The Cardiologist's Wife

How To Get Kids To Like Vegetables, Really

[ Post by Lisa Tedder ][ Post on May 15, 2012 ][ In For new Mom's ]

When my babies were first introduced to table food, I followed the advice of many books and my pediatrician, who all recommended starting with vegetables and moving on to sweeter foods like fruits later.  I introduced all kinds of vegetables with commercial baby food first, then moved on to the real deal when appropriate.

With my oldest child, I avoided all added sugar.  His first experience with sweets except for plain fruits was his cake on his first birthday.  It was carrot cake of course.  My friends made fun of me but I didn’t care.  It was harder to avoid sugar with my daughter as my son was 3 1/2 when she was born.  It is impossible to give one child ice cream without giving it to the second.  So she was introduced to sugar before her first birthday.

I am not one of those fanatical mothers who never gave my children sugar but they had very little when they were young.  Other parents have always been envious that my children are such good eaters, seldom turning their nose up at any food.  Indeed, they always enjoy eating in restaurants and trying different foods.

Here are a few tips for raising children who like vegetables as much as other foods.

1. Make a rule that no adult complains about any food in the presence of the children.  If Dad “hates” broccoli, then Junior will pick up on that and hate it too.
2. Don’t assume that a child doesn’t like a certain vegetable or any other food just because they won’t eat it at first.  You may have to offer that food 6 or 7 times before they begin to like it.  Don’t give up.
3. Try the food prepared different ways.  For a long time, my children didn’t like cooked carrots but would eat handfuls raw.  Same with broccoli.
4. Keep food simple when children are young.  They often don’t like food mixed together as in casseroles or with heavy sauces.
5. Require that everyone take at least one bite of each food on the plate starting about age 4.  My friend called it the “courtesy bite”.  Her theory was that if someone took the time to buy the food, then prepare it, it was rude not to try it.  Worked for me.
6. Never bribe your children to eat.  This never works for long.
7. Let the kids grow vegetables, help shop for them, or cook in some way.  They have a more vested interest in eating something they helped get to the table.
8. Going to the farmer’s market can be a big adventure.
9. It is important to buy the best quality/tasting vegetables and fruits you can.  I won’t touch most store bought tomatoes myself.  The taste has been bred right out of them in place of shelf life.
10. Don’t make the table a battle ground.  If the child doesn’t want to eat, fine, but don’t serve a substitute later or worse, give a sugary treat.  The child learns they can eat whatever they want, junk included, that way.

Upadated on May 15, 2012