enough greens (and yellow, and oranges ...). But just because it's the norm, doesn't mean it's not totally annoying! You want your kid to be super healthy and you know eating veggies is part of that equation. And while you can't force your kid to eat more vegetables, there are some BTDT tips from mamas just like you that you can employ to get a few more broccoli florets into your kid's belly!

• Go with veggies your kid likes! Most kids like some kind of vegetable, like corn or peas or sweet potatoes. If he's only got one he'll eat, no prob. Serve it up at every meal!
• Serve 'em when your kid is most hungry, like before dinner. Cut up some cucumber or carrot sticks and put them out for your kid to nibble on before dinner.
• Make 'em brown! If your kid will only eat foods in the beige family, turn his greens brown! Fry 'em up tempura-style in breadcrumbs and he may not even realize he's eating a green vegetable.
• Serve 'em with dip! Everything, even dreaded broccoli, tastes yummy when it's smothered in ranch dressing!
• Play games! We know you shouldn't play with your food, but if it gets your kid to eat his greens, we're all for it! Make up fun games to get your kid to eat his veggies. Turn broccoli florets into trees and cherry tomatoes into rocks and challenge your little "dinosaur" eat them.
• Make up fun names for the veggies! Sure, your kid might not eat asparagus. But will he eat "super duper power spears?"
• Grow a garden, take your kid shopping with you and cook together! Experts say if your kid has a hand in growing, cooking or shopping for his food, he'll be a zillion times more likely to eat it!

Hey, while you're here, check out our page full of picky eaters information!