How to Get Preschoolers to Eat Vegetables

Having trouble getting your toddler to touch vegetables? Here’s some ways to get more in your child’s diet.

1. Make them scenery.  If you want your child to eat lots of vegetables, it helps to serve a lot! At the same time, limit servings of juices, starches and meat so your child will be hungry enough to have some motivation.
2. Serve on demand. If your child’s hungry before dinner is ready, offer cut-up fruits or diced vegetables as a snack. She might eat all of her vegetables before dinner even starts!
3. Dip it. Kids just love to dip stuff! Try bread sticks and bean dip, or carrot matchsticks and a yogurt dip.
4. Saucy solutions. Just plain cooked vegetables cut into small pieces: Blah. Same vegetables coated in tomato or cheese sauce: Wow!
5. Ice cream-ish.  Make a smoothie with frozen berries, skim milk and a banana.
6. So helpful. Let your child be involved with shopping and cooking, and if you can grow your own vegetables, even better. It’ll all help take away the mystery!
7. The Italian connection. Pizza! Spaghetti! Little does he know that inside Mom’s secret tomato sauce lurks pureed zucchini and carrots!
8. Mr. Dad’s Imaginarium. “That’s not broccoli, they’re small trees. Those aren’t Brussels sprouts, they’re baby cabbages.”
9. Drama Queen. “Umm, this is so-o-o yummy!” “It tastes so g-o-o-d.” Exaggerate your total bliss of enjoying vegetables, and maybe she’ll try a few.
10. Fast food fakes. Cut peeled rutabagas or sweet potatoes into French fry shapes, drizzle with olive oil and roast in the oven with sprinkled seasoning until soft for a better-than-fries treat.