Susan - posted on 01/27/2009

Quoting Candice:

how do i get my 3yr old to eat vegies

my lil man has never liked vegies & now does not eat vegies at all...
he dosen't really eat alot of anything to tel u the truth.
he eats chicken pop corn (KFC), 2min noodles, spag, rice & source, pies...

Monkey see, monkey do. Start having microwaved carrot sticks for lunch. Stop giving him KFC.

Samantha - posted on 01/27/2009

my daughter is four and a half she has been a meat eater since she could eat. in order to get her to get her vitamon/mineral intake I grade carrots in ground meat, hambergers, meat loaf, lesonya i layer in veggies, speggetti sauce graded veggies, add peas and carrots to mac and cheese. make sweet potatoe french fries.  Jordan has just started liking veggies and ranch dressing I make shoe string carrot sticks and she noe likes broccoili.  there palet changes as they get older.  I always tell her to try one bite before she says she doen't like something. that is how she started with the veggies and dip, I also put cheese slices melted on top of coliflower the other day and she tryed it the one bite and ate two more bits. I also give her a vitamon for picky eaters and get her to drink Juce with veggies and fruit in it .

just be persistant but gental and patient it will come

Samantha    

Sian - posted on 01/27/2009

i have jus purchased the 'deceptivley delious' book and baked chocolate brownies made with pureed carrot, my daughter loved them! im goin to start adding the veg into savory foods next week, we had fun and its the first amount of carrot shes eaten in 4yrs!!!

Vandana - posted on 01/22/2009

The easiest thing is to grate it into some foods like spaghetti sauce or make veggie patties using potatoes as well as other grated veggies. He won't notice them as much. To get him to enjoy them voluntarily, maybe veggies with dip?

Katie - posted on 01/21/2009

Hello,

My son Liam was the same, but just recently i bought some veges that were covered in cheese sauce, and he ate the lot! Dont know if that helps, but good luck!!!!

Katie - posted on 01/21/2009

Hello,

My son Liam was the same, but just recently i bought some veges that were covered in cheese sauce, and he ate the lot! Dont know if that helps, but good luck!!!!

Elizabeth - posted on 01/21/2009

When you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Deceptively Delicious is a great cookbook written by Jerry Seinfeld's wife. You roast or steam veggies, refrig or freeze in 1/2 cup portions and add them into her recipes or ready-made stuff. Cauliflower and squashes are great in anything cause kids don't see or taste them. Carrots are great to add into spagetti sauces. Pumpkin, sweet potato and butternut squash are great additions to pancakes. Any veggies can be added into hamburger with the addition of a few breadcrumbs - don't even need the egg cause the veggie protein works as a binder.

Vicki - posted on 01/21/2009

try small bites and shapes if possible.... dip is a good idea 2

Sian - posted on 01/21/2009

sounds great if your child will eat things like sauce and soup :( my daughter doesnt, my boys are fantastic eaters but for her...well shes a diff story, im looking forward to the books recomended hiding veg in chocolate cake sounds like it may work!

Jodi - posted on 01/21/2009

I am all about hiding the healthy stuff in whatever they will eat. I dice and slice all I can. I mash peas into mashed pototoes. Put it through the food processor if I have to. As long as I know they are getting their daily fill...that is all that matters. I found another trick is to add veggies to spaghetti sauces and things like that...soups are a great one. It is hard to find the pureed veggies in the sauces and soups...AND it makes a great and tasty base! Hope this helps at all. :)

Jennifer - posted on 01/21/2009

Covering veggies in sauces (Velveeta, ranch, butter) is VERY unhealthy and you are setting yourself up for disaster.  (Unless you are using less each time until there is no longer a lot of sauce on the veggies.)  Beware of the juice/veggie blends as they can have a lot of sugar in them. 

I have to say that I agree with Kate from John & Kate plus Eight.  She cooks one meal and that is what there is to eat.  It is a healthy balanced meal.  If one of the kids doesn't eat she doesn't make a big deal out of it, they will eat at the next meal.  She also keeps putting veggies on their plates, eventually they will try it and eat it.

Julie - posted on 01/21/2009

At this age I wouldn't differentiate between fruits and vegetables, as long as he's eating one or the other.

All three of my boys were picky, but my oldest was insanely picky. I ended up taking him to a shrink (!) over it, and she said to punish him when he wouldn't eat things. So if he didn't eat his dinner he'd have to go to bed. It worked like a charm when nothing else had any success whatsoever.

I know that goes against all eating advice you'll get, but I tried EVERYTHING before. I think the hiding them in things is okay up to a point, but it's really not sustainable. Your children have to learn to eat normally.

Tamara - posted on 01/21/2009

dont let children see you being picky you need to try everything also dont miss something of your plate or your parners cause you dont like it your children will copy you

Tamara - posted on 01/21/2009

you are probably feeding him just want he wants, by the looks of your list. We have a rule in our house you have to try everything on your plate, you dont have to eat it all but you have to try it, my mum used to mash veggies in our potatoes and then ask us what colour we want our mash, she would then add food colouring we thought it was fun, make your meals fun. make faces and mash potatoe as a base, carrots for eyes, beans / peas/corn for mouth, brocolli for ears, sausage/meat for hair. then play a game, eat their eyes, then let your son choose what part to eat, then eat that, etc next person pics the next one...make meal times fun

Tammy - posted on 01/21/2009

The best way to get your child or children to eat veggies or fruits is to puree them and then cook into other foods they like such as brownies, soups, cookies, basically anything. They will never know that they are there and it takes all the stress off of you. :)

Amy - posted on 01/21/2009

Have you heard of the book Deceitfully Delious, it is by Jerry Seinfelds wife. It worked for my 3 year old. We put Califlower into his mac n cheese. He thought it was great. Even had 2nds.

Becky - posted on 01/21/2009

cover it w/ melted velveta or dip them in ranch dressing, etc.

Angela - posted on 01/21/2009

have you tried that cookbook written by Jerry Seinfeld's wife? Deceptively Delicious. It hides veggies in all sorts of food. My kids (luckily) eat most veggies no problem. But my 6 year old thought it was hilarious to make the foods (such as Chocolate chip Chick Pea Cookies - and yes, they are fantastic!) and then make his dad guess what was the "secret" ingredient.

Tammy - posted on 01/21/2009

I have 4 children, so to make sure that they get there veggies, I put them in a food processor and mix them in spag. sauce. They never know that the are there.

Nancy - posted on 01/21/2009

Ignore the myth that all food should be ready at the same time.  My sitter puts out the veggie 1/2 hour before everything else.  When that's gone, she then puts out the next item...

The other thing I do is chop really fine and add to other stuff.  You can add 1/2 can of green beans (finely) to spaghetti sauce without noticing a taste difference.  Put it in when he's not looking, then serve the rest with the meal.

Also, try topping with cheese or different dips.  My friends kids liked to eat their veggies still frozen.  Be persistent and good luck.

Stacey - posted on 01/21/2009

blend them thats how mom got me to eat them.... chicken soup was the best

Colleen - posted on 01/21/2009

My kids love V8 Fusion, which includes a full serving of fruit and vegetables in each glass. It's pretty low on the sugar and the sodium - a nice way to incorporate some "unknown goodies."

Sallyann - posted on 01/21/2009

weird idea but it works ,,have you tried getting him to help prepare the veggies make it fun and into a game and nibble raw carrot as you go along  ,also make funny faces on plate thomas loves it ,but he was weened on home made ice tray dinners so he has been used to them but hes a fussy eater  ,i have trouble with the junk food ,exept oven chips hehe anycase just try and have fun  also plant your own with him he can watch them grow ,he will learn a thing or two aswell xxgood luck  oh and dont let people tell you what you should of done [louise sedgman  naughty]  xx

Janine - posted on 01/20/2009

Hi there, I started my son on veggies and he is just like your son he wont touch them at all, you could try to disguise them but my son wouldn't even entertain it because he knew the veg was in the food. My son is the same age as yours and eats similar things, you can buy hot dogs in tins with hidden veg which is completely liquidized into the hot dog so you cant even tell, thats if your from england not sure if you can get similar things in other countries. I recently spoke to my health visitor about many things including his diet and she said as long as my son was getting enough fruit, diary, fluids and eating enough during the day not to make a big fuss over veg as he may rebel and not eat it at all, it's a fussy age she said.

Kate - posted on 01/20/2009

what a great idea Kim.....i never thought of trying frozen vegies.....i love eating frozen peas...i just didnt think of it....cool......thanx Kim xx

Kate - posted on 01/20/2009

what a great idea Kim.....i never thought of trying frozen vegies.....i love eating frozen peas...i just didnt think of it....cool......thanx Kim xx

Victoria - posted on 01/20/2009

Has anyone recommended The Sneaky Chef? http://www.thesneakychef.com/book1_the_s...

Sian - posted on 01/20/2009

tried all that, dont work for my daughter no matter how fun it looks, even if she has shopped and help cooked etc she still wont do anymore than look at it! so im jus sticking with V8 juice for now lol!

Missy - posted on 01/20/2009

I know this sounds like a lot of trouble, but I arrange veggies on a plate so they look like a face.  Babay carrots, cucumber slices, etc.  Then of course, ranch dressing or whatever kind of dip they like helps as well.

Missy - posted on 01/20/2009

I know this sounds like a lot of trouble, but I arrange veggies on a plate so they look like a face.  Babay carrots, cucumber slices, etc.  Then of course, ranch dressing or whatever kind of dip they like helps as well.

Crystal - posted on 01/19/2009

My kids are not fond of many. But I know that they really like the fruit and veg. juice that you can get at the store.

Sandra - posted on 01/19/2009

Try with juice of celery root, carrot and an apple. The celery has all minerals what children need.

Sandra - posted on 01/19/2009

Quoting Candice:

how do i get my 3yr old to eat vegies

my lil man has never liked vegies & now does not eat vegies at all...
he dosen't really eat alot of anything to tel u the truth.
he eats chicken pop corn (KFC), 2min noodles, spag, rice & source, pies...

Micaela - posted on 01/19/2009

When my son was small, if he didn't eat his veggies with dinner, I'd save them in the fridge, then put them in his scrambled eggs for breakfast. It worked, but now he's 16 and still doesn't eat many veggies! Skip the fast food and starchy junk - just don't even have it in the house. My pediatrician (when I, myself, was small) told my mother, "If they get hungry enough, they'll eat it..." Now, I'm a nurse, and I can't say that's the most nutritionally sound advice, but he's not likely to starve if there's food to be had when he's hungry - just stick to nutritional choices. KFC popcorn chicken would not be anywhere near the top of the list. Talk to your son's doctor as well, and see about a nutritionist.

Rebecca - posted on 01/19/2009

I hide mine in mince meals - son didn't even know they were there - grated carrot, zucchini, pumpkin etc in lasagne and spag boll. What also worked for us was an abundance of tomato sauce - if he could dip it he would eat it and you can get salt reduced sauce so it's healthier too. Also for roote vegies I found using cookie cutters to cute shapes worked - 'star fries or baked pumpkin' etc. Can also steam them.

Good luck! :)

Mali - posted on 01/19/2009

When my boys were 2 & 3 we went from a pretty unhealthy lifestyle to eating vegan (strict vegetarian). What worked was not hiding veggies in food (we weren't eating meat/dairy at all, so no place to hide) but just putting them out over and over, different varieties, different shapes. Every day before making dinner I set a plate of veggies on the table. When they wandered in, hungry, while I was cooking, I directed them to the table. They WILL turn their noses up to the veggies and skip them at first. But that passes in a few days. I bought fun cutters, knives. Do you know there are at least four ways to cut and serve carrots? And, as they were old enough to show preference, I let them pick one veggie they never had to eat. One hated tomatoes, the other celery. If they tried to tell me that they wouldn't have a veggie, I'd remind them that they already had the veggie they hated and needed to eat this one. It worked! I didn't force, beg or punish. Now they are 11 and 10 and eat all veggies and although we are not vegans any longer, their most favorite after school snacks are sliced red peppers...can't keep those in the house!

Allison - posted on 01/19/2009

My kids loved to eat frozen peas when they were small.  It was a great snack especially in the summer months. One of my three would only eat them frozen even as she got older.  You can also try offering dipping sauce like ranch dressing for broccoli  or other veggies.

Chris - posted on 01/19/2009

Check out these 2 cookbooks.  They are great and have rave reviews online.  As the kids get a little older and their tastes change, keep trying to introduce new things, but for nutritional purposes and your own sanity as a mom- use these to at least get the vegis in!

The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids' Favorite Meals by . 

Cynthia - posted on 01/19/2009

Hi, Jessica Seinfeld has written a book ' Deceptively Delicious' and it is designed to get kids to eat vegies disguised as other foods. This might help. She even puts vegies in cakes and the kids love them and they get the vegetables that way. Good luck.

Amanda - posted on 01/19/2009

Puree your veggies and throw them into sauces like spaghetti sauce.  They wont even know they are eating veggies.  It works for the kids and their fathers alike!

Meghan - posted on 01/19/2009

We started feeding the veggies to our kids before the rest of the meal.  We started this with our oldest when she was 2 1/2 yrs.  Now, our 2 oldest know they do not get anything else until they eat their veggies.  It only took a few nights until she got the idea.  The deal was, if she didn't eat her veggies, she would not get anything else to eat the rest of the night, only milk to drink.  It sounds mean, but it worked.  Now, they have races to see who can finish first.

Meghan - posted on 01/19/2009

We started feeding the veggies to our kids before the rest of the meal.  We started this with our oldest when she was 2 1/2 yrs.  Now, our 2 oldest know they do not get anything else until they eat their veggies.  It only took a few nights until she got the idea.  The deal was, if she didn't eat her veggies, she would not get anything else to eat the rest of the night, only milk to drink.  It sounds mean, but it worked.  Now, they have races to see who can finish first.

Whitney - posted on 01/19/2009

Only give him veggies to eat and he will eat. I had to do that with my son when he was about 2 and then again at 3. I spoke with his pediatrician and he said that as long as he has enough to drink he'll be fine if he misses a few meals trying to out last you. I know you're worried, but nothing happened to my son, and now he loves veggies. Don't try to wean or plead, just say "here's dinner" and if he doesn't eat, no treats. It does work and usually within 3 days. I hope it helps. Good luck.

Christina - posted on 01/19/2009

I just told my son if he didn't eat them he could sit at the table until they were eaten or he could go to bed.  It seemed to work.  Now he even loves sushi.

Christy - posted on 01/19/2009

What I found to be extremely helpful was the use of Velveeta!  I would melt cheese in with most veggies (corn, broccoli, etc.) and even the smallest bit helps!  Since he likes rice, try getting the chopped broccoli (so he doesn't see the "treetops" recognizable to all kids as broccoli lol), mixed with alot of melted Velveeta and rice....add salt (maybe a dash of lemon pepper) to taste.  That's how I got my daughter to loooove broccoli...its about the only way she eats it.  Then, you can melt a tiny amount of velveeta with your corn and add a pinch of garlic salt to taste....that's another tried and true.  I do agree with the mom about adding a bit more butter to veggies too.  That's always a winner and as long as you don't overload.  Good luck! :)

Laura - posted on 01/19/2009

mash the veg in with the potatoe

Catharine - posted on 01/19/2009

The two cookbooks are Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfield, and The Sneaky Chef by Missy Chase Lapine.

Erin - posted on 01/19/2009

If you have the room get your kids to help plant a plant in a pot or small garden. Tomatoes, carrots, cucumber etc. Get them to help you take care of it. It worked for my kids now they steal the veggies right out of the garden when they are playing.

Rebecca - posted on 01/19/2009

You have to sneak them into the food. There are two books out there that offer ideas and recipes on this (can't think of their titles but I'm sure you could find them on Amazon). A few ideas I do is cook and steam chopped carrot, broccoli, red and green pepper, a little onion and them puree in food grinder (you could also puree in some stewed tomatoes). Add the mixture to ground beef or ground turkey with one egg and a some italian breadcrumbs, make into kid sized meatballs and bake in the oven at 350 for 30 to 45 mins. till done. You can also mix pureed squash (you can buy in a box as a frozen veg. and just heat up) to mac and cheese (add a littke the first time and then more each time so they cant taste the difference)

Carie - posted on 01/19/2009

my kids both eat veg, although the older they get the more fussy they become. i find if i don't make a big thing of it the more they will eat. only feed them a little tiny bit then it doesn't seem to be so daunting . or give them extra and say they only need eat half. seems to work for me! good luck. xx