She won't eat her vegetables!

Vuyokazi - posted on 08/09/2010

thankx moms,i also mix my veggies with my meat by that way they eat more specail if am cooking sppaghetti and mince meat ,i mix those togethr

Kate - posted on 08/05/2010

quick sneaky tip... mash cook cauliflower in with mashed potatoes, or puree veggie and all them to spaghetti sauce, meat ( as sauce) etc... also V8 fusions are 2 servings so maybe give her those

Sarndra - posted on 07/24/2010

My son is also in the same predicament and is the same age! I have been told not to worry as long as he eats lots of fruit but I am like you! I want him to eat his vegies instead of looking at his plate going "I don't like that" Without even trying it!!! I have started making Zuchini, Carrot and choc chip muffins they are actually really nice and very well hidden as well as giving him V8 Veg juice each day (it is quite expensive so he only has one glass a day)...

Pamela - posted on 07/20/2010

We have a saying in our house "might not be real yummy, but sure is good for the tummy" and a rule that if they try it and don't like it then thay can spit it out (gross) but seam's to work for us.

Stephanie - posted on 07/20/2010

My four year went through this same phase! It started about 2 1/2 for them...but then at about 3 or 3 1/2 we went to a theme park and wanted to ride the "big" rollercoasters...I told him that he had to grow more to be able to ride them (naturally because at this point he was just at the 36in mark and could ride just a few rides) A few weeks later I was trying to get him to eat some broccoli and viola! made the association that if you ate your broccoli you'll grow big to ride the big rollercoasters. It worked for the broccoli (so much that he started asking for it) and since then has helped to add on even more veggies!! Maybe there is something like that you can use? He also loves salad all of a sudden and eats one with almost every dinner. Just keep on offering it and they'll come around!

Justine - posted on 07/20/2010

oooooo! also, have u tried picking fresh veggies and allowing her to eat them like that?? Thats always fun :)

Justine - posted on 07/20/2010

Try serving the veggies in a special dish, make a big deal out of them when u serve them up to everyone but don't give any to her. When she asks why she didnt get any or if she can have some tell her they are for big kids only or they're only for her Daddy or you. And make sure that she knows that the people who eat this special dish gets to choose a special dessert, movie, toy, or event.
Also, chief boy r d has added a serving of veggies to their pastas now. And my 3 year olds LOVE V8 Splash and that holds veggies and fruits, yay! Good luck, don't stop trying :)

Rachel - posted on 07/20/2010

I am going to tell you something that might appall many mommies....drench it in butter! LOL. OR...a healtheir, but buttery tasting way is to put olive oil on the veggies, sprinkle them with that fake butter flavoring stuff (what is it called...Mrs. Bud or something...it is usually with the spices at the store), and then kind of mix it all together..or...and I know this sounds a little gross to most adults....my little one year old actually eats asparagus if there is a little chocolate sauce. I could feel guilty about all of the sugar and salt and yadayada...but enough guilt! Who needs it. See if they like these wierd concoctions and if they do try reducing the butter or chocolate or whatever each time. It might not work at all, but it might!

Roxanna - posted on 07/19/2010

I love the trophy idea! If I find an old trophy somewhere I will be trying that, I bet it would work with one of those first place ribbons they sell at party supply stores. :D

Roxanna - posted on 07/19/2010

I have 3 boys, 5 year old twins and a 3 year old, and my oldest twin has been getting very picky about eating his veggies too. He doesn't like whole tomatoes, corn, green beans, peas, sliced mushrooms and green peppers! I usually chop up tomatoes and put them in my spaghetti and chili and he eats them just fine. I also make pizza at home and fine chop mushrooms and put them under the cheese and he has never noticed! I also tell him he has to at least try a few bites and I have his brothers tell him how good it taste.



I have also tried telling telling him Spiderman(or whatever superhero is his favorite that day) likes this or that veggie so maybe you can try that with her favorite cartoon character. I can understand you not wanting to hide it from her but sometimes that is the only thing that works until she outgrows it. :(

Janell - posted on 07/18/2010

i have a friend who got an old sports trophy and put a sticker on it for best eater. her 3 boys 10 yrs to 2.5yrs compete for the trophy at the dinner table whoever eats the most off their plate gets the trophy until the next night and if they eat all of it they get 1 scoop of ice cream for dessert. if you don't finnish no ice cream! needless to say they are great veggie eaters.

Gizzelle - posted on 07/16/2010

My son is the same. Now I sneak the vegies in. When he is NOT looking, I grate Onions, garlic, carrots, mushroom, zucchini into Spaghetti, Mac and cheese, tuna mornay etc. The meal should be a strong tasting one to overpower the taste of veg. Mushroom is especially good cos you cant see it.

Brittany - posted on 07/15/2010

What my sisters do for their kids is tell them they need to at least take one bite of everything on their plate. It takes a while but eventually it works. It might also help to give her options before you make dinner let her choose between carrots or peas. I found that some kids seem to like veggies cooked one way but not another.

Jeanne - posted on 07/14/2010

After reading a few of the comments, I thought of something else. Puree vegetables and add them to foods like tomato sauce, ravioli (any chef Boy R Dee products), a favorite to add of mine was frozen spinach. I make home made cole slaw and I add fresh spinach to that. Sneaky I am not sure, but healthier most definitely.

Jeanne - posted on 07/14/2010

I always told my children to take a Please and Thank you bite, that would be 3 bites with an open mind. I never forced them to eat anything after that. My "children" are now 23, 21 and 20: they all have an appreciation for this now, because as they eat at friends house, they are not afraid to eat what is put before them. This also helped when we went to cook outs and other functions for them to willingly try different foods. I will also, add they try more foods than I do.

Nancy - posted on 07/14/2010

Tastes change throughout our lives. If given the choice, my son would eat M&M's for every meal, with a side of pickles. Luckily he still loves green beans, but only canned, not fresh, go figure. So, in the mean time, since it's for her health and not her culinary preferences, I say, sneak, sneak sneak!! Get them in when you can!

Carol - posted on 07/14/2010

Most children about her age go thru a phase where they refuse to eat something. This may sound odd but hear me out. She is knee high to the world. Just old enough to want to have some control of her little world. Understand? So take her focus OFF food control by letting her have control of a few other things like what she wears, which bed time story if any, or if she brushes her hair or you fix it for her. By letting her have more choice is other areas you may find that you have less battle over food. If she wants to put her night gown on the bear she sleeps with during the day instead of under her pillow, what does it really hurt? If after a few weeks or a month you see no improvement, then you may just have to play the heavy. We alsways used the one bite to try it rule at our house. But then we had all veggie meals once or twice a month. Yes, letting them help pick out & or prepair does help.

April - posted on 07/13/2010

I use made-up stories of kids not eating vege... and my 3 1/2 who didn't like vege realises that those kids in those stories are wrong to not eat the vege.. so she will tell us that those kids do not represent her, and that she eats her vege. By saying that a few times, she has psychoed herself to eat vege.. it's still a bit of a struggle sometimes when it involves green leaft vege that she doesn't like. But when reminded that she said she likes vege, she will eat it, albeit a little unwillingly.

Alison - posted on 07/13/2010

Get over the hiding thing, as long as she is eating some veggies she'll be fine!

If you notice she likes something at a friends house, get the recipe and do it at home. Be sure to remind her it is just like what she ate at so-and-so's house.

Annmarie - posted on 07/13/2010

Try Jessica Seinfels book " Deceptively Delicious" Great recipes with puree veggies ans the kids don't even know I put beets in their brownies..no kidding it works!

Arla - posted on 07/13/2010

I am a home ec teacher. What I am interested to know is it cooked vegetables or raw vegetables that she won't eat OR both? If she doesn't like them cooked, then try raw and vice versa. However, if she doesn't like them either way, then you have to be a little more creative and introduce them slowly. So, say you give her raw carrots and pretzels with dip and for every pretzel you show her you eat in dip, you eat a carrot and she can do the same. It is a start.

Staci - posted on 07/11/2010

have u looked in to see if she likes v8 splash? it has veggies, and as she gets older keep fresh veggies around the kitchen so she sees them and are in her reach

Ella - posted on 07/11/2010

give her a small plate with an assortment of dipping sauces on it, ketchup, ranch, be creative.....my son who is 16 now would only eat his vegetables if he had something to dip them in, greenbeans and ketchup never appealed to me, but he ate them and they do outgrow it, if it was something he didnt think he was going to like, my rule was to eat three of them, alot of times he found he liked he and finished it off....avoid power struggles :)

Tanja - posted on 07/11/2010

When my oldest was ready to eat veggies and stuff she to ate all I gave her but then one day she put her nose in the air and would not eat them again , I was upset that she would not get what she needed to grow healthy but when I talked to my doctore he told me find other means of getting her to eat other foods that my have veggies mixed in that she would not see . She is now 23 and has a baby of her own and my other 5 kids were almost like her just not as bad with foods. Good Luck hun hope this helps.

Althea - posted on 07/10/2010

Someone else already mentioned, but I think that it is worth repeating. If you are able to start a garden and get your child invovled it will do wonders. I also took my son to the farmers market every weekend. We became friends with a local farmer and they would offer him vegetables to taste. He would eat zucchinni, kolrabi and green beans right there at the stand. They were able to tell me good ways to cook them. The more unique the vegetable to more interested my son was.

Good luck

Sonia - posted on 07/10/2010

ask her to help you prep the meals. it will be something fun and new. and i bet she will very pleased because she gave a hand in the kitchen. try offer a recipe book for kids.

Kimberly - posted on 07/10/2010

I did a few different things. With my oldest I made his favorite food. Put just a tiny bit on the plate and literally 2 green beans. When the green beans were gone, he got more food. It worked.
Now, I make spaghetti sauce and put lots of veggies n the food processor and add in when I cook the meat for the sauce. The kids know they are there, love the taste and don't have to look at them.

Crystal - posted on 07/10/2010

my daughter eat hers she loves corn on the cob, broccill, carrots, potatoes we cant get her to take vitamins i would keep trying so good luck

Rhonda - posted on 07/09/2010

i used a cookbook that had food that looked and tasted normal but still had veg. in it. i know it might sound gross but my kids loved it and it was healthy for them! i can get the name of the cookbook for you if you want? email at Rhonda9520033@hotmail.com if you want. good luck i have a 13,12 and 11 year old so i know what you are going through! :) they are a blessing though!

Veronica - posted on 07/09/2010

Hi Janet
I guess you just have to do what the ped tells you and lets hope that eventually her curb for veggies will hit her real soon.
Don't feel guilty. We moms always thrive to give our kids the very best.

Bye
Veronica

Angela - posted on 07/09/2010

I agree with hiding vegies, especially as my husband also has an aversion to eating them. Meatballs made up with pureed vegetables is one of our favourites, kids love eating meatballs and they dont know that about 1/3 ofthe mix is pureed veg. served with spaghetti and tomato salsa with grated cheese, they're all happy.

Shelli - posted on 07/09/2010

I found the best cook book ever! Deceptively Delioucious! It makes the veggies into purees or sauces, so the kids don't notice them! I use it for myself, for veggies, I don't eat! Cauliflower, broccoli, ect ect.

Crystal - posted on 07/08/2010

Kids go through phases with their eating! This is normal! My advice, get the book "Deceptively Delicious" and read the intro as well! What is advised is that while you are hiding veggies (pureed carrots or squash in grilled cheese is one of the most popular in my house!) also serve a vegetable along side the food with hidden veggies. This way your daughter will always see vegetables being served and will eventually choose them herself! I found this book to be an amazing jumping off point! I puree everything and use it in anything! Including quick meals (yes, most of us are guilty of occassionally opening a box of Kraft Dinner or Hamburger Helper) I will even add veggies to premade stuff and it is still virtually undetectable. Also, keep in mind that things like pasta sauce and chili are a FANTASTIC way to hide veggies! Shred, chop and puree all kinds of stuff and throw it in. By using a variety of chopping, shredding and pureeing, some stuff will be hidden and other stuff upfront, some hard to pick out (the shredded) therefore, easier to show that the veggies can be very yummy!

Nicole - posted on 07/08/2010

I agree do not force her she will come around to them. I feed my kids ITS GREENS they get 8= servings of fr4uit and veggies and they don't even know!! It tastes good and they are getting what they need. If you are interested in this product get a hold of me. wrapsin45@gmail.com
Nicole Saarenpaa

Donna - posted on 07/08/2010

I'm having the same problem with my four year old. I do offer veggies regularly. We have got him to where he will eat green beans, corn and peas. He tries to tell me he don't like them but because he will eat them when he wants to these veggies he has to eat. Something else that helps is getting him around other kids that are eating veggies. He wouldn't eat carrots but mom has been feeding organic carrotts to the neighbors dog. Well all the kids in the neighbor hood including my son all decided that they liked little carrots because of this.

Sandra - posted on 07/08/2010

The thing that worked for me was that I stopped cooking the veggies because kids don't like that texture. I bought baby carrots, broccoli 'trees', colored pepper strips and fat-free ranch dressing and made veggie dips. My kids always loved dunking the veggies in dip. (Just make sure they are cut small enough to avoid choking hazards--cut grape tomatoes in half, etc) My kids will still nosh out on a veggie platter over cooked but they will eat the cooked as well. As for V8 & other juices, the sodium levels are prohibitively high and my pediatrician advised against all juices and said to opt for the actual fruit/veggie instead as it contained more nutrients & fiber than the juices.

Christine - posted on 07/07/2010

The best way I found to get my kids to eat veggies is we started a veggie garden. They were so proud ofthemselves for planting, watering and then eating them! The would tell everyone that they were THEIR veggies!
If you can give it a try-good way to get them to eat them and a great family project.
Bonus, to this day they are BIg veggie eaters!

Jennell - posted on 07/07/2010

if she likes muffins...sneek them into the batter before you bake them!

Bethany - posted on 07/07/2010

don't feel guilty! and there is no shame in hiding veggies!!! ever try reasoning with a three year old? doesn't work so much :) you are the mommy, you are in charge. hide the veggies. no 3 1/2 year old needs to know all the secrets of her day to day life. and don't forget about fruit juices that have a serving of veggies already in them :) does she like pasta? don't forget that marinara is made from tomatoes! and you can hide all kinds of stuff in pasta sauce...spinach, squash puree, etc. try things like sweet potato french fries (roasted, not deep fried) or dehydrated green beans- they are awesome, and almost like chips as a snack food- but they're green beans :) good luck- when you quit stressing, your baby will quit stressing I promise :)

Michelle - posted on 07/07/2010

My daughter was great about eating her veggies for a long time and then around the same age as your daughter is now, she stopped. I just kept giving her vegetables and didn't force her. She picks and chooses what she will eat but definitely does eat them now. I also told her that veggies make her strong and healthy and are good for her poopies...somehow that worked as well! Go figure! Another thing you could try is to have her help you shop for the veggies or even have a little garden where she can learn how to grow some vegetables and taste them once they are ready.

I also have the Jessica Seinfeld "Deceptively Delicious" cookbook. There are a lot of great ideas in there. Just keep trying. Most important, set the example yourself. Kids really do learn by example and if you regularly eat and enjoy your veggies, she will come around. I don't make separate meals for my kids--we all eat the same thing and they have to at least try everything on their plates. Sometimes we will even coax them by telling them they have to eat just 4 more bites (or whatever their age is--4 bites for 4 years). It's amazing how the stuff just disappears!

Good luck!

Ronel - posted on 07/06/2010

Hi Janet - Don't know if it will work - but my 3 year old went through the same - he's got a very sweet tooth - therefore I started off with Sweet Patotoe that I fry in a pan with a bit of butter and some brown suger - convinced him its Sweetie-patotoes (with specially added for him sweets) didn't take long to convince him that this is specially made only for him and by the second time - it was his favourite.... Now on - he doesn't have much of a choice as long before the meal he needs to tell everybody that his favourite is made especially for him, he gets the first serving and can even decide how much his brother is allowed ... Think it's an ego-thing but works for me on this side...

Melissa - posted on 07/05/2010

keep offering and supplement with fruits if she will eat those.there are also fruit juices with veggies in them now, like motts and v8. I have also had success putting shredded carrots in meatloaf and finely diced veggies in spaghetti sauce.

Brandy - posted on 07/04/2010

we are giving our son V8 VFusion to drink and children's vitamins.

Monica - posted on 07/03/2010

Give her a chewable children's vitamin and ease your guilt. Just keep encouraging her to try them.

We have a one spoonful rule at our house, that may work in another year for her. I give very small portions of everything we are having for dinner and if the kids want more of anything they have to eat what is on their plate including their spoonful of veggies. I still get complaints from one or two of the three, but they know the rule and they eat them. Over time, they the complaints have gone down and some of the veggies they even like now.