Our Tips To Get Your Children To Eat More Vegetables

Getting young children to eat their vegetables has been a problem faced by parents for as long as anyone can remember. We all know that vegetables are healthy and children need to start their young lives off right by eating a balanced diet, but if they refuse to eat vegetables, what can you do about it? 

Let’s look at some tips on getting little ones to eat vegetables, such as kid-friendly vegetables and some cool ways to get your children eating, and enjoying nutritious food. 

How To Get Children To Eat Veggies 

Let’s look at some tips on veggies. If your children flat out refuse to eat what’s served on their plate, then it’s time to think outside the box a little and get creative. One way you can get them to eat their vegetables is to get a little tricky by hiding vegetables in food.  

For example, if your children love pastry items such as a meat pie, you could make your own pies, fill them with a little meat and cheese and make the dominant part of the internal mix out of broccoli, carrot, cauliflower or any of a number of other vegetables. They’ll still love the pie and get a vegetable fix in the process. This is just one example, but there are many ways you can technically “hide” veggies inside food they love. Any dish that is a favourite will work with this idea. Over time, you can start adding more and more veggies. 

Another method you could try is to make vegetables fun in some way. Maybe you could have your children create designs out of vegetables before baking them in the oven, or cutting slices of potato into fun shapes before boiling or steaming them. If kids are having fun and being creative, they’ll have more incentive to eat their creations. 

Something else you could consider is giving children some sort of incentive to eat their vegetables. It doesn’t have to be money, but anything you know they’ll respond to favourably. 

Fruits and Vegetables For Kids 

A good balance of vegetables is vital for their nutrition and growing bodies. Fruit can often be easier to get kids to eat, because they love the sweet flavours. While not every child may like every single fruit imaginable, they’re bound to have at least one or two favourites, such as bananas or apples. 

When it comes to vegetables for kids, it’s more about knowing what vegetables kids will eat. Many children seem to favour potatoes, perhaps because fries are made from potato. They need more than just starchy vegetables though, and one of the biggest challenges many parents face is getting kids to eat anything green. 

There are certain vitamins and minerals that are found in green vegetables – particularly green leafy vegetables such as spinach – that are not found in other veggies. 

Although it may be a challenge, you’ll need to find creative ways to get your kids to eat their greens. Things like peas can be easily blended in with their favourite dishes, as can small chunks of broccoli. Spinach, brussels sprouts and some other greens are often frowned upon by young children. In this case, search online for some cool recipes for kids that include these types of vegetables. 

Veggie Ideas For Toddlers 

Toddlers are often less fussy than kids that are a little older. Veggie ideas for toddlers are really about combining small portions of vegetables with something else they like to eat. Puree the vegetables and blend with something else they find tasty, spoon feed it to them in a fun way and chances are they’ll be eating their veggies without even knowing it. You could even try lacing a pizza with some thin slices of vegetables. 

Kids Learn About Nutrition At Kids Club 

When you enrol your child or children at a Kids Club near you, part of the curriculum is teaching youngsters about nutrition and healthy eating. This includes encouraging them to eat their vegetables. 

If you want to learn more, call Kids Club Early Childhood Learning Centres or book a tour now of your closest Kids Club Early Learning Centre, click here to view your closest Centre.

Book a Tour!

Call Us

As the leading provider of early childhood care in Australia we always put your child first. We are committed to 7 National Quality Standards.