5 Tips to Encourage Your Child To Eat More Vegetables
Why is it important to get your child eating more veggies?
Do you find yourself having to play a game of hide and seek when preparing meals for your child – hiding spinach in smoothies, mushrooms in pasta sauce and packing zucchini into frittata? While this strategy can be helpful to get your child eating more veggies in the short term, this won’t change children’s food behaviours. It can encourage fussy eaters and lead to challenges around food choices in the longer term.
Veggies offer essential nutrients crucial for growth and development. Regular consumption of vegetables is linked to a lower risk of chronic disease, plus the fibre they provide are beneficial for healthy digestion, preventing constipation. Introducing variety early fosters lifelong healthy eating habits.
Recommended servings of vegetables per age group are:
Toddlers (1-2 years): 2-3 servings
Preschoolers (2-3 years): 2.5 – 4 servings
Children (4-8 years): 4.5 servings
Boys (9-11 years): 5 servings
Girls (9-11 years): 4.5 servings
Adolescents (12-18 years): 5 – 5.5 servings
Our in-house Dietitians Alex and Anna, from The Biting Truth, share their top 5 tips to get your child eating more veggies.
1. Don’t treat veggies as the enemy
Comments like, ‘you have to eat your brussel sprouts before you get any dessert’ send a message that vegetables are not enjoyable. Try to create positive mealtime environments and avoid any negative connotations around vegetables. This can, then, have a profound effect on their future eating habits and food choices!
2. Get children involved
The more familiar children are with vegetables, the more likely they are to eat them. Take your child grocery shopping and encourage them to choose a veggie or two to buy and try each week. Get them involved in the kitchen by doing age appropriate tasks such as washing the vegetables or peeling and cutting using child friendly utensils.
3. Take advantage of snack times
Veggies aren’t only great for main meals, they are also a versatile snack option and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Find inspiration from some of our favourite veggie-based snacks here:
- Sweet potato, date and oat slice
- Easy peasy hummus
- Zucchini and quinoa fritters
- Ultimate eggplant dip
4. Lead by example
If you don’t eat vegetables yourself, how can you expect your child to eat them? Children learn by example. So it is essential to reflect on your own diet and eat as many different vegetables as possible. Aim to fill at least half of your plate with veggies at every meal!
5. Serve one new vegetable at a time
Be careful not to bombard your child with too many new vegetables at once, as this method will likely result in them not wanting to try anything at all. Instead, try offering one new vegetable at a time alongside a familiar food that you know they enjoy.
FAQs:
Why Does My Kid Not Like Vegetables?
Encouraging a love for veggies can be a challenge. Kids might resist due to unfamiliar tastes or textures. Try introducing veggies creatively and involve them in meal prep for a positive experience.
Do Kids Need Vegetables Every Day?
Absolutely! Vegetables provide essential nutrients crucial for growth and development. Aim for daily servings based on age to ensure your child’s overall well-being. Make veggies a tasty and routine part of their meals.
Do You Have Recipes For Toddlers Who Hate Vegetables?
Our Only About Children seasonal menu is nutritious and delicious. Your child is sure to be enjoying veggie packed meals and snacks when they are in our care.
If your child tends to be a fussy eater at home, why not speak with your Campus Director to understand what they are eating at Only About Children? We have plenty of recipes that you can try at home. This includes:
Read about The Importance of Good Gut Health in Children and A Guide to Healthy Summer Snacking.
Here is some further reading on Health & Nutrition
Only About Children can help your child to grow, make friends and explore the world.
Only About Children can help your child to grow, make friends and explore the world.
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