Tips to get your toddler to eat veggies

BumpCaitlin

Ah, the seemingly never-ending battle of toddler vs. veggies. While the struggle may seem incessant, there are ways to introduce healthy food and (eventually) see positive results.

You’ll love these ideas our editors shared for encouraging your toddler to eat veggies. Got any tips of your own? Share below!

Bigboobsmcgee

I don't really agree with hiding the veggies, although smoothies are a great way to get lots of nutritious items into your kids. I just keep offering veggies with both lunch and dinner, over and over again and letting my son see that mommy and daddy are eating the veggies too. Eventually he gives in and eats them.

BumpCaitlin

Bigboobsmcgee said:

I don't really agree with hiding the veggies, although smoothies are a great way to get lots of nutritious items into your kids. I just keep offering veggies with both lunch and dinner, over and over again and letting my son see that mommy and daddy are eating the veggies too. Eventually he gives in and eats them.

Great tip - And then mommy and daddy get to eat healthy, too! Everybody wins!

Guennie

I absolutely hide veggies in other foods! I don't look at it as hiding, I look at it as adding nutrients, and anything healthy I can get into my kid is a plus! My daughter loves scrambled eggs with cheese and cauliflower, pancakes and muffins with spinach or pumpkin, yogurt with kale and strawberry...there are just so many wonderful combinations you can try. I don't understand why anyone would see this as a bad thing. I offer veggies by themselves as well but I don't believe I need to stop offering creative healthy choices when they offer so many benefits. I like a lot of these creations myself!

Bigboobsmcgee

Guennie said:

I absolutely hide veggies in other foods! I don't look at it as hiding, I look at it as adding nutrients, and anything healthy I can get into my kid is a plus! My daughter loves scrambled eggs with cheese and cauliflower, pancakes and muffins with spinach or pumpkin, yogurt with kale and strawberry...there are just so many wonderful combinations you can try. I don't understand why anyone would see this as a bad thing. I offer veggies by themselves as well but I don't believe I need to stop offering creative healthy choices when they offer so many benefits. I like a lot of these creations myself!

There's nothing wrong with putting veggies inside of other foods but some people ONLY do that and don't try to get their kids used to seeing actual veggies and eating them by themselves. That is when I think it's not the best idea.

MamaOwl15

I offer veggies to my son, whatever mom and dad are eating. But if he can see the veggies, he's unlikely to eat them (he did eat kale chips last night though).

In order to get him to eat veggies, I mix them in to other dishes or give him pouches like the Gerber ones (he loves the blueberry, apple, and spinach variety). I don't know that you'd usually say I'm HIDING veggies, as the adults can still tell they are present, just mixing them into things like eggs and macaroni and cheese so he gets veggies from eating the other dish.

Of course, he's interested in whatever he sees me eating, so if I'm sitting down to a big salad, I offer him some. He only wants my croutons, but at least I OFFER veggies.

BumpCaitlin

MamaOwl15 said:

I offer veggies to my son, whatever mom and dad are eating. But if he can see the veggies, he's unlikely to eat them (he did eat kale chips last night though).

In order to get him to eat veggies, I mix them in to other dishes or give him pouches like the Gerber ones (he loves the blueberry, apple, and spinach variety). I don't know that you'd usually say I'm HIDING veggies, as the adults can still tell they are present, just mixing them into things like eggs and macaroni and cheese so he gets veggies from eating the other dish.

Of course, he's interested in whatever he sees me eating, so if I'm sitting down to a big salad, I offer him some. He only wants my croutons, but at least I OFFER veggies.

I'm getting hungry! Totally impressive that you got him to eat kale chips. Way to go, mama! 

gigglesgufaw

Right now, I'm really into making vegetable dishes instead of offering plain veggies.  My little girl loves them and it's great if the recipe is freezable so we can have something healthy available in a snap as opposed to offering puffs or other quick snack food options.  My favorites at the moment are carrot muffins, vegetable pancakes and sweet potato tots.

BumpCaitlin

gigglesgufaw said:

Right now, I'm really into making vegetable dishes instead of offering plain veggies.  My little girl loves them and it's great if the recipe is freezable so we can have something healthy available in a snap as opposed to offering puffs or other quick snack food options.  My favorites at the moment are carrot muffins, vegetable pancakes and sweet potato tots.

*Immediately looks up recipe for carrot muffins*

You just gave me some baking inspiration! Sounds scrumptious!!  ^:)^

MelanieBrilliant

Oh Carrot muffins , they are amazing! Also, my older girl loves quiche pie with spinach.

gigglesgufaw

MelanieBrilliant said:

Oh Carrot muffins , they are amazing! Also, my older girl loves quiche pie with spinach.

Over the past week, I have made 2 different spinach quiche / spinach bite recipes and my daughter looks at it on her highchair tray and promptly ignores them!  I just SMH - how does she know she doesn't like it if she doesn't even taste it??  It's not like she knows what spinach is and hears most people say "Ewww".

I just have to laugh.

BumpCaitlin

gigglesgufaw said:

MelanieBrilliant said:

Oh Carrot muffins , they are amazing! Also, my older girl loves quiche pie with spinach.

Over the past week, I have made 2 different spinach quiche / spinach bite recipes and my daughter looks at it on her highchair tray and promptly ignores them!  I just SMH - how does she know she doesn't like it if she doesn't even taste it??  It's not like she knows what spinach is and hears most people say "Ewww".

I just have to laugh.

Haha it's like some babies are just born knowing green = veggies! Sounds like you have a tricky LO on your hands  

cattlebride

Dh and I offer veggies most lunch and dinners. Dd has not been picky but we do usually prepare then like peas with butter or cheesy brocalli or glazed carrots. So perhaps not the healthiest way to eat the veggies but they sure taste good

Designermomma

I just made Zucchini bread yesterday and threw in some carrots too for the LO. My Kindergartener ate it too and said he thought it was banana bread. Score! Lol

1sloqwen

My son used to be so good at eating veggies. Then around 16 months that all changed. He loves smoothies so we trick him into eating them then. He loves any pouches with veggies, but put them on a plate he eats around them. I try to mix them in sometimes but he doesnt buy it. He loves salad though. I continue to offer veggies in hopes he will out grow this phase.

BumpCaitlin

1sloqwen said:

My son used to be so good at eating veggies. Then around 16 months that all changed. He loves smoothies so we trick him into eating them then. He loves any pouches with veggies, but put them on a plate he eats around them. I try to mix them in sometimes but he doesnt buy it. He loves salad though. I continue to offer veggies in hopes he will out grow this phase.

It seems like you're working in tons of yummy veggies! Fingers crossed he'll be eating them right off the plate soon