How do I get my child to eat her fruits and veggies?

Sarah - posted on 10/31/2011

Well you could make a game of it that is what i do. Say something like if you eat three bites you get a sticker...Lets say 5 sticker counts for 10 min. later he can stay up...Or you can use the food in place of stickers but with stickers you can get more bites...You can also use this for behavior ex. ( If you eat all of your fruits and veggies today and be good you get a sticker!...:) hope this helped!:)
Or you can also make it fun ... ex. every 5 bites you take we can play a game ( don't over stem. him just give him maybe some fruits and chesse for snack and then 1 serving of veggies at dinner and lunch.. just not to many:)))

Porohu - posted on 01/18/2010

Hi Stephanie

How about cutting shapes and figures out of the fruits. Dip the fruits in chocolate.

Maggie - posted on 01/18/2010

I make baby food for my 8 month old and my daughter got interested in some veggies when they were pureed. Could you mix pureed sweet potato or winter squash with her apple sauce? It might get her to try it and learn to like a new flavor. Thay also make apple sauces with other fruits mixed in. If she liked apple-strawberry sauce, she might like to try strawberries.

Stephanie - posted on 01/17/2010

Thank you everyone for the great ideas!! I still haven't had any luck with my stubborn eater, but I will keep trying!

Treena-Marie - posted on 01/14/2010

grate veges into every meal carrots courgettes, add spinich even to lasanga/meatballs/meatloaf/chicken meals and fruit you can add to jellys/custards as a special treat.

Nancy - posted on 01/13/2010

V-8 Fusion daily = 1 serving fruits and vegetables........frozen peas right from freezer like a treat. I have a fussy eater too

Talitha - posted on 01/11/2010

My daughter started eating them when that's all I let her eat shortly before dinner. I just tell her that if she is hungry she can have celery or carrot sticks. We also put blueberries, strawberries, or peaches in cereal or on pancakes. If you make it a special treat or topping it may go over better. I also mix peas in with mac 'n' cheese so it's hard to eat around! I hope one of these tricks work!

Kelly-anne - posted on 01/07/2010

Hi Stephanie, My son who is almost 3 was exactly the same, he would only eat potatoes until I let him help me prepare the dinner - now he eats sweetcorn, peas, carrots and green beans! I still can't get him to eat any fruit other than bananas but the veggies are a start! Good Luck!

JoAnne - posted on 12/09/2009

My daughter was like that too. I ended up disgusing them. Like with celery I added peanut butter and rasins (Ants on a log), for stawberries I add a sprinkle of sugar and we call it Ice storm, we even take a paper plate and use the veggies to make silly faces (Green beans French style as a mouth and long ears, corn for the eyes, ect.)
Another trick we used with my oldest child was they got a special treat if they tried a new food, they had to take a nice size bite and swallow then they could have a piece of their favorite food or a special activity, just something to reward them.
I hope this helps!

Stephanie - posted on 12/06/2009

Thank you Becky! Unfortunately the tricky part about your awesome suggestions is I am a fussy eater myself so modeling isn't easy to do! LOL... I don't want her to be like me.

Becky - posted on 12/06/2009

We serve a variety and ask her to try one bite of everything. We will often tell her "You liked this last time you had it" even if she didn't. Eat something you think she would like (baked sweet potato, carrot, steamed broccoli) and refuse to give her any (it's for grown ups only) until she is desperate to try it. Model eating and loving veggies and fruit in front of her. Good Luck!