Getting Kids to EAT Veggies ... What YOU Can Do

Serve a variety of vegetables in a variety of ways.

Since children may need to see a new food many times before they want to even taste it, serving veggies often helps kids get familiar with how they look and smell.

Veggies can be prepared in many ways - raw, steamed, stir-fried, roasted, baked, and grilled. Kids who won’t touch cooked spinach might love a baby spinach salad.

Be a vegetable role model for children.

• The simplest, most effective way to get kids to eat their veggies is to eat yours. While this may not have an immediate effect, over time it will help kids eat a variety of food.
• Gardening is a great way to get kids more interested in vegetables. They are usually more willing to try garden fresh items - often before they make it to the dinner table.

Refrain from forcing or bribing children to eat any food.

• Forcing or bribing children to eat veggies (or any other food) often makes them more suspicious of that item. They actually tend to eat less of the food in these situations.
• The best approach is a matter-of-fact one: This is the tasty vegetable we are serving for this meal. It tastes great - and I hope that you will enjoy eating it like I am.