getting them to eat their vegetables

[gipsy]

Alright it's self explanatory , Any Idea's about getting them to eat vegetables ,
   The age old battle

[Kitty C.]

Depends on how you make them!  Seriously, I've gotten DS and SS to try many different vegetables.  Often, they will ask what I'm making, and when I tell them, I get a 'Phew!"  If I'm certain that they've never had it before, I remind them that they absolutely cannot form an opinion on what it tastes like if they've never tried it before.  Then I insist they at least try it.

I start out with very small portions and I've converted SS over to quite a few things, much to my surprise!  But understand, there will be certain things that they absolutely will not eat.  I remember, as a kid, hating split peas and lima beans.  I literally could not stand the taste and it would almost make me retch.....in fact, I did once with my kindergarden teacher, when she didn't believe me, LOL!  But since we lived on a farm, it was fairly easy for Mom to substitute or offer more than one veggie.  So if a child really, REALLY hates it, don't force it, just try something else.

Also try different sauces and putting them in other dishes (it's called 'camoflage', LOL!).  I made a chocolate zucchini cake the first time and the boys just LOVED it.  When SS asked me what it was called, and I told him, I thought he would turn green.  I said 'Tasted pretty good, didn't it?'  The look on his face was PRICELESS!  Neither of them could believe that something that good could have zucchini in it, LOL!

[CustodyIQ]

Hi,

My daughter is now 5, and we've always had the expectation in place that Kitty also mentioned... everyone has to try everything on the plate.  Same with vegetables-- she has to try it (as tiny a bite as she can muster, usually).  

But by now, too, we have our handful of different vegetables that are pretty consistent and enjoyable (or at least tolerable) to the whole family.

Further, rather than set the stage for any fighting, we've always set the rule that dessert is for people who eat their vegetables and main course.

So, it's completely in her hands as to whether or not she'll eat well at dinner.

As we have awesome desserts, she rarely decides to skip dessert (i.e., always an option if she doesn't want her veggies or main course).   That happens maybe once a month.  She'll ask, "What's for dessert?" and it's funny to see her mulling over the decision in her head... if dessert that night is worth the price.

No fights or anything--it gives her complete control, and the lure of dessert has been enough to keep it all on track so far.

Also, on the occasion that we have something new that she really doesn't like, we can talk about it.  E.g., a new main course.  I put it back on her, "How many bites of that do you think would be good for your body to have?"

She knows that she can't get away with "One", so she'll say something like, "Eight?"

Again-- giving her the control.  So I respond, "I think eight bites is reasonable to get enough good food in your tummy."

She counts her eight bites (no fighting, since she set the number herself), probably feels good that she didn't have to eat the WHOLE thing, then gets dessert.

But overall, she's a good, happy eater with most wholesome things-- I know she really doesn't like something if she's not eating it.  So, this approach may not work with really finicky tykes, I imagine.

[4honor]

She married a man that was CP of an 8 yo boy. Dad had done well in raising son, but veggies consisted of corn and onion rings and french fries. Fruit was varied, but veggies were uninspired.

My friend began making some simple stews. Then when they got used to  the potatoes, carrots and celery, she began adding strained baby food to the mix... things like spinach and broccoli and other stuff in the dark brown gravy. (One jar per person.)

It works in spaghetti sauce  and other things too. Also, put bread in the bread maker and start making soup come fall time. You can add alot of veggies in a soup pot that they will never know about.

My grandma used to add cheese and butter and melt it over the top of broccoli and califlower. She also added a little minced onion and bacon into the green beans... mmmmm good stuff.

My kids love any vegetable they can dip in sour cream & ranch dip. They will eat until the dip is gone.

Some people don't like the flower part of the broccoli, so they take the stem and peel it and cut it into coin shaped slices. It is very succulent and looks like a peeled cucumber... takes good too and is just as nutricious.

Add onion to their hash browned potatoes (grate it in with the potatoe) or add a very chopped vegetables to the scrambled eggs. Add herbs in with the mashed potatoes and you are adding trace elements to their diet.

One helpful trick has been to get the kids involved with picking out the vegetable. The shop for it, help prepare it and serve it to the family... they have some ownership in the veggie and thus can't turn up their nose at it.

My boys learned they like "candied" squash... cook it until soft with butter and brown sugar. Then mash like potatoes and top with melting marshmallows.

[MixedBag]

telling the children that they MUST take one spoonful of everything served on the table is mandatory is actually teaching them good manners.

It's always been a rule at our home based on my gut feeling that this was or is the right approach.

Now I know (read) that I am teaching them good manners.

In addition it's good manners to teach them to not voice their objection that the "green beans are gross" or whatever -- so that when you're elsewhere, they know the rules.  Be quiet and take a spoonful and when it's only a small spoonful, Mom/Dad know you don't like it and that's the (compromise) rule.  The Hostess who did the cooking won't be offended and it will never become a subject of discussion.

[notthemama]

Try putting cheese on the veggies.  Or, if they are old enough to understand, tell them they can't have dessert if they don't eat a small portion of their vegetables at dinner time.  Also remember to serve small portions to the younger children.

Also, my fiance has a rule in his home that the children (son - 7 & daughter -5) cannot get a drink at dinner time until they eat a certain amount of their dinner.  Otherwise, like most kids - prior to the new rule the children would drink their entire cup of juice or water, take two bites of food, and "claim" they were too full to eat anymore.  We couldn't force to eat anymore if they said they were full, but as of today, their plates are almost always clean!

Another thing is, we try to get the kids to try new veggies and types of food.  We reward them when they don't instantly shout, "But I don't like ... !" More often than not, after getting them to try the new food, they end up liking it anyway.

[mj]

ya know it is weird...I have a two year old that eats in phases...sometimes she eats the veggies, sometimes she doesn't.  Most of the time she only eats the veggies and leaves the meat...  she's healthy as a horse!

when I was young I hated peas and carrots in combination...i used to heave when my mom forced me to eat them...i don't know if it was because i was being spoiled and didn't want to eat them, or if I actually didn't like them...but, they forced me to eat them and I STILL REMEMBER IT!  But, I like them now...not because they made me eat them, because I just do.  Ya know what else is strange, I didn't like mushrooms then either...but my mom was more than willing to take those off my plate and eat them herself!  Well!  Oh, I like mushrooms now too...but my kids don't:)  OK, I'll eat them and when you get to me my age, you'll eat them too.

Well, kids will eat when they are hungry and also when they see dad eating late because he was working late when they sat down at the dinner table, just to be with him:) Some kids don't like the spaghetti sauce, just the noodles.  What do you do?  Make sure they get those vitamins you think they're missing out on by giving them a tasty vitamin, but don't force them to eat what they THINK they don't like...they'll remember it 36 years from now as my mom and dad MADE me eat my carrots and peas. Yuckkk!