My toddler refuses to eat vegetables, what can I do to help them develop a taste for them?

Hi there,

I completely understand your struggle. I have a picky eater who has always been difficult when it comes to eating his vegetables. Here are a few things that have worked for us.

Firstly, I started with small portions of vegetables in his favorite meals. For example, I added chopped spinach and carrot to his favorite spaghetti sauce. This made him gradually develop a taste for vegetables.

Secondly, I tried a few different types of vegetables, and I found that my son liked broccoli, sweet potato, and pea more than others. So, I started cooking these vegetables more often, and he began to eat them more willingly.

Thirdly, I found that making food fun and visually appealing helps in getting my toddler to eat veggies. I make colorful veggie skewers, funny shapes and pictures with veggie sticks, and I even use cookie cutters to cut vegetables into fun shapes.

Lastly, I make it a point to serve vegetables first during meals when my son is hungriest. When he's really hungry, he is more likely to eat vegetables than when he's already full from other foods.

I hope these tips help you too! Don't worry too much, with a bit of creativity and patience, your toddler will eventually start eating vegetables.

Hello there,

I can totally relate to your challenge. We had a hard time getting our toddler to eat vegetables as well. Here's what worked for us.

Firstly, we tried serving vegetables in different ways. Our child prefers crunchy and crispy textures, so we started roasting veggies like carrots, potatoes, and bell peppers in the oven. The result was fantastic, they ate the roasted veggies with a big smile.

Secondly, we consistently included vegetables in every meal, even snacks. Snacks like cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, and hummus became a regular snack in our house. We made it a norm to always have accessible vegetables for our toddler.

Thirdly, we turned to fun and interactive ways to involve our toddler with vegetables. We started a small garden where we invited them to help us plant vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans. The anticipation of a successful harvest made the toddler excited to try the vegetables.

Lastly, we tried to lead by example by eating vegetables too. When our toddler sees us eating vegetables, they become more willing to try them too. When we eat together, we usually have a conversation about how the different vegetables benefit our body.

I hope these tips will help you too. They worked like a charm for us!

Hi there,

I completely feel your pain. My toddler also refused to eat vegetables for the longest time and it was a constant struggle for me as a parent. However, over time, I found some tactics that worked for us.

One thing that helped was involving my toddler in the grocery shopping process. I would take them to the store and let them pick out a vegetable that looked interesting to them. It could be anything from a bright orange bell pepper to a head of broccoli. I found that when my toddler felt like they had a say in what they were eating, they were more likely to try it.

Another trick that worked for us was making vegetable smoothies. I would blend spinach, kale, carrots, and berries with yogurt and a bit of honey, and my toddler loved it. They had no idea they were drinking a cup full of vegetables.

Lastly, I found that roasting vegetables with some olive oil and seasoning made them much more appealing to my toddler than steamed or boiled vegetables. Roasting brought out the natural sweetness in the vegetables and made them taste more enjoyable.

I hope these ideas help! Good luck!

Hello there,

I totally understand what you are going through. I've been there myself, and it can be quite frustrating to watch your toddler refuse to eat their veggies. I tried the tips you mentioned, and a few others worked well for me.

What helped for me the most was, instead of offering vegetables as a standalone dish, I incorporated them into my toddler's favorite foods. For example, I added finely shredded carrot and zucchini to spaghetti sauce, grated sweet potato in muffins, and added mashed pumpkin and parsnip to mashed potato. This way, they were eating vegetables without realizing it, and I didn't have to force feed them any.

Another trick that worked for me was to serve vegetables as a snack or appetizer when my toddler was starving. If they were hungry enough, they would eat the vegetables without much fuss. I found that serving a colorful plate of vegetables with a healthy dip like hummus or Greek yogurt also helped my toddler get excited about eating veggies.

Lastly, we made vegetable gardening a family activity. It helped my toddler connect with nature and appreciate where their food comes from. Seeing them take care of the plants and harvesting vegetables they grew themselves made them far more willing to try them.

I hope these tips help, and good luck!

Hello,

I totally understand your concern as we have a similar issue with our toddler. They used to refuse to eat anything green, but we've made gradual progress over time. Here are a few tricks that have worked well for us:

Firstly, we tried making meals more interesting by making vegetable soups and stews. This helped to mask the taste and texture of vegetables that our toddler disliked. We started with simple soups like tomato, then progressed to more flavorful soups with more vegetables.

Secondly, we got our toddler involved in the cooking process. They were excited to wash the veggies and chop them into small pieces with a child-friendly kitchen knife. They were more receptive to eating the vegetables they had helped to prepare.

Thirdly, we tried introducing different vegetables in a simple form, such as boiled or steamed, and worked our way up to more complex preparations. For example, we introduced boiled peas, then progressed to grilled zucchini and mixed vegetables.

Lastly, we tried to offer healthy alternatives for things our toddler enjoys. Instead of traditional potato chips, we offered crispy kale chips made in the oven. It took a while for them to get used to the taste, but now they love it.

I hope these tips help. Don't be discouraged if your toddler doesn't show an interest in vegetables right away. With a bit of patience and persistence, they will eventually develop a taste for it.

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