How To Make Your Child Eat Vegetables

Are you one of the many moms who has gone crazy thinking how to make your child eat vegetables or even fruits?  Have done all acrobatics a...

Are you one of the many moms who has gone crazy thinking how to make your child eat vegetables or even fruits?  Have done all acrobatics and creative strategies to make your child eat and appreciate vegetables?  Count me in!  Ever since I had my first child, I've committed myself to only give him nutritious food, to introduce him to fruits and vegetables and actually liking them, and to set a good example by eating healthy foods myself.  I succeeded with my eldest, he loves eating vegetables and is not scared to try new kinds of dishes.

But now that I have another toddler, who of course is bringing me and hubby a totally new experience in parenting, I'm once again flexing my muscles and challenged on how to make him eat vegetables.  We plan to apply the same techniques we did to make our eldest eat vegetables.
  • Start early. - Both my sons started eating vegetables as early as the time I could already give them solids.  You may boil and mash the vegetables then add a little milk.  You may also Osterize or make a soup out of it.  We used to mash and put it in our congee recipe.  The kids love it.
  • When studying colors, make fruits or vegetables your examples. - As early as 2 years old, both my sons could recognize at least seven colors.  I make some vegetable or fruits as examples so it's easily retained in their minds.  This way, they get familiar with the different kinds of vegetables.  For example: Red = Apple; Orange = Carrots; Yellow = Banana and so on.
  • Read books or watch cartoons that advocate eating healthy food - One of the proven techniques I did to my eldest in particular, is show him that even Barney or Elmo loves eating healthy foods like vegetables and fruits.  Remember Barney's "Have a Snack" song?  I love its lyrics!  Here's a sample:
Have a snack. Eat an apple or an orange.

Have a snack. Munch a cherry or a grape.

Have a snack. Have some celery or carrots.
Have a snack. Yeah! Brocolli is great.
When you want something crunchy, 
when you want something sweet,
 
Fruits and vegetables are always fun to eat.
  • Chop vegetables in bite sizes.  When mixing vegetables into your meal, make sure you chop them in bite sizes so that your child would not notice it's there.  The smaller the better. 
  • Disguise. You may mash your vegetables or cut thinly and mix them in your burger patties.  You may also try pureeing mushrooms or squash and make a really creamy and tasteful vegetable soup out of them.  In the morning, my mom helps me prepare a nutritious congee or "lugaw" for the kids by putting in boiled and mashed "malunggay", carrots, potatoes, and squash.  
  • Cook together. When my eldest was around four years old and  already accustomed to eating mashed or disguised vegetables, I figured it was time to introduce him to the "real" vegetables by involving him in not only preparing but cooking as well.  The menu that day was Pork Sinigang (sour soup), a Filipino soup dish loaded with vegetables.  I let him put the raw chopped vegetables while boiling them in the casserole very carefully.  When it was cooked and it was time to eat, I announced to everyone in the household that it was HIS recipe and he cooked it.  He felt very proud of himself of course.  From then on, Sinigang became his favorite dish and would eat it even without the meat, just the vegetables.
  • Teach by example. As parents, our children inevitably pick up everything we consciously or unconsciously do.  They acquire our manners, our styles, our body language and our attitudes.  This is the same with what we eat.  Setting a good example is still the best teacher.  Walk the talk is the guiding principle we apply when disciplining or teaching something to the kids.
What about you?  What strategies do you do to make your child eat vegetables?

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30 comments

  1. Nice tips there. We also started giving our son veggies when he's a baby and luckily, he grows up not a picky eater and he love veggies and fruits. So I agree with all your tips.


    Mommy Maye
    www.momaye.com

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  2. I don't have issues with my kids eating vegetables infact all of them love vegetables as they have been introduced to a wide variety of vegetables since they were young.

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  3. I did the same when they were younger. But I don't know what happened now that they are older, I can't make them eat veggies, well except for some but only when they are in the mood. LOL So, I do the disguise technique.

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  4. how I wish I could teach my hubby to eat vegetables also. hahaha. Buti na lang, I was the one who do the market, so he is require to eat taht.

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  5. I already used some of these tips like masking the veggies and made dish that will atrract them. furthermore, our 2-year old son was introduced with veggies at your age. We make baby foods out of veggies as his first solid foods.

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  6. My 2nd daughter used to love veggies when she was younger, ngayon, she is 14, she hates it. Kelangan gisadong veggies so she will eat. My eldest one naman, kahit araw araw mo sigurong pakainin ng damo hehe (she eats romaine veggies, alfalfa sprouts, aragula, plonchay)

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  7. this is a good tips,. but good thing I don't need to use this tips to my son as he will eat vegetable without any problem- Rosemarie/Gven-Rose

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  8. I disliked vegetables when I was younger. I only learned to love it now and continue to eat it due to its nutritional benefits. I think my nephews and niece choose the vegetable they eat and cooking together will do the trick of making them eat some :)
    -Farida

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  9. I really should start eating healthy, medyo pihikan kasi ako when it comes to veggies and fruits. Hubby often scolds me; I think he must read this post. This could also be How to make your wife eat vegetables! Hehehe.

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  10. my panganay is a fussy eater and doesn't like veggies when he was a kid, i also did some you have listed; when he grew up, he changed...buti na lang hahaha

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  11. I agree with starting early. They think it is the normal fare. I am happy my son already ate vegetables when he was a kid. He is more health conscious now and he requests that vegetables be part of the meal!

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  12. Also TEACH BY EXAMPLE! If the food is in the table as early as they understood things, they would eat vegetables and if they see we like vegetables, they might want to follow their idols... their parents!

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  13. Great tips. I'm just glad that I don't have any problem with my kids when it comes to eating vegetables. I think they got used to it since I always incorporate vegetables in my dishes. :-)

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  14. Nice tips. I think I should have given my son vegetables as early as 6 months kaso wala eh. kaya hirap pakainin ngayon. I should do this early when I have another child.

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  15. Great tips, especially for parents who's having a hard time feeding their kids. It is true that kids should be taught to eat vegetable at an early age.

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  16. Thanks @google-29ef073ad4e311e49f4464c88cdccc09:disqus . :)

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  17. yes that's true @disqus_U34QIx4U2a:disqus start them young. :)

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  18. yes maam @google-7f5e636c2793f6a73f30f8c1b9e7e1b6:disqus :)

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  19. You did a great job mommy @google-7f5e636c2793f6a73f30f8c1b9e7e1b6:disqus !

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  20. hahaha! Sige I'll tell him to write something about it @facebook-1499477397:disqus . :)

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  21. Same here @facebook-598596513:disqus used to dislike veggies, now I eat them raw like in salads. :)

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  22. good job then dear @facebook-100000380911859:disqus ! :)

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  23. did the same too @DaddyAllan:disqus ! Your family must be really lucky to have a cooking daddy! :)

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  24. waaah! she doens't like it anymore @disqus_irdOYPBa4b:disqus at 14? Galing naman ng panganay mo ha! :)

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  25. hahaha! I think consistency is the key hehehe! :)

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  26. Thanks for the tip! Im starting to convince my kid now.

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