Veggie Recipes for a Toddler??

Julie - posted on 11/05/2010

spinich balls
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups finely crushed herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup melted butter
3 eggs, beaten
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.In a large bowl combine spinach, stuffing mix, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, black pepper, Italian seasoning, melted butter and eggs. Shape into walnut-sized balls and place on a baking sheet.
3.Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through and browned

Kristen - posted on 11/03/2010

My kids as for what they see on tv. So naturally, after watching Ratatouille last week, they asked for the dish (see recipe here: http://wp.me/pRa1N-a3). Maybe leaving the food network on, or handpicking movies that encourage good, healthy food could help spark your little one's interests. Keep us posted! :)

Robin - posted on 11/02/2010

Thanks for the Zucchini Crunchy idea!!

Dawn - posted on 10/27/2010

Try Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook - all about pureeing veggies and putting them in foods your kids love anyway. It saved my life!

Jessica - posted on 10/27/2010

my guys loved cheesy baked zucchini b/c it is crunchy. very easy -- dice zucchini, mix with 1 tbsp of olive oil, sprinkle with breadcrumbs & parmesan cheese & toss, spread it out on a baking sheet, bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes, turn & bake another 15 minutes or until golden & crispy.

Amanda - posted on 10/26/2010

does he like sauces? if you make meat with sauce try adding pureed veggies to the sauce, you could use baby food or puree your own fresh stuff. carrots add a sweet taste, and no texture! you can also find recipes for breads and stuff that have veggies in the recipes (i.e. sweet potato bisquits) hope this helps :) If all else fail, you can get vitamins that are like gummy bears, for kids who dont eat alot of certain food group

Diann - posted on 10/22/2010

Let me ask you a question.
When you are trying to get you son to eat fruit or veggies, at ANY time have the words... "You are not going to LIKE this, But eat it anyway." Come out of your mouth? If not, when you have veggies sitting in front of him, are you eating them too? Do you act in the slightest DESPERATE or PLEADING for him to eat them? Do You eat them like it is nothing but a thing, OR do you take a bite and act like that veggie was the BEST THING YOU HAVE EVER EATEN IN YOUR LIFE! The last two things work for the most part for me. Food time should not be a reward or a punishment. But sometimes it can feel that way for a Mom trying to get the sweet peas in a kid. I have served everything from Veggies mixed into food to Veggie burgers. They taste like a regular burger and they CAN NOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE between a Veggie Burger and a Burger King Burger.
As for recipies. I hear there is a book out about how to trick kids into eating their veggies. I did not have huge problems getting my daughter to eat veggies and fruit when she was that age. I think because I do both the: Veggies are the GREATEST things to eat EVER act and the just eating the food that was there thing. when my daughter was little. I also had her watch things on TV that talk about how GOOD healthy foods are. THAT SAID!!! I have know some children that went through odd eating habits around the age of 1 1/2 to 2 1/2, IE Around that age there was a time that the ONLY thing that I could get my daughter to eat was bread. This went on for WEEKS! I got scared, took her to the Dr, who told me that things like this happen, and not to worry about it that she would grow out of it, and as long as she was eating, Not to panic. Shortly there after she went to eating normally again. I think my main statement here is...TRY not to panic. You are a good Mom, and if you do not try to force feed your son veggies, he WILL follow what you do in time! Try the Makeing a big production about how good the veggies taste. "OH MAN! This taste better then CAKE!" production! ;-) IN FACT, do it with out giving him any of the veggies on his plate, He WILL want whatever it is that MOMMY thinks taste so GOOD!
Also, I have made a Zuchinni Cheese noodle, Just add chopped zuchinni to your cheese noodles and cook like like you normally would.

Chris - posted on 10/22/2010

My 2 & 3 year olds love mixed veggies with white rice and a can of cream of chicken soup, all mixed together. You could also add chicken or any meat.

Liza-Jayne - posted on 10/19/2010

you could make a stir-fry with rice and noodles and make your own sauce so you know what's in it and making sure its not too spicy, or maybe shepards or cottage pies, my son hates peas, and cooked dinners but for some reason he eats cottage pies, so maybe it will work for your son, hope this has helped x

Mary Beth - posted on 10/19/2010

My oldest is 12 years old now, but I can tell you that there are kids that love veggies, kids that hate veggies, and kids that will eat them because they have to. One of my kids favorites was Edamame and it has a lot of protein in it as well. You can cook it on the stove and then add a little butter or olive oil and a little salt and pepper. You can add it in soups, serve it in a bowl, etc. I used to sneak carrots in as many things as possible as well. One of my kids favorites was "Special chocolate cake". I could sneak a lot in and they never knew. Fruits are way more fun if your little one gets to pick it out at the store. They tend to want to eat it when they get home. Apples and peanut butter (or Nutella) is a great snack. Good Luck!

Jessica - posted on 10/19/2010

have you tried trying to teach him how to dip?? i..e. carrorts and ranch, or with cheese?

Kimberly - posted on 10/18/2010

Have you tried making veggies fun? I don't know how well this will work with him now, but it does work for my three year old son. I just find creative ways to make veggies fun.

I take celery cut them into bite size pieces, then spread peanut butter into the crevice, then press a raisin into the peanut butter and call it ant on a log, he thinks it's funny to be eating something that shares it's name with a bug and eats it.

I also take some thick cheese sauce spread it on a plate, stick broccoli in it so that the broccoli is standing up, top it with a bit more cheese and call them trees, he pretends he is a big monster eating all the trees.

There are a few more that I do that I can't remember at the moment, I will have to find my recipe book. Another thing you can do is buy the V8 V-fusion juice, it counts as a serving of veggies and a serving of fruit.
I hope this helps, Kim

Krystina - posted on 10/18/2010

This is a website I get alot of my recipes from they have some many to choose from.
www.allrecipes.com
Hope this helps!!

Andrea - posted on 10/17/2010

If he likes potatoes i usually make instant potatoes with sour cream and cut up (small) pecies of grren onion .. just a thought My son also likes Sneaky vegetable pasta You saute onions&garlic until tender add carrots,zucchini& mushrooms and cook until softend add tomatoes,broth,suger,salt& peppersimmer 15 to 20 min romove from stove and let cool slightley.Cook pasta until cooked by directions while pasta is cooking puree veg. in a blender. and toss together and serve i always add cheese.