How to make your children eat vegetables

Information on ways to make children eat vegetables. Using creative ways such as with serving them and putting toppings on them.

As parents we like to make sure that our children are eating well and getting all the nutrients they need. Children need two to three servings of vegetables on a daily basis. But it always isn’t easy for us as parents to get our children to eat vegetables. We should try to get our children to eat them any way we can because vegetables protect against cancer and heart disease. Teaching children to eat vegetables now, when they're young, will help them lead healthy lives when they get older.

A simple way to get children to eat vegetables is eating them ourselves. Following our example, they may start eating vegetables themselves. Don’t say things like that, “If you eat your vegetables, you can have dessert.” These methods work for a little while but can end up back firing, possibly leading them to hate vegetables more. Also change up the meals you prepare. Giving your child new varieties of foods which will help her develop a taste for trying new things.

Sometimes the simple things just don’t work. We have to start becoming a little creative when it comes to making our children eat these vegetables. Insuring they get all the nutrients needed to grow up to be healthy and strong. By doing this in the beginning when they are small, they will hopefully help them learn to love vegetables.

Think of creative ways to make children eat vegetables. For instance, cut up vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, celery and assembling them in a creative way on a plate with dip for an afternoon snack. Or slightly steam carrots, broccoli, celery and olives and call it hors d'oeuvres. Or try using cheese sauce either by dipping the vegetables or by putting the cheese right on top of the cooked or raw vegetables.

There are cooked dishes that already contain vegetables like various kinds of vegetable soups. These could be even more delicious with some melted cheese on top.

You can blend vegetables in a blender and then add them to spaghetti sauce, meatloaf or anywhere else you feel it would liven up a meal. Children end up eating these dishes without even knowing they’re getting their supply of vegetables in it.

If you prefer, you can also add a teaspoon of sugar on top of cooked green beans and peas to give them a little sweeter taste. You could likewise top sweet potatoes, yams and squash with marshmallows. Doing this shouldn’t contribute to a sweet tooth as long as it’s a small amount offered with a healthy food.

There are also a number of vegetarian recipes available that vegetables can hide in, like zucchini pizza.

If you have a child that refuses to eat vegetables hopefully some of these suggestions I’ve listed will help to turn that around. In the end, you’re not just getting them to eat vegetables, you’re helping them to live a healthier lifestyle.