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12 Ways to Get Your Kid to Eat Vegetables

by Evelyn Turner12/28/2007 1:20:10 PM

When scientists map our DNA, they’ll probably discover an “I hate vegetables” gene most children have inherited.  Despite your valiant attempts to get your kids to eat vegetables, sometimes it can feel like a losing battle.  Here are twelve easy tips that might help the pickiest of eaters get excited about vegetables or, really, any new food.

1. Let them run wild in the produce department.  Do pomegranates or Brussels sprouts pique their curiosity?  Indulge and take some home.  You don’t have to buy servings for everyone, just a little so they can try a bite or two.


2. Talk out loud when you are grocery shopping, comparing cereals for sugar content or selecting frozen vegetables (a medley versus carrots, for example).  They’ll start learning more about the food that magically appears on their plate.


3. Have them help with meal preparation.  Studies show that the more the kids help in the kitchen, the more likely they are to eat the food.  They can rinse veggies, stir batters, and set the table. Kids are capable of helping with a variety of tasks.  Just make sure the tasks are age-appropriate.


4. Watch the clock.  No juices or snacks for at least one hour before meals.  Hungry kids may be more motivated to eat what you serve at dinnertime.  If they can’t last that long, provide some veggies and dip as an appetizer to tide them over.


5. Talk about the physical properties of the food - color, texture, shape, and aroma of the food.  Leave “tastes good” out of it.


6. Does your child insist that ketchup makes everything taste better?  Let them dip their veggies in it.  At least the vegetables are being eaten at all.


7. Dessert should not be used as a reward for eating veggies or new foods.  The message it sends to your child is, “Veggies must be really bad if Mom bribes me with ice cream!"


8. Serve new foods with well-liked foods so their senses are not overwhelmed.


9. Give them a choice.  “Greens beans or corn?"


10. If your child refuses to try something new, use the “No thank you” bite approach. Teach them that it is polite to eat at least one bite of everything on their plate, whether they are at home or anywhere else. This will encourage them to try new things, and it teaches them good manners too.


11. It takes 10 – 15 offerings before they accept a new food, which translates to 2 – 3 months. Again, use the “No thank you” bite method as a way of continuing to introduce a new food without pushing too hard.


12. Be a good role model.  Eat your veggies.

A Note About the Author: Evelyn Turner

Evelyn Turner is the owner of The Easy Entrée, where you’ll find hassle-free home cooking. In her spare time, she loves to read and go boating in the San Juan Islands. Evelyn and her husband Richard also enjoy seeing (and spoiling) their two grandchildren, Kyle and Rachel, ages 7 and 5.