This is a sponsored guest post.
Most, if not all, parents struggle with getting their children to eat vegetables. Veggies are not exactly popular with kids. Even though it’s the most healthy option for them to eat, they don’t it, since their young minds and taste buds are more into sweet and delicious treats. If your child likes eating vegetables, then you’re lucky.
For some parents with kids who are opposed to eating vegetables, there are some methods for you to make them eat it. Try these proven ways to get your children to eat veggies:
Give Veggies As Snacks
When you want your kid to eat healthy foods, you have to limit the amount of the unhealthy kinds in your house. Remove the temptation so that when your child feels hungry, they won’t have many options but to eat cut up vegetables like cucumber and carrots.
Even if you prepare the vegetables and store them in your fridge for future consumption, do not entirely phase out other snacks. It doesn’t have to be veggies, but they don’t have to be junk food either. Try some from Snack Nation to give your kids another healthy option instead of just regular vegetables.
Suppressing them from other snacks and forcing them to eat veggies will make them crave more of the junk food, so remember to have a variety
Let your children help you in the process of having vegetables in the table. Take them with you to the grocery store and let them pick the vegetables they like. Once you get home, let them put away the groceries. You can find great storage hacks and take the opportunity to teach your kids on how to be organized in the kitchen.
When it’s time to prepare the meal, let them help. Children are likely to eat food that they made themselves. It makes them proud and excited to see and taste the result of their hard work.
Prepare the Veggies in Different Ways
Most of the time, when you serve vegetables on the table, kids will immediately frown. It’s time to get creative with preparing the food. You can try juicing the vegetables with almond milk so the “veggie taste” won’t be too noticeable.
You can even try recipes that you can do with a food processor. You can make your own hummus dip and serve it along with vegetable sticks. If you’re up for it, maybe you can also make a vegetable flavored ice cream. It may sound unappealing at first but did you know that there is a chili pepper flavored ice cream? Yes, such
Arrange the Food Into A Pattern
Have you ever heard of bento boxes? It’s a Japanese-style lunch box. It’s a fun way of preparing lunch for your kids. Try getting inspiration from this method of serving food. Create fun designs and patterns using the vegetables to make it look more appealing to kids.
Try arranging them into the things that they like, like their favorite animals or cartoon characters. You can even create faces on the food. Food with fun patterns are attractive to children and increases the chances of them trying it out.
Eat Your Veggies, Too
Kids look up to their parents and see them as a role model, which is why you should set an example. You are the first person they’ll learn from, so if they see you eating vegetables, it will encourage them to eat healthy, too.
It will work better if you serve them vegetables right from the start. Fill your plate up first and act as if you are excited to eat it. When your children see how happy you are with your veggies, they will copy you, too.
Don’t Give Up
Don’t get frustrated with your kids when they don’t eat their vegetables. Don’t force them to eat it, but don’t stop serving vegetables either. The trick is to encourage them to eat at least one spoonful every meal. When they do, praise them for it.
Most of the time, children just need to get used to the taste. When you ask them to eat one bite every meal, sooner or later, they’ll be familiar with the taste and won’t reject it anymore.
Final Thoughts
Children are naturally picky eaters. As parents, you always want them to choose healthy foods, but kids will be kids. However, the methods above are proven to be helpful. You have to make them used in eating veggies while they are young because the older they get, the harder it will be to make them eat those.
