So, I have one guaranteed way to get kids eating fruits and vegetables. But…that one’s a little tricky. If you missed your window of opportunity to cash in on my guarantee, you may still need help to get kids eating fruits and vegetables. Am I right? Do you worry that maybe you’re not getting your kids eating enough fruits and vegetables? These are the tips and tricks you need in your back pocket!
So here are some bonus tricks. The more of these you consistently use, the closer I can get to guaranteeing you that you will get kids eating fruits and vegetables.
Get Kids Eating Fruits and Vegetables By Trying Often
Always offer children at least one fruit and vegetable at every meal. I always make sure that there is at least on thing on their plate that I know they like. And then try something new whenever you want to. It may take up to 15 exposures to a new taste to get children to like the taste. Repetition is key. Just keep at it.
Get Kids Eating Fruits and Vegetables With Variety
Variety helps the entire process! The more variety in fruits and vegetables that you can offer, the more entries you have in the fruit and vegetable lottery and the more chances to win! If you get a win, then that’s something you can now keep as a regular “go to” veggie. The downside to this is either: a) you’re going to have some wasted food or lots of leftovers that the kids won’t eat; or b) you need to resign yourself that your meals for the next year or so consist of whatever is left on your kids’ plates.
Get Kids Eating Fruits and Vegetables With the Power to Choose
I highly recommend taking your children grocery shopping with you. Just bite the bullet and add in the extra 30 -45 minutes you know it will take. They are terrific in the grocery store if they have a job. Teach colors – send them to find all the yellow fruits and vegetables… Counting, ask them to pick 6 apples, etc. Once you have them in the game, ask them to pick one fruit or vegetable that they would like to try. You’ll be surprised at how giving them some power over what they eat can help get them to try something new.
Get Kids Eating Fruits and Vegetables By Varying Texture and Temperature
Children are much more sensitive to textures and temperatures than we are. There are so many ways to vary the texture and/or temperature of vegetables. Carrots can be raw, cut in rounds, sticks, or ovals; served cold with or without dips such as black bean dip or hummus. Carrots can be cooked, steamed or roasted; you could puree them; you could make soup; you could use the puree as a pasta sauce or other sauce or dip of it’s own. When you are consistently trying often, these variations may help you find the sweet spot.
Gardening to Get Kids Eating Fruits and Vegetables
Children love to experience and learn new things. Gardening is such a wonderful experience for kids in so many ways. But for our purposes here today – being involved in the “creation” of their own food automatically makes children more willing to try new things. They were part of the process, so it becomes something more akin to the final victory in their long-standing project.
Proper Marketing Can Help You Get Kids Eating Fruits and Vegetables
Ok. So you can forget 90% of what I just said. So much of this is marketing. Simple marketing. A name is everything…. When I was trying creative ways to cook green beans, I roasted them and gave them to the boys. But, they were NOT green beans. No, no, no. Danger, danger! Step away from the “green bean” label!!! They don’t like green beans. They’ve told you they don’t like green beans and if you dare speak of it that shall not be named ever again – your children will vow to never eat again. These were green “fries!” A hit!
If your children demand a little more creativity – try “Alien Fries.” Now that’s something a kid can geta handle on! I have no idea whether it was the roasting (which is pretty much the bomb…) or the new name – but it worked. Always try to sell it with a good name! And whatever you do, if this is a second or subsequent try, do not use any part of the name that previously failed. Truth.
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Great tips and I love variety! And gardening – that would be fun for the whole family and quite a learning time too!
Great tips!
You don’t even need to take them to the grocery store. Take a 20 minute trip to the produce stand. They’ll pick new stuff that way and have less unhealthy temptations.
LOVE that idea! We have some really terrific local farmer’s markets and the boys have so much fun going! (They don’t think that sampling is too shabby either 🙂
Great ideas. Gardening and including your children in food shopping and occasional prep makes a difference. My kids are older now, and they both love to cook and eat a fairly healthy diet. Thanks for sharing on healthy living link party!
Great tips!! For some reason, my son is super picky!! Going to have try some of these! 🙂
So many kids are picky. And sometimes they “don’t like” things that you know they love! It’s always a work in progress 🙂
The marketing of fruits and veggies is so, so true. Someone once told me that their dad used to tell them that their veggies were funny things like “Those aren’t carrots! They’re walrus tusks!” It’s silly, but it works. Getting them to try it is sometimes half the battle. Great tip!
Go figure! But, yes – something as simple as the name works. Walrus tusks are on my “to do” list!
Had to pin this because the tips are ones people can really take action on!
I’m so glad! Thanks for pinning!