No Pressure Ways Getting Kids To Eat Veggies and Fruits
By Jeff
Week after week, we try getting kids to eat veggies and fruits but our actual menu consists of mac and cheese, chicken nuggets and pizza.
Some of our kids are growing into these picky eaters and they won’t touch veggies and fruits and prefer only certain foods at certain times.
Does every bite seem like a battle making dinner time stressful? I think most of us can raise our hands.
Many of us try and stay patient believing they will grow out of it but did you know 25 percent of kids don’t outgrow their resistance to try veggies and fruits?
Tips In Getting Kids To Eat Veggies and Fruits
Each week, stock your refrigerator with fresh fruits and vegetables to eat in meals or as snacks. And don’t be afraid to try something new. If you’re not sure how to prepare a food, you can always find information in a cookbook or online.
Here’s a good rule for eating fruits and vegetables and it is a fun way to get your child involved. They should eat a rainbow as often as possible. If they’re eating all different colors they get the nutrients they need. For example, they could have a banana at breakfast, carrots and blueberries with lunch, grapes for an afternoon snack, and potatoes and broccoli for dinner.
A great way to made vegetables less scary is to keep serving it to them and gradually allow them to smell, touch and taste it and be prepared to try each night. If they are having a real hard time try not to push it or get too frustrated. Keep serving it to them day after day.
Another great tip is to cut back on snacking during the day. Even if you are serving healthy snacks throughout the day try and limit those snacks especially in the hour before mealtimes so that their appetite is preserved.
One Last Thought On Getting Kids To Eat Veggies and Fruits
The best option when buying fruits and vegetables is to buy fresh. If you can’t get something fresh, the next best option is frozen. Avoid buying these items in a can if possible because the preservatives defeat the purpose of eating healthy.
I have also found that fresh veggies taste a whole lot better so your kids might be more willing to eat them.
It is also wise to buy as much organic produce as you can. Organic foods are free of pesticides and are much better for you. Yes, organic is more expensive but you’ll save money in the long run. If your kids are eating healthy you’ll have fewer visits to your child’s doctor and their chances of developing an illness, like diabetes, will be much less.
Do you have some no pressure ways that have worked for you and your kids? Leave a comment below and share your experiences of no pressure ways getting kids to eat veggies and fruits.
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Topics: Kids Nutrition | 4 Comments »
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March 15th, 2012 at 12:07 pm
I think, so far, I’ve been really lucky with this. My children 3 & 4 prefer veggies and fruits over most ‘kid’ food. They of course have their moments but generally speaking they love fruits and veggies. I’ll cross my fingers and hope they don’t out-grow the healthy eating.
In the beginning we always made a point to let them pick out what they wanted to try when we were in the produce section. Sometimes it works for new veggies/fruits but when it doesn’t we’ll stick to the staples — Bananas, grapes, apples, any sort of berries, broccoli, carrots and spinach. Both my little guys love to eat salads and are even happy about onions, tomatoes and the normal ‘salad’ veggies in their bowl.
It also seemed to help with our oldest if we had him help us ‘wash the fruits/veggies’ and help us cut them up or make fun designs on his plate with them.
March 15th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
I had one daughter who would eat anything and a husband and daughter who were fussy and really annoying when it came to food. To be honest I cheated…I started with home made burgers…I grated up carrots, potato, onions and zucchini and mix in the with mince mixture….these were then cooked up and enjoyed (yes I made them when there was no one watching them) by all of us….this went on for a few months and then I decided to make them while everyone was home and asked them to help me…they got to see all the vegies go in…and it being cooked then eaten and realised that the veg was okay afterall…then i was able to mix them in without making them so hidden….I did different versions of this each time. Another winner was that one of my girls got to do “cooking lessons” with a parent at primary school and she was doing all sorts of healthy things (roast veg quiches etc) and she handed out copies of the recipes…my daughter then asked if I could make them…..helping with the cooking is also a good way of getting more veg/fruit eaten….and even better….having a veg garden so that they are planted, grown, picked and eaten is a big winner….
March 15th, 2012 at 6:21 pm
Melissa,
Wow! Great testimonial for all the parents out there! Sounds like you’ve done quite a good job. You started young which is best if you can.
Our two little girls love veggies and fruits too. No complaining and our oldest is wanting salads with avocado too just like mommy and daddy.
We too hope they stick with it.
I like your ideas about washing the veggies, helping prepare the meals and in general having the kids help out. Getting them involved in the whole process really has an impact on them.
March 15th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
Katrina,
I’ve thought about this one a lot too. Growing our own vegetable garden is very appealing. Especially an organic one.
I’ve done a little research on it and a study came out saying that kids who help their parents with the gardening actually eat more veggies. Pretty cool, huh?