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Getting kids to eat fruits and vegetables can be a challenge. It doesn’t have to be though. Today we’re continuing our partnership with HuePets and sharing 10 Fun Ideas that’ll turn this parenting challenge into a parenting triumph!
Hi, I’m Jennifer, a mother of three young children, a contributor here at 5 Minutes for Mom, and the blogger behind The Life of Jennifer Dawn. And those three kids I just mentioned? They couldn’t be more different when it comes to what they’ll eat. My oldest would choose raspberries over chocolate any day. My middle child has a sweet tooth like you wouldn’t believe. And my youngest? Well, he has Sensory Processing Disorder which makes eating a challenge for him in general. I’ve made fresh fruits and vegetables a priority in their diets though. And even though it can be hard to get kids to eat healthy, we’re sharing several fun ways to make it a whole lot easier.
Fun Ways to Get Kids to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
1. There’s an app for that!
Have you heard of the HuePets app? With this app, kids scan pictures of the fruits and vegetables they’re eating. Then they’re able to feed them to a virtual pet–a HuePet that grows and thrives off those healthy foods.
Kids can also play with their HuePet on this colorful, fun app. As the parent, you can set rewards for your child to work towards, track their progress, and receive notifications when they reach their goal.
The best part is that you’re able to use technology to encourage your kids to eat their fruits and vegetables. It’s a great way to motivate them to make healthy choices.
2. Put it on ice.
Freeze your fruits for a whole new level of delicious fun. When I was growing up, frozen grapes were a favorite childhood treat. It doesn’t get much simpler than filling a cup with grapes and placing it in the freezer. Seriously, you have got to try it.
Blueberries dipped in yogurt are another treat that’s delicious when frozen.
Homemade smoothies, popsicles, and fruity frozen yogurt bark are more frozen treat ideas that kids love! Keep a stash of frozen fruit in the freezer so you’ll always have ingredients for smoothies.
Simply toss the frozen fruit into a blender with a few other ingredients of your choice like juice, yogurt, milk, honey, and even a handful of spinach leaves or carrots. Yes, smoothies are a great way to add extra vegetables into your child’s diet too.
3. Dress them up.
Use cookie cutters to make fun shapes with fruits and vegetables.
Thread produce onto skewers to make colorful kabobs. Mix up a delicious dipping sauce for those veggies. There are countless ways to “dress up” those fruits and vegetables up in a way that’ll entice kids to try them.
4. Hide and sneak.
Here’s a sneaky mom hack for you! Can’t get your kids to eat enough fruits and vegetables? Sneak some more in.
While you want kids to get excited about eating fresh fruits and vegetables as well as those cooked and served in a variety of ways, adding in extra fruits and veggies whenever you can always helps.
Remember those greens I suggested adding to the smoothies. Well, here are few more ways to fortify their food with extra healthy nutrients…
- Add vegetables to scrambled eggs.
- Make muffins with fresh fruit and other healthy ingredients.
- Use fresh fruit to make homemade popsicles.
- Make a pudding or dessert with an avocado base.
- Use a spiralizer to make vegetable noodles.
- Add extra vegetables to your pasta sauce.
- Add veggies into casseroles.
- Prepare quesadillas, encilladas, or tacos packed with vegetables.
- Bake them into fries or chips.
- Load up homemade pizzas with veggies. You can even make fruit pizzas with cream cheese and a crust of your choice.
- Disguise vegetables in your mac and cheese, soup, or even chili.
- Put them in bread–banana, pumpkin, zucchini, blackberry…
- Use pumpkin in your pancake mix for delicious pumpkin pancakes.
5. How does your garden grow?
Every year the kids and I plant a garden. This is not only educational, but it’s also a great way to encourage them to eat the organic produce we’ve grown ourselves.
There’s something so rewarding about eating the fruits of your labor.
6. Let’s go shopping.
I have a little trick I use every time I go shopping.
As I’m walking through the produce aisle, I always “shop the rainbow.” Red could be apples, strawberries, or even red peppers. Orange is an easy one with mandarin oranges, carrots, sweet potatoes, and peaches. Yellow is usually bananas, but yellow squash and corn frequently make the cut too. Then comes green, blue, and even purple with plums, purple grapes, and eggplant.
The produce we purchase varies depending on the season, but we always make sure our shopping cart is filled with a rainbow of colors. The kids see it as a game and will help me hunt for fruits and vegetables in each color category.
I’ve found that using this little trick not only gets the kids excited about eating fresh fruits and vegetables, but it also ensures that I’m providing my family with a variety of nutrients.
Encouraging kids to eat a variety of colors is important to HuePets too! That’s why kids earn points for eating a well-balanced diet of different colors. And their HuePet grows healthy and strong right along with them.
7. Just one bite.
As the Daniel Tiger song goes, “You’ve got to try new things because they might taste good!” This is a rule that I hold my kids to.
One bite–that’s all I ask.
They have to try one bite before they decide they don’t like something. Sometimes they still aren’t a fan, but other times they find out they actually love that new green thing on their plate.
There are even times when we’ll walk through the produce aisle to find a new fruit or vegetable to try. Have you ever eaten a pomelo? We hadn’t either until a few weeks ago, but they’re delicious.
8. Now we’re cooking.
Involve the kids in the chopping, peeling, prepping, and cooking. Kids are much more likely to eat something if they’ve had a role in making it.
9. Set the example.
You are your child’s most important teacher and role model. If they see you eating something, they’ll want to follow your example. No further explanation is needed on this one. You already know how much your kids adore you and look up to you.
10. Make them available.
We don’t have a candy bowl or cookie jar in our house, but we do have fruit bowls and a drawer filled with fresh produce.
When my kids start foraging in the kitchen for food, the fruits and vegetables are what’s readily available and accessible. My youngest is always grabbing an orange or apple to eat. It’s become his go-to pick for snack time.
Your Turn
Have you tried out the HuePets app?
Download it today. It’s available in both the Apple App Store and on Google Play. HuePets truly is a fun, motivational tool that might just have your kids saying, “More fruits and veggies, please!”
Download The HuePets App
Free Coloring Book
Get your kids even more excited about eating healthy food with this free printable coloring book from HuePets.
Click here to download your copy…
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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by HueTrition™.
Written by Jennifer Dawn, contributor here at 5 Minutes for Mom, and the blogger behind The Life of Jennifer Dawn.
Talk with us: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
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linda ricotta says
smoothies and having them prepare food they love trying what they cook
Sonya Allstun says
puree the veggies and put them in stuff like puree cooked carrots and blend and mix them in with spaghetti sauce most the time its the visual of them being on the plate and hiding them in things they love they don’t notice
Hesper Fry says
I mix veggies in a casserole and they seem to eat them better that way. My kids seem to eat fruit pretty good.
Laurie Nykaza says
I always put toppings on veggies and dips for fruits that are good for them too
Carolyn Daley says
We usually give my nephew a few options for fruits and veggies when he is here. I bought the Sneaky Chef books. I love the carrot and sweet potato puree to add to pasta sauce for added nutrients.
Philip Lawrence says
My tip for getting my kids to eat fuits and vegetables is to incorporate them into their favorite recipes so the flavors become part of their diet.
Kayla Klontz says
I like to let my kids help me make the fruits and veggies, they love making what they prepare!
Jeannine d says
I let them pick out the fruits and we make fruit salad
Anita Jude says
Make a design out of it with them
Trisha Musgrave says
My kids love their fruits and veggies, but they also love to pick what ones they eat! I think having them have an input in what they eat helps a ton!
heather c says
The best way to get veggies down: put them on pizza! We can get tons of veggies and pair them with a few bits of meat on top of a pizza and it’s hard to get our kids to STOP eating them. LOL
joe clark says
Smoothies sounds like a good option.
Buddy Garrett says
We cut fruit and vegetables into kid size bites and fun shapes.
Kelsey vinson says
May not be the most fun but how I get mine to eat them when they don’t want to is to tell them no extra food until they finish everything on the plate. They tend to wanna eat the entree and get second without eating their sides.
Donna porter says
Make it fun for them by letting them help you prepare fruits and veggies in recipes or make them in fun shapes. Kids love helping!
Angela Eppley says
I would hide the things they didn’t like in a soothie!! They never knew…
carroll weider says
Start them off with good food while still in the belly and they eat good food after they are born I was born loving pickles carrots and bred my mom had pickled carrots and toast every day.
If it’s too late make it fun and involve them in the preparation of the food desert and other incentives can work as well
Renee Grosskreuz says
My mom used to put some sugar on our strawberries or added fruit to our ice cream.
allison says
we make plate designs as a technique to help make it fun! Thanks so much for the chances to win.
Tracy Robertson says
There are so many fruits available these days, and kids love to be involved in picking one out. It isn’t like when I was a kid and it was always, apples, oranges, bananas or grapes.
Melissa Grubb says
My kids love smoothies! They don’t have to know that I sneak some spinach in there too 😉
AEKZ2 says
My kids will eat a lot of veggies with Ranch or cheese.
Elizabeth Ray says
Let the kids see the adults enjoying them too. Keep cut up carrots in the fridge. (Mine didn’t like the “outside” of the carrots – peeled made them much more attractive.)
DanV says
We just make it part of our routine and so far it’s worked
Kathleen Hand says
I include them on the grocery shopping and let them choose what they put in their salads. It is amazing how much more they want to eat something when they get to choose it
Brittany Wilson says
Putting a sauce or giving a dip with fruits and veggies makes getting the ones shes doesn’t like in her diet easier.
Laura says
My advice would be to keep offering it! They will eventually eat it!
DeeAnn S says
My kids ate just about anything you put in front of them so I never had a problem getting them to eat fruits and veggies. My tip would be to start them out at a very young age eating good foods, then that’s what they grow up knowing.
Bryan Vice says
I’ve never had a problem with kids eating fruits or veggies they actually like them
Terry Cross says
They always eat them more willingly when served with some sort of dip
steve singer says
I would involve my boys in preparing dishes that included veggies. For example Ratatouille, they always ate what they prepared.
Amy Smeltzer says
I don’t have kids. I love fruits and vegetables!
Tracy Shafer says
I cut them up bite size and serve them with a healthy dip.
Erin M says
My son loves fruit but a lot of vegetables I sneak into pasta, if there’s sauce on it he doesn’t really notice.
Lesley F says
I have never had a problem getting them to eat fruits and veggies but when I do, I make smoothies or at fruit to oatmeal
Sandra Watts says
Make them look fun during plating. That always helps.
Lauren Hecker says
I find that eating fruits and veggies in front of them makes them more interested in eating them too!
Judy Gregory says
Hide it their food. Soup or grated to hide in meatloaf.
Peggy Rydzewski says
They like to make thier own fruit or veggie kabobs. We make several for the week. A grab and go.
SHAYNA says
I TRY TO MIX VEGGIES IN W/OTHER FOODS SUCH AS PUTTING BROCCOLI IN THEIR MAC AND CHEESE 🙂
vivian blevins says
veggies with guacomolie.
Cheryl Repeta says
I would always set fruit in a bowl on my table and never set out candy. It went over well with my son.
Danalee says
I think having ranch dip on hand for cut up veggies makes it more appealing, and fruit is sweet so it is already easy by itself.
Rachel says
I have my kids pick out their veggies at the store, and they wash and cut them with.me! The more involved they are the more likely they are to eat it!
Rachel Beltz says
Be a good role model! Have your fruits and veggies with them!
Eileen Boyce says
Drizzle the fruit with honey and use Ranch dip for veggies.
Beverly Metcalf says
My kids always liked fruits and veggies, but making smoothies is a good idea fro those children that don’t like them.
Brooke R. says
I try to mix some veggies in their smoothies. I have one kiddo that doesn’t like the surprise, so he helps me put them in.
Tiffany Tisdale says
Add chocolate to the fruit !
Danielle Wood says
My kids love fruits, vegetables we usually have to give them raw with ranch dressing and they will eat them or we will throw some in with fruit for a smoothie.
Trisha McKee says
I lead by example. I know it sounds corny but it’s worked for us. I always have veggies and dip out to snack on and fruit to curb the appetite until dinner. I serve veggies in tasty recipes and ask for my kids’ thoughts on new dishes.
Julie Hawkins says
I find it helps to have a tasty yogurt dip or hummus to go with the veggies.
Jerry Marquardt says
It isn’t so easy, but making a smoothie usually helps a bit.
Roxann says
I make smoothies or blend veggies or try to hide them in something else. The kids aren’t too picky.
Brenda Elsner says
I don’t have much trouble getting my kids to eat fruit but veggies on the other hand are a bit difficult.
peter gladue says
My Mom had a song called “Clean Plate Club” on us
Brittany Carter says
My kids all are great fruit and veggie eaters. However we started from the beginning and I don’t eat very much meat so they really don’t know any other way to eat. One great place to ad veggies though is desert. There are some great brownie and cake recipes that hide veggies in them.
Lisa says
No children here, but when I was a kid I loved fruit so my mom would always just give me the fruits she knew I liked instead of making me try different ones.
Rose Santuci-Sofranko says
Sadly we don’t have any children….but if I did I’d probably whip up a fruit smoothie for them with veggies “hidden” in it too. Thanks and God Bless!
dana says
Sorry no children
Susan Climan says
My son loves fruit, but I let him help me cook the vegetables so he can get excited about trying them.
skyllar bilbo says
my nephew loves apples but hates apple peels so we peel them for him and he chows down lol
Ed says
I find that selecting the produce and then helping prepare it assists in the desire to taste and eat and enjoy it.
Tanya Wong says
When I pack lunches, the snacks are easy fruits or veggies. The more unhealthy snacks are given in smaller doses so to fill up, they have to eat the whole fruit or veggie.
Kelly Kimmell says
It’s never been much trouble, my daughter loves fruits and veggies. I do let her help me pick out the fresh fruits and veggies when we are shopping.
Kerry p says
As long as I have them cut up on a plate , out on the table, they will grab it. The other way is making them yummy fruit and vegetable slushies!
Karrie says
I cut them in cute shapes
Kim H says
My little one prefers fresh fruit and veggies, however I have never given a bunch of junk except on special occasions
Jessica M says
My 18 month old is going through such a crazy stage, one day she can’t get enough of something and the next you would think I was trying to poison her by giving her the exact same food she was inhaling yesterday! I try to sneak in grated zucchini and carrots in muffins or spinach in her scrambled eggs when she’s being extra picky.
Lisa Romine says
I raised my children to eat a very diverse diet of fruits and veggies. I never really had to use any tricks they loved them.
Seyma Shabbir says
I usually make a soup they love and shred or puree veggies in. I make cheese quesadillas with VERY small diced veggies. They love fruit but getting veggies in their diet requires some work.
Gina Ferrell says
My tips are:
Cut fruit into funny shapes with cookie cutters
Dress up sandwiches with faces & shapes made from vegetables and fruit
Have veggies with every meal, fruit with every dessert
Michelle H. says
As to fruit, it has never been a problem in my house. As to vegetables, my kids love salads, so I try to have the ingredients on hand. And, I have been known to hide vegetables in some of their favorite dishes.
Robin says
I usually slice fruit in a bowl and add whipped cream.
Jeremy Gaudreau says
Keeping things fun by letting the kids help in the kitchen
Jenn Reed says
One tip for getting my kids to eat more fruits and vegetables is to only have those on the plate during meals or snacks. I always put a smaller amount and make them finish that before they get anything else… If they do not want to eat those they do not get anything else.
kathy pease says
I liked to make fruit salads for my kids with some cool whip now the veggies were a bit harder but they did love corn on the cob
Kim Crawford says
I add fruits and vegetables into my baking projects.
Austin H. says
Mix, blend or stuff them into or onto foods that they already like. Sometimes they won’t even notice they are there. Eat healthy!
Rebecca Fruits says
I have one kiddo who will eat everything and one we have to hide in smoothies and in foods. I like to puree and add to sauces and he doesn’t seem to notice.
Erica B. says
I put veggies on pizza and she eats fruit easily.
Renee Chavarria says
Let your kids help with food prep and cooking. They will have fun and they get excited about trying something they helped create. Planting a vegetable garden is also a great family activity and your kids will love eating food that they grew.
Stephanie Liske says
When my kids were little, I didn’t give them ice cream and cookies for desert. They got Fruit for desert and they loved it.
Jaclyn Reynolds says
My son loves dipping veggies in Ranch dressing.
Gillian Morgan says
We have a rule that you must try something before you decide that you don’t like it. I add fruit and veggies to smoothies.
susan smoaks says
i put veggies in everything i cook so that the kids get their veggies. fruit is our favorite snack option. i use it all the time as a snack. it is a simple way to get fruits and veggies to the kids.
Jane McGregor says
I buy the V8 infused! Fruits and veggies in one drink!
jan says
fruit was never an issue, but veggies were pureed in pasta sauce a lot!
M. L. says
I don’t have this problem…yet. BUT…when it does happen, I have a cookbook that has healthy recipes where you can hide veggies in them. 🙂
Adriana says
just got lucky mine loves fruits and vegetables.
DeAnna Keller says
My daughters never gave me any issues eating vegetables and fruit. They prefer ranch dressing with their veggies and really like salad already pre made (which is kinda expensive).
S. Carter says
I have found that she likes veggies as long as they are seasoned well.
Lynn Mathieu says
my boys love dips for there fruits n veggies, I also love making them smoothies!
Lyndsey R. says
I like to mince mine really small and hide them in my sauces. I also like to use them to decorate food. When it looks fun, they eat it. Also, fruit and veggie pizza is always a hit in my home.
stella methvin says
Fruit smoothies are a fabulous way and I found that growing veggies seems to help them want to try what they have worked so hard to grow. They are proud of it so want EVERYONE to try them.
Dana Miller says
My tips for getting kids to eat their fruits and vegetables include taking them grocery shopping. I let my child pick out items. We talk about trying new things. We are curious about items we don’t recognize and buy them. We have the 2 bite rule. And I realize taste buds change so I encourage my child to try something again every couple months. I offer the choice of whether my child prefers veggies raw or steamed or mashed.
Zoey says
I make a pasta sauce that has a lot of “hidden veggies” in it.
joy f says
I hide veggies in smoothies and soup.
Michelle Horstman says
I blend them into desserts
Elizabeth Brooks says
I sneak them in muffins or smoothies. Add them to our pastas and casseroles
Michelle C says
My top tip is to model the behavior I am trying to encourage. I love fruits and veggies and eat a large variety of them, so my kids tend to do the same!
Rosanne says
Cook the vegetables and put them in a blender to add to tomato sauce pizza sauce smoothie etc or cut them up and use ranch dip
Susan Christy says
So lucky, my kiddos eat anything! They like more veggies than I do.
Cindy Merrill says
Thanks to “Shrek” and the “Hulk”, it’s not so hard to get my grand sons interested in eating their green vegetables: I simply come up with fun names for them. I’ll give you a tip- Anything not a “baby Vegetable” should be diced and used for soup or pureed for stews and sauces.
Alyce Poalillo says
I no longer have to feed children but I used to try to incorporate things they did not like into dishes they really did.
Kathy Scott says
I sneak the veggies in – instead of water with my taco mix I use V8. I add shredded zucchini to my spaghetti sauce.
pu ye says
I make sure I have several options available and leave them out
Karen Propes says
We have them for afternoon snacks, they love them. We also pack different fruits in their lunches.
April Armstrong says
I always serve them at dinner time. They love them raw.
Penny Knowlton says
My grandson will eat veggies if he can choose a dip for them, ranch of course but he also likes pizza sauce, ketchup and bbq.
Elicia P says
I do not have this problem. I have always given my kids since a young age fruit and veggies. My son (7) will ask for salad and eat a large mixing bowl. My 18 month old loves veggies and fruit too.
I guess one thing I could say is have your child help with cooking and also growing. My son has tried so many veggies because he grew it.
On a side note: masking veggies with ranch or butter is only teaching them that they “have” to have it on it. Season other ways if you need to. We are conditioned to think that veggies can not taste good on their own.
Karen Gonyea says
I make sure I have several options available and leave them out so that the kids will see them and eventually they usually try them 🙂
Jessica Whitehouse says
We make frozen slushes with fruit and juices for snacks.
The kids go shopping with us and pick out their favorites, like tomatoes and bananas.
Cynthia R says
As long as they have hummus to dip their veggies in they are happy to eat veggies, so find some kind of dip they like.
Amanda S says
My best tips for getting kids to eat their fruits and veggies is consistency and variety. My oldest was always stubborn about trying new foods, and my youngest loves trying any and all fruits and vegetables. The one thing we did differently between the two is giving the youngest all sorts of foods from the start (there was less variety for my oldest), plus she wants to try anything I am eating so that helps too.
Deborah Caudill says
When my son was a child, I added applesauce to muffins, pancake and waffle mix. My sister used to make her own vegetable noodles and give us as many as we needed. I also had a juicer and added carrots and beets to apple juice. We also put veggies in soups too. You had tons of great ideas and I hope I will be able to use them if I ever have any grandchildren. Thanks for sharing all of your creative ideas!
Lisa V. says
Usually I mention how her favorite TV characters eat them.
Laurence Price says
I mix vegetables in my salads and meals and use them for baking.
Pam Halligan says
The kids love pasta, so I dice veggies up and put them in the sauce. They also love dipping vegetables in low fat ranch dressing.
clynsg says
It has never been much of a problem in this family, although they do have definite preferences about which ones they will eat the most.. I do try to keep some ‘finger’ ones on hand for easy snacking (carrots, cherry tomatoes, etc.).
Nicole Jubleew says
I add pureed fruits and veggies to my baking.
Pauline Milner says
When you involve kids in the kitchen preparing the food they will eat, they will be much more likely to eat it because they participated in cooking. It is fun for them and the anticipation makes them want to taste the food. Also, letting them help pick out fruits and vegetables at the market will make them want to try what they buy. Do not limit them to the usual apples and oranges. If they want to try star fruit or plums, let them. Our son grew to love fruits and vegetable that were unconventional in other houses. I would also give him a salad for lunch. In packing, for example, a Caesar salad, I had little containers for all the ingredients and would put them in a zip lock bag together with the lettuce in a separate container. He would add all the ingredients at lunch time and liked ‘making’ his own lunch. He always got his teacher to shake it, lest the top should fly off if he did it! Also, putting sandwiches on kaisers are a cool alternative to butter and can be healthier too.
Katie Bellamy says
When my kids are in the kitchen helping me make their snack & meals, it makes them try more things!
stephanie landeros says
My tip is putting them in soups and pastas. This is the only way I have found they will eat them.
Stephen Tenyak says
Leave them raw and don’t try forcing veggies you know they wont like.
Veronica S. says
Leave veggies raw – boiled & mushy vegetables aren’t appetizing to kids. Experiment with lots of healthy dressings too! I loved cumin on my veggies when I was young.
Angela says
I find that when I let them pick out the produce at the store, come home and wash/prepare/cut it then they will eat it! So when they are involved in the entire process they show more interest and actually eat their fruits and vegetables.
Susan Smith says
I always serve dinner with a vegetable so they have to eat some of the vegetable to try it. My kids love fruits so that’s never been a problem.
Tom Bellamy says
They get to go to bed a little bit later if they eat their fruits and vegetables.
Rosanne Robinson says
The easiest way to get our little guy to eat lots of fruits and vegetables is to give them to him for his snacks & pair them up with his favourite foods, eg fruit & berries on his waffles & pancakes. He really enjoys eating raw vegetables as snacks (tomatoes, peppers, carrots, broccoli, etc) plus in salads, but doesn’t like them cooked.
Christine Jensen says
I think it comes down to offering them often. If they are included with each meal, they will be expected.
Chris Nelms Caldwell says
Easiest way to get my boys to eat veggies is to make a smoothie. Tastes great for them ad it’s nutritional.
Melissa Storms says
I always offered fresh veggies with hummus, peanut butter or anything that worked at that moment.
Robin M says
My kids don’t have a choice, if they want dessert
Allyson Tice says
what i do is mix veggies into meals! i add them into pancakes.. breads and even into lasagna! the kids are getting veggies and have no clue!
Michelle Donovan says
I cut them into fun shapes
Kelly Grant says
I add a bit of salt to it, Salt is his weakness.
Jovan B. says
By only having those as snacks in the house.
Linda says
I steam vegetables in sticks and serve them with dips like hummus. My son likes the dipping.
Jenn says
So many awesome tips. I really like the cookie cutter one – my little one would love star shaped fruits. My tip is to get them started at a young age, and to get them involved (like you said, have them pick out fruits and veggies). My husband has my little one “help” him out with making green juice too.
Emily R. says
My tip is to give them a tiny amount of a new vegetable & encourage them to try it. Many times, they decide they like it.
Casey Garvey says
Smothies or drizzling in chocolate works great for me!
Aaron Reck says
The kids love broccoli and cheese and if you get a little caramel they’ll eat the apples. Thanks so much.
Monique Rizzo says
I put vegetables in the food processor and use them in burgers, meatloaf and smoothies.
Kayla Coursey says
I have never had any issues with my kids eating fruits or vegetables. In fact if you ask any of the 5 of them what they want for supper, it will usually begin with “Brussels Sprouts, Green Beans, Cabbage, Apples and Pineapples” ! The best advice I have is start them off young with vegetables and then fruits. Let them eat what you are eating. Make food an adventure and exciting. If possible (even if it is just in a window seal) let them grow their own food!
Yona Williams says
Pureed fruits and veggies added to smoothies and soups is my suggestion.
Ashley Chassereau Parks says
I start them out eating raw fruits and veggies daily as soon as they are old enough. I also keep a drawer of healthy snack options, mainly fresh fruit and veggies that they can eat from any time they want. I try to model healthy eating for my kids too.
Miranda Sherman says
I hide veggies in everything, except cereal hahaha! Even when boiling water for pasta, I cook veggies in it, strain them out, set aside and cook my noodles. I try to be very creative!
Annmarie Weeks says
I was fortunate that my kids always liked fruits & veggies (probably much more than I did). But we’d try to make them fun…making faces, animals, etc with them!
Patrick Siu says
I hide my veggies in soup.
Mary Cloud says
I cook the veggies my kids love to eat and they love having dressings to dip them in.
KIM BROOKS says
well i have been through it all with my picky 4 year old and the ONLY thing that seems to work is a delicious fruits.veggie and slight chocolate smoothie !! perfect to let them help you prepare it and then enjoy it
Rebekah Thompson says
Since kids do what we do not what we say. I try to eat mine as an example.
joy says
I would cut them small and let them dip them in yogurt or give them
fruit juice as part of their fruit serving.
rita leonard says
I usually try to hid veggies in other things like sweet potatoes in muffins
Chelsey Bennett says
Being a good example is probably the best I can do to get my kids to try new things.
Carole D says
Start them early, the younger the better, my children always love both fruit and veggies.
Hannaeh says
The kids in my life love fruit so it’s not hard. Veggies are a little more tricky. I just tell my niece I didn’t eat veggies and that’s why I’m short. It scares her straight.
Daniel M says
apples are great sprinkled with cinnamon & sugar
Andrea d says
I like to hide veggies in sauces and smoothies.
Angela Saver says
We make smoothies with fruits and veggies. I also make a fruit dip that the kids love to devour with fruit.
Deanna Marissa says
My kids loves to drink fresh fruit smoothies. I also make fruit pizza with green apple base instead of pizza dough and they love it.
Vidya P says
I introduced veggies and fruits early on in the form of purees and juices so that they got used to the flavors and textures. Decorating the plate with veggie faces, arranging the cut peices to look like a smiley face or a tree or a teddy etc really encourages them. Also making colorful smoothies is my another way of getting my kids to eat fruits n veggies
kelly Urban says
Let them choose their own choices.
Marlene V says
I try to lead by example by eating lots of veggies and fruit myself.
Marie Moody says
I was a single Mom raising four children and I guess I’m old school being raised by both Mom and gramma.. but when we were little we didn’t have a choice. You did what your Mom said to do, period, end of story! I use to tell my kids eat what was put in front of you or you had nothing. It wasn’t a restaurant. I also use to make it interesting to for them depending on time and my mood. I use to tell the boys whoever finished their veggies first got to pick the television show or didn’t have to throw out the garbage the other boy had too! I had two boys and two girls, but both were on different sides of the fence. The girls were 11 yrs apart and the boys were 7 yrs apart. The girls well that was way different because my baby ate all her veggies and my older daughter was picky… so the baby pretty much won all the time. It was really difficult the night of pork chops or any meat on the bone cuz the baby you had to cut her meat off the bone or she wouldn’t eat, PERIOD!!! GO FIGURE… just thought I’d throw that in for a haha! Good luck!!!
Tracy Pryor says
I put lots of veggies in spaghetti sauce, meatloaf and hamburgers.
Jessica M Walker says
I sneak fruits and vegetables into my recipes
Kristie says
I think growing and/or picking our own makes it more exciting to eat fruits and veggies!
Meagan BS says
I sometimes have to hide veggies, but I usually just focus on making the ones she tolerates as tasty as possible. I let her dip raw veggies in ranch. Fruit is much easier.
barbg says
I used to stir fruit slices into cool whip for a snack and they would gobble that up. I would cut up grapes, strawberries, bananas and more.
Juliee Fitze says
I like to put lots of veggies in my meatloaf and spaghetti sauce.
Edye says
Making the fruits and veggies look cute!
GENA BENNETT says
I TRY AND SNEAK FRUITS AND VEGGIES INTO MY RECIPIES, SO THEY ARE HIDDEN FROM LITTLE EYES!
jennifer laur says
recruiting their help in the kitchen encourages my kiddos to try more foods. their proud of helping me, and just more likely to sample their hard work
Ty says
I put fruit on everything like pancakes, waffles, oatmeal and always have it cleaned and out so the kids know it’s there. Vegetables i have no problems with,my kids love them.
Del says
Some examples of what I did was put the vegetables in an omelet or fried rice, or I made cake with zucchini, carrot, or pineapple.
Robin Abrams says
We cut them up in fun shapes and sprils they love that
Shelby says
cut them up into small pieces they can pick up with their hands
Lindsey says
Smoothies are absolutely the way to go!
Bruke B says
I add fruit and veggies to smoothies, sauces and in casseroles. Cut up into very small pieces they don’t even know their in the casserole.
Jen Rodrigues says
Make the fruit in vegetables with their favorite meals. Reward them when they eat them as well as making things like Smoothies or buying food that has those items but they don’t low that either.
DEBIJO says
The kids love a cute veggie tray with dip.
DEBIJO says
The kids love a cute veggie tray with dip.
Cheryl B says
I add them to side dishes, cut them up for dipping.
Lynn clayton says
I LIKE TO PLAN MY MENU MY SON HELPS ME THAT WAY HE IS PART OF THE FOOD PLANNING IF HE HELPS ME MAKE IT HE WILL EAT IT BECAUSE HE MADE IT HIMSELF
KellyPC says
Hide them in muffins, sauces & soup!
Starla says
Wow! SO many great tips that I haven’t thought of. We love to go grocery shopping together and in the morning the kids really love smoothies. They love to add fruits and veggies because they love to predict the outcome of color!
kelly thompson says
I make lots of smoothies and add Kale and other vitamin powders and if the right amount of frozen blueberries are used – they love it.
latanya says
I let them dip them in ranch or cream cheese
Susan Mullaney says
I don’t have kids myself but my friend would tell her kids they could get a nice dessert if they ate all their fruits and vegetables.
elizabeth miller says
I have always had luck getting my kids to eat fruits and vegetables by making them into something on the plate. Anything from a smiley face to a character or their name works.
sheila ressel says
Fruits are not a problem for us. We may add some cheese to a particular veggie if it’s not a favorite.
Anita Duvall says
I never really had a problem getting my kids to eat anything. I think if you prepare the fruits and vegetables in a way that they like, they will eat both.
Debbie White Beattie says
I think the first thing is to start them eating healthy from the start. The other thing you can do if your kids are fussy is disguise the fruits and vegetables by making purees or adding very fine chopped things to recipes like sauces or mashed potatoes
Terri S says
We make snakes with a kabob stick, both with fruits and veggies. They love that.
Cheryl Chervitz says
I used to let them put cheese or ranch dressing on their veggies. I never forced them to eat anything.
Nicole Colletti says
My kids LOVE fruit they would choose fruit over anything any day… but veggies are a little trickier.. they ALL love Broccoli but to get them to eat an assortment of veggies I have to sneak it into foods or put it in salads or add it to smoothies.. we love smoothies!
lana says
I let them help me in the kitchen
Erin McSweeney says
we play a game were they are blindfolded and have to taste food and guess what it is and if they like it, some foods they know and life others are new…its fun and silly
Laura G says
We make a recipe together.
Randi says
Honestly, my kids have never had issues with veggies thankfully. The only thing I know that we really did was introduce them to a variety of foods— vegetables included— from a young age (not just ‘kid foods’).
Jenny B says
My go-to method is the “hide and sneak” method as you have mentioned (like zucchini muffins, adding extra veggies into pizza, sandwiches, etc). my tip is to be creative and try different recipes to keep them on their toes and excited about their meals.
jeanette sheets says
i try to make exciting recipes that kinda hide the vegetables ,they are eating them but just dont know or for the little ones i make cute shapes
Surinder gurm says
Veggie cream cheese tortilla roll ups with shredded carrots and finely diced sweet pepper
Amy L says
I add chopped vegetables like zucchini, carrots, and bell peppers to pasta sauce. It’s our favorite way to eat pasta.
Julie Bickham says
I like to add different veggies on my pizza. My kids love pizza so it’s a easy way to get their veggies in.
Audrey says
Smoothies are the only way I can get fruit & veggies into my kid.
RONDA PATRICK says
I give my kids a dip…. YES… home made with yogurt, might throw in a few little mini chocolate chips, they think its dessert and voila, EATEN in minutes!
Annalisa Nelson says
I blend fruits and veggies into smoothies!
Melissa says
giving cute little rewards like stickers for eating foods they don’t like.
Sara Zielinski says
Try mixing them up like in a smoothie, they won’t even know what’s in there and they will drink it.
Essence Nuckolls says
I make the food look like cute little animals
a Galloway says
Reverse psychology, Don’t eat these vegetables …don’t do it… Works every time.
Wayne Couzens says
We always put small amounts on there tray as finger food.
Jessica Settle says
I grate zucchini and carrots into red sauces like spaghetti, chili, lasagna. I also, mix mashed fruits into cakes and ice cream to hide them. Milkshakes can actually be healthy and they don’t even know.
Kimberly Singh says
My kids love fruit smoothies, sometimes you can even sneak in a veggie or two.
Janice Crespo says
The thing that helped me the most when my girls were little was when they started helping with the garden. We live in an apartment complex now and my grandson and I have started talking about making a small garden here together. We don’t get a lot of sun so it will probably be an indoor garden – maybe strawberries, tomatoes, and peppers.
Rosie says
I love making healthy popsicles with many of the same ingredients in smoothies – I have several pop molds. For veggies, a cheese sauce works on quite a few, and I also love “sneaky” recipes, adding veggie puree to so many recipes.
Toni Sprouse says
Involve the children in the entire process..from selecting fresh produce from the farmers market or even growing it themselves..to assisting with kitchen prep <3.
Christy Peeples DuBois says
When my first daughter was born I followed my pediatricians advice to a t because I didn’t know what to do otherwise. When it came time to introduce baby food, other than cereal that we had been mixing with formula, he told us to start with fruits because they were easier on their stomachs. So i did, which was a big mistake imo because when he told me to introduce vegetables she would not eat them at all. So with my second daughter I instituted vegetables first. They always earnest growing up and now that they are grown they will eat vegetables.
Caitlin Clifford says
Let the kids help choose the recipes and cook together!
Anastasia says
I guess it’s not something we’ve had trouble with? The kids just ate what we ate lol So when we ate fruit and veggies, so did they. I guess, when we made something new to try, we just had the rule that you had to give it two good bites before you decide it’s not good 😀
ken ohl says
I’m very lucky I don’t have to play and tricks or games she loves them both already
Amy Orvin says
I don’t have any kids, but when I babysat for my 2 nieces , I would treat them afterwards. They always ate them for that cookie.
Heather! says
It’s an oldie but a goodie: hide veggies in anything and everything! LOL I also used to try to find sweet recipes with vegetables, like glazed carrots. Hard to say no to them!
Sherry Barnes says
Make cute shapes
MaryAnne JK says
my son was always picky so what I found to work was: 1) applesauce at every meal 2) leave a bowl of cut up fruit at his reaching level for him to grab and go and 3) fruit juice (always be selective on the type for sugars and additives, but you don’t need to force them to eat, they WILL eat them and now, my son eats everything he used to not, so be patient and don’t coddle, just provide limits. easy peasy.
Michelle Levine says
They will eat anything with a dipping sauce.
Beth Minyard says
As long as they are raw, they love the veggies!
Amy D says
Luckily, my children LOVE fruits and vegetables. My children especially love to have a rainbow variety of fruits and vegetables on their plate paired with a fun dip like hummus for their veggies and yogurt for their fruit. I also bake healthy muffins with fruits and vegetables and make delicious smoothies.
jenny says
I’ve honestly never had a problem with my kids eating any produce! Fresh produce is a normal thing at my house, so they are used to it!
Marlene J says
They eat whats in front of them – telling them people all over the world are starving, so eat up.
Maritess S says
I make smoothies and when cooking I cut veggies finely that they wouldn’t notice it’s there especially the greens.
Natalie says
We always offer different veggies raw with dinner
Haley L. says
Smother them with cheese and ranch
Kimberly Hilbert says
If I buy fruits and vegetables, my daughter will eat them without problem. I often ask what she prefers, so she does feel like she contributed to the decision. I think some people just like fruits and veggies and others do not. She is one that likes them. I am not.
Kae v says
Smoothies are a great way since they are usually on the sweet side.
Nancy says
We love to shop for fruits and veggies at our local farmer’s market. The produce is at its peak so it is the best tasting. There are often a larger variety of unique produce items here to entice little eyes. They can also talk to the farmers who grow the produce. Give the kids their own small shopping bags to pick out produce they want to try. The produce is often cheaper than at a grocery store, too.
cathy m says
I like to make fruit salad with as many different colorful fruits that I can find. They love that!
Debbi Wellenstein says
I always had fruits and veggies on hand for them to snack on.
Laura Royal says
Having something to dip the veggies in is always helpful!
Denise B. says
I don’t make a big issue out of it, because they get fruits and vegetables in everyday foods they eat anyway. They are both healthy with no weight issues.
Christina says
We make lots of fruit smoothies and throw in some mild greens such as spinach and we also make a ton of different kinds of muffins. My LO’s fav muffins are sweet potato but she likes the beer and banana muffins too as well as some savory ones like carrot and broccoli muffins and kale/spinach muffins. We try to hide it in different foods but also serve them alone on her plate so she can get used to them that way too. Going to try cutting them into cute shapes, that’s a good tip.
Lisa Lee says
We make green juices at least once a week and we make sure that they are aware that veggies are used in it so they know that even healthy foods can be tasty.
heather s says
Use ranch dressing for them to dip veggies. It hides the taste and they like it
belinda bell says
My kids love to make fresh fruit juices.
Christina Sparks says
The old ant on a log-peanut butter on celery with raisin has worked for me.
Chrystal D says
Add fruit to it or just sneak it into their foods!
doug g, says
I cut them into fun shapes like stars or diamonds. It makes them more interested in eating healthy!
Clem says
Making delicious fruit and vegetable smoothies for the kids while also repeatedly teaching them the health benefits would be a good tip.
Danielle Day says
Cutting them into smaller pieces.
Kyl Neusch says
Allow children to select fruits and vegetables at the grocery store
paige chandler says
I blend veggies into soup and they gobble it up, They actually liker fruit.
Beth R says
I like to give them something to dip to help encourage them to eat more. My kids love anything if they can dip it in a dip.
Debra Francis says
Allow children to select fruits and vegetables at the grocery store.
David Hollingsworth says
I don’t have any children, but if I did, I would help them to make juice that contains both fruits and vegetables.
Janice L says
Fruit and even veggie smoothies.
Cynthia C says
My kids always gobbled up cut veggies when they had a dip like hummus or yogurt for them.
christy sweeney says
I started my kids off with fruits and veggies when they were young. They love them!
Marc-Andre Taillefer says
I like making smoothies with fruit and veggies-kids love it!
Lisa Bourlier says
Fruits were never a problem here, now veggies on the other hand are! We let our boys use dipping sauces for the veggies and that seems to do the trick!
Leeanne c says
How i get my kids to eat their fruits & veggies is smoothies & soups and to get them to help in the garden.
Theresa Jenkins says
I don’t know if it’s because the grandkids help in the garden or that they get to pick fruit off our fruit tress but all 5 of our grandkids love veggies and fruit
Amanda L. says
I like to make eating it fun by cutting it into fun shapes. I also like to add it to things they already eat like pasta dishes.
Julie Barrett says
I would get that cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld with recipes that disguise fruits and vegetables inside yummy meals so that kids don’t taste them, see them or know they’re there
Rachel says
I shred my veggies and add them to my pasta sauce
nickie says
I make smoothies and other creative ways
kimberly harrison says
start them on it as early as possible, makes it an easier transition
Molli Taylor says
i just try to involve them in shopping. let them pick one fruit or vegetable to try!
Michelle Hill says
Introduce fresh fruits and vegetables as early as you can.
April says
We always make smoothies!
mami2jcn says
We like to make smoothies to sneak the veggies in.
Dave Gibb says
Train them from a young age and keep the junk food out of the house .
Kimmy Ripley says
My Chloe Pearl has always had a love for fruits and veggies. Super duper easy peasy getting her to eat them!
Denise Sachs says
Grow some things in a garden together. They’ll want to try out what they grew themselves.
Ashley C says
I like to sneak veggies into other foods. Zucchini goes well in ground beef and cauliflower in potatoes
Tari Lawson says
I leave a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter. It is the first thing my kids see and they often opt for this as a snack when they are hungry.
Jeanne Coulombe says
I make the fruit and veggie smoothies and freeze them make freezer pops they love them!
Lisa Brown says
I cut and arrange the veggies in fun shapes and eat them with them
caroline m. says
I talk with my kids about the health benefits of the various fruits / vegetables. I also talk about their interests such as soccer and how if they want to go pro one day, they need to feed their bodies the proper fuel.
Wendy R. says
Carrots in spaghetti sauce, zucchini in backed goods, lots of way to add veggies to our foods!
Cathy Truman says
My children love fresh fruit and veggies they have been having them for years.
Robyn Bellefleur says
I hide veggies in my soups ans stews and even in desserts like lemon zucchini loaf.
rickel barr says
spiralize!!!
Azeem Isaahaque says
I usually cut it in kid friendly shapes and maske the bowl or plate appealing with presentation
Onyinye Elochukwu says
I usually eat first and then tell my son it’s yummy. That solves my problem
Heather Prather says
I cut fruit into fun shapes and mix colorful combinations
Linda G. says
I make or get a dipping sauce for our veggies and fruits.
Melissa Thompson says
Give them dip to dip there food in.
alice minx says
I try to hide things in smoothies, sauces, and soups, but it’s not easy..
Angie says
Great giveaway.
We are using smoothies to hide extra veggies.
I make them with almond milk, vanilla protein powder, bananas and a couple scoops of Apple sauce to sweeten.
My Kids never noticed that I sneak in a handful of spinach, even kale.
They love their Popeye Power shakes!!
Elizabeth says
One tip is to make things like zucchini muffins, carrot cake muffins, etc. Make them healthy by using applesauce and olive oil.
Dana says
I like making smoothies with fruit and veggies-kids love it!
Anne Higgins says
We tried to create a story to encourage all foods to be tried – reminding them that they can’t say they don’t like something without trying it. And, the food had to be displayed to work into the story.
Wendy Jensen says
Trying to get kids to eat fruits and vegetables, especially certain kinds, sometimes just doesn’t work out. I am thankful when they do eat what they like of them though and serve that the most.
Ellie Wright says
My kids will eat just about anything with ranch dip. It’s the easiest way to get mine to eat veggies.
Dara Nix says
Back in the day (before it became popular), I would grate carrots into my spaghetti sauce. The kids never knew it was in there!
Margaret Smith says
My kids love fruit and we have no problem with them eating fruit. With veggies, if they are cooked, I’ll add some cheese on some veggies. Fresh veggies, like carrots or celery, we cut up and they like those.
Pam says
I find taking kids to the farm to see the fruits and veggies growing makes them more apt to try things.
Melanie Bolin says
I tell them you have to eat them or you die 🙂 Worked with all 3 😉
leana says
I find that modelling is the most important thing. If I eat my fruit and veggies, my kids do as well!
Adrienne Gordon says
I blend them into smoothies
Barbara Montag says
I always told the kids just try it – you do not have to like it.
This worked great for us!
pu ye says
Whenever I bake i use applesauce instead of oil
Sandy Klocinski says
Put a cooler in the car when you’re out with your kids and keep it stocked with carrots, pretzels, yogurt, and water so you don’t have to rely on fast food.
Estelle Steenbergen says
We let the kids pick out a veggie or fruit from the produce aisle and let them help pick out a recipe they’d like to try with that food item in it. My kids are more open to new foods if they participate in deciding when and how to eat it.
Aarone Mawdsley says
blend it in spaghetti sauce
Florence Cochrane says
When making sauces I blend the vegetables before I add them. The grandchildren think they are having plain sauce.
ALICIA MILLETTE says
Whenever I bake i use applesauce instead of oil, it’s not much but it helps
Angus Grant says
Baking them into muffins as been a life saver!
Robyn M says
We hide veggies in soups and sauces
Rhonda Fuller says
Oven bake veggies so they are crispy like fries
Jennifer Thornton says
I secretly grind/shred up veggies and throw it into any ground meat mixture and sauces/soups…. they have no idea 😉
Antoinette M says
My daughter loves to dip her veggies in ranch dressing.
Abigail Gibson says
My nephew loves oatmeal so I add fruit to his oatmeal whenever I have him.
Kristina Prewitt says
My girls love frozen watermelon. Also, I make milkshakes with fresh fruit. Vegetables we are still working on!
HilLesha says
My kids love smoothies, so I sneak in veggies that way.
Stephanie Phelps says
My favorite way to get my kids to eat more fruit and veggies is to have them help pick them out and help prepare them!
Karley Moore says
My kids will eat veggies as long as they have low fat Ranch to dip them in. I also mix fruit with veggies in smoothies. These are pretty common tips, but they work!
Pamela Gurganus says
My tips for getting kids to eat their fruits and vegetables are to cut them in fun shapes and to serve them in different ways, like dried, frozen, etc.
Julie Matek says
I’m lucky that my daughter likes most fruits. For vegetables, she will eat them if she can dip them in ranch dressing;)
Thuy Vu says
I bribe them.
Kelley Moore says
I would make cheese sauce and pour it on cooked veggies they loved it
Lee Ann Garcia says
cutting them into cut shapes
Melissa Nix says
We started at a very young age having the kids try different foods. We put the food on everyone’s plates and all take a bite. We tell them if they don’t like it after trying it they don’t have to eat it, but tell them it’s good that they at least tried it.
Cindy Peterson says
Veggie pancakes. Who doesn’t like pumpkin pancakes. Sweet potato pancakes are also very good.
Jeanna says
My kids really like fruit, but there are some they don’t like. When I make smoothies I sneak those ones they claim to not like into the smoothie and they can’t tell the difference!
Nathalie Lebeau says
I hide things like cauliflower disguised as rice/mashed potatoes. My son is also a huge smoothie fan. I try to pack as many fruits and veggies in his shakes!
BusyWorkingMama says
I let my child pick out the fruit or vegetable she likes best.
Jennifer Rote says
I started them young. Always had veggie platters with dip and the kids loved to eat them.
Amy C. says
I have found that soups are a good way to sneak in some veggies to my kids. Also, smoothies, as you mentioned. I’ve been adding kale and they don’t know the difference. Lasagna is a good place to add spinach and they never fuss about it.
Heidi c. says
I started very early on with my kids makung sure that an array of colourful veggies was just a normal part of our daily diet. Seeing Mommy and Daddy and sibs enjoying vegetables helped inspire and encourage taste tries.
Robert Young says
Tell them not to eat it cause it is no good for them
Jennifer Rose says
I think the only way I encouraged my son was to make sure they were accessible. No matter if we had corn every night cause that’s what he liked and ate. Thousands of plums. lol Just washed and ready to pop!!
sylvia says
My oldest I’ve tried hiding it in his food, letting him pick it out, etc. I just can’t get him to eat it. My youngest will pick out what he wants and has no issues.
Silvia D says
ours had their own veggie garden and loved to grow then eat them. raw veggies with dip or some veggies sprinkled with cheese and melted was another way.
Jennifer L. says
I make smoothies which my son loves and it’s really easy to sneak some kale or sprouts into them. He loves fruit and happily drinks smoothies with mango, pineapple, berries, oranges and all other fruit. I also find he loves vegetables he helped plant and water himself in our garden.
Chris L says
Best thing I did was have the kids help put in a small veggie garden when they were little. They were so excited to get “their” veggies that they actually ate them. My son still likes most of his veggies raw. A snack plate w/broccoli, cauliflower,baby carrots, sweet pepper slices & some ranch dressing to dip them it & he’s happy.
DebP says
I always made a point of visibly enjoying the fruits and vegetables I ate. Kids like to imitate and develop a taste for them early.
Theresa C. says
Having the kids help to cut the fruits up into a salad always works for us!
Alisa E says
I would decorate them with candy, to hide the vegetables, and they would eat them. 🙂
Andrea Hickey says
I cut up fruits and veggies to make a happy face and give them a bit of yogurt or salad dressing for dipping.
Margaret Huitema says
When my kids were young they enjoyed fruits and veggies if they were cut up and decorated and there was dip…
Rosa Cross says
Have your child help prepare the fruit and veggies, and cut them into interesting shapes.
Annette says
I found that letting them pick out recipes, and having them help me prepare them, helps develop an interest in eating more fruits/veggies. They’re proud of their creations.
Melanie Hayes says
smoothies and always having veggies ready to snack on
Elizabeth Matthiesen says
Smoothies are a good method for kids who absolutely refuse fruit and vegetables. As a child I myself hated onions so my mum chopped them so fine that they practically disappeared. 🙂
Chrissy says
I’ve found that as long as I’m eating it my daughter wants to eat it so we make sure to make fruits and veggies a consistent part of our routine and overall she loves them!
Brandy champion says
I try and add them to a main dish
Maria says
When they were very small I used to introduce one veggie or fruit at a time. Now they don’t mind it.
Elena says
I make smoothies with veggies and fruits
janine a says
my little guy loves smoothies so i put spinach in his smoothies and keep introducing a new veggie every week to try and get him used to them. He’s quite the picky eater but we have gotten corn and cucumbers accepted so that’s a big start!
Charity Banman says
My kids love fruit salad. They will also eat more raw veggies if they have dip for them.
Nicole Martin says
I make fruit smoothies, and I sneak spinach in them…They love them!
LILLIAN BROWN says
my grand children love vegetables when I sprialize them or cut them in small strips and add a dip
Rachel says
I cut fruits and veggies into fun shapes to encourage my kids to eat them. They also enjoy fruits/veggies in smoothies.
wendy hutton says
I find if you take them grocery shopping and let them choose what fruits they want then they will eat them, also cutting them into fun shapes helps
Will G says
Offer them dessert.
Judy hunting says
Both my children love fruits and veggies, so I never had to find a way to eat them. But smoothies or mixed in food is probably what I would have done
Erin N says
I find getting the kids involved in making food helps a lot, liking picking veggies to put on their homemade pizzas 🙂
Sarahjferg says
I incorporate it as finger food snack from a young age so it isn’t a problem wanting them to eat it.
STEVEN says
Put them in a smoothie.. they will never know!
Tainan Lu says
I don’t have tips because they love fruits.
Natalie says
I change the shape of fruits and veggies by spiralizing squash or cucumber, cutting pineapple into stars and putting grapes on a toothpick to make them more appealing.
Alexandra Y says
I give my kids dressings and dips with fruits and vegetables and they are happy to eat them.
Linda Svarovsky says
We hide mashed cauliflower in with mashed potatoes.
Joanne C says
I make them fruit smoothies. And I hide the veggies in the pasta.
Julie says
I usually make smoothies for them and tell the kids it’s a milk shake they love it
Heather Swanson says
buying the fruits & vegetables at the farmer’s market makes it fun!
Stacie Humphrey says
My kids have always loved fruit smoothies.
Krista M says
My son has special needs & the only way I can get fruits & veggies into his diet is to puree them and add them into delicious recipes! He can’t stand the texture of them so this way they are smooth & hidden inside his favorite foods!
Dana Rodriguez says
One of my best tips is adding them to other foods while disguising them.
Carly S says
I think early and regular exposure is key – i.e. fruit and vegetables should be a normal part of every meal from a very young age, so that it becomes something expected and possibly even enjoyed.
Lindsey says
A fun dip like hummus usually works!
Kristi Friesen says
I find that experimenting with kids adding different fruits and veggies to smoothies is a great way for them to get more interested in eating those healthy foods.
Vickie L Couturier says
i put something i know they like with it like cool whip fat free and low cal icecream,,they will gobble that rught up along with the fruit and then tnext time i give them just the fruit
Betsy Barnes says
One of my best for getting kids to eat their fruits and vegetables, take them with you every week to the farmers market. When my son was little, we would go every week and he would meet the farmers and learn about growing foods.
Brian Hwang says
Smoothies are the way to go for sure but a blender in general works wonders. I blend vegetables into pasta sauces too since they love pasta.
Lisa R says
Hide the veggies in food to make it seem they are not actually eating vegetables.
Mike Flaman says
Adding cheese to Broccoli and racing your kids to eat “little trees” has helped us get our kids to eat Broccoli.
Diane T says
I add them in smoothies or I make animal or face shapes out of them to they look interesting to eat.
Pam Reimer says
I will often sneak in vegetables in our smoothies, but also having them washed, peeled and ready to go makes it easier for them!
Calvin says
Make tasy soups. Desserts are nice too like frozen Popsicle and smoothies.
Amy Heffernan says
I make my lil guy smoothies and mash some veggies into his potato. He loves it!
Kayley says
A good tip is to bake/cook meals that have veggies and fruits in them without being evident. For example, making mac & cheese with a cheese sauce made out of cauliflower instead of regular dairy-based sauce and pasta infused with spinach.
Kelly D says
My kids love veggies in soup and fruit in smoothies. They also like when I let them choose which fruits or veggies they are in the mood for when we are shopping.
Anne says
Cut up fruit and veggies in small sizes and make them appealing with cute designs, names and letters.
Meekyung says
Present a new fruit 10 times or more before they’ll accept it.
Stephanie Shipley says
The way I get my son to get his servings of fruits and veggies is making smoothies. He will actually let me put in stuff like spinach in his smoothies. He doesn’t mind if it turns the smoothie green. He says its still an awesome treat!
HS says
One of my tips for getting kids to eat their fruits and vegetables is to make smoothies.
Anne S says
I can hide lots of things in soups and stews, but your idea of the smoothie has also worked like a charm for us!
Peggy Nunn says
I let the kids fix the vegetables. They open a can or they cut them up, or arrange them in the dish. I announce that the child helped with a dish. They are so proud, they eat some.
Dandi D says
I always put veggies in my children’s favorite foods, like spinach in their cheesy scrambled eggs or butternut squash or broccoli in their mac and cheese.
katklaw777 says
My kids have grown and flown but when they were young I always used the hide it method like putting them in spaghetti sauce or in a quesadilla. The best was to put it on a pizza my kids would eat anything if I put it on a pizza and covered it with cheese…lol
Meatloaf with grated zucchini and carrot was another fav.
As for fruit my kids luv all kinds of fruit and I never had to sneak it in anywhere just had to have plenty of it.
I find the new dehydrated fruits very tasty now and eat them like candy….pineapple is to die for!
Cheryl says
Slice fruit and use cute stickers.
Lina says
Growing up, my parents always gave us a healthy snack of fruits or vegetables every day! I know I learned to eat healthier and eat more fruits and vegetables because of that!
Tara says
I think having it ready and easy to get at works for us. Having veggies cut and ready to dip makes my kids happy. Junk food is easy to grab and veggies take a little more effort but if my kids have fresh fruit and veggies in front of them they go for it.