4 Tips to Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables

photo by Francois Carstens

If you have a child, the vegetable-eating battle is almost inevitable. You can win the war with these tips to get your kids to eat vegetables:

1. Think Outside the Carrot Stick

Eating common veggies like carrots, broccoli, and salad all the time can get boring. There is a world of extraordinary vegetables out there just waiting for you to find it. You and the kids should try new ones like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, radishes, artichokes, red cabbage, turnips, asparagus, and collard greens. You may discover a new family favorite.

2. Buy Kid-Sized Veggies

There are so many miniature produce options these days. I find that my children are more likely to eat vegetables when they are kid sized instead of regular sized ones that I cut up small. Their favorites are mini bell peppers and cucumbers.

3. Serve Them with Dips

Raw veggies make a great snack, and dips make them even greater. Ditch the Ranch dressing and try something healthier and tastier like hummus--there are so many varieties--salsa, guacamole, all-natural peanut butter, or even cream cheese with some dill. 

4. Prepare Them Different Ways

For dinner, steaming may be the simplest and healthiest way to prepare vegetables, but it isn't very exciting. Try making a slaw or stir fry, cooking them in soups, sauteing veggies on the side, adding them to casseroles or omelets, or baking them in bread. My kids even like to eat them frozen. Be creative!