8 Suggestions on How to Make Your Kids Eat Vegetables

Feeding your little angels can be a tug of war between you and the kids.  Parents just want the best for their children and making them eat vegetables is one of such ways.  Vegetables are a major source of vitamins and minerals. But sadly, most kids are not fond of eating vegetables.  How do you make them eat vegetables? Here are some suggestions:

1. The most basic advice to make your kids eat vegetable is to show them that you are also eating vegetables.  How can you expect kids to eat their vegetables if they see you picking and setting aside vegetables in your plate?

2. Do not forget that kids have their own minds too.  Thus, do not force them to eat vegetables which they do not like.  You might consider taking them along while shopping for food and allowing them to pick vegetables they want to eat. 

3. Be creative. You can blend in vegetables with their favorite recipes.  For example, mince carrots, potatoes, lettuces, and cabbages, and mix them with their meatballs. They might suspect that it tastes rather different but since it is their favorite food, they will eat it anyway.

4. If the child is old enough to understand kitchen duties, why not encourage kids to prepare, chop, mince, or cut the vegetables? Engage them in conversation as to how various vegetables are prepared and cooked differently.  In this way, you ignite the interest of the child about vegetables and there is a greater possibility that the child will eat what he or she had helped prepare.

5. Do not overwhelm your kids with huge portions of vegetables. One slice and one bite may be enough temporarily.  What’s important is that minor success is already achieved in trying to make your kid eat vegetables. 

6. It is not only adults who are lured into eating because the food was prepared and well presented.  Kids will appreciate it too if they see vegetables shaped as their favorite shapes, cartoon characters, animals, and even letters of the alphabet. Divert their attention to vegetables per se from letter a to potatoes and from rabbit to carrots as examples.

7. Make a deal with your children.  They won’t get to watch their favorite cartoon on TV if they won’t eat a single bite of vegetables in their plate.  You must remember that even if they are kids, they also have the right to choose what they want to eat. A little compromise between the two of you will help.

8. Show them pictures of their favorite hero, TV character, toy characters, and favorite relatives eating vegetables.  Kids tend to follow their role models and it will be a big help if you show them these kinds of pictures if you want them to eat their vegetables. 

          There you have it, eight suggestions on how to make your kids eat their vegetables.  It doesn’t have to be a tug of war and battle of wits to accomplish this.  All you need is to respect that kids can make their choices and decisions too.  With that as a fresh start in your mind, making your kids eat vegetables will be a healthy affair for both of you.  

Contributed by Alden I. Bula who maintains two blogs: www.aldenbula.wordpress.com and www.denal.wordpress.com.