5 Ways to Make Vegetables More Attractive to Children

If your little one is reluctant to eat, don’t fret. There are ways to overcome this issue. You don’t need to be forceful, but rather gather up all the patience you can. Over time, your child will develop a taste for vegetables.

To help you in the process, we’re providing you with 5 ways to make vegetables more attractive to children. You’ll see that it’s much easier than you think.

5 ways to make vegetables more attractive to children

1. Mix green vegetables into fruit smoothies

A good way to help our children get the nourishment they need is to add green vegetables to fruit smoothies. 

For example, you can choose a few spinach or kale leaves or a bit of chopped zucchini. Blend it with a ripe banana and some almond or coconut milk, your child won’t even notice they’re there.

You can also try preparing a smoothie with blueberries, beets, banana and orange juice. Carrots, cucumbers and broccoli are also easy to disguise when you mix them with fruits like grapes, pears, red berries or pineapple juice.

2. Vegetable cakes

Increase the nutritional value of your cakes while you add color as well. What’s more, adding vegetables gives your cakes a lighter and smoother texture once baked.

Chocolate cake with zucchini, carrot cake, beet muffins… These are just a few of the many options you can choose from. For best results, grate veggies before adding them to the batter. 

Their flavor will be completely unnoticeable, but their presence will give your cakes a smooth and spongy finish. And of course, they’ll be packed with nutrients.

3. Serve au gratin vegetables

Besides smoothies and cakes, you can also try preparing au gratin vegetables with béchamel sauce or heavy whipping cream. Add cheese on top for extra appeal. You can combine your children’s favorite flavors with vegetables so that they’re less reluctant to try them.

For example, eggplants and tomatoes take on a different flavor when prepared au gratin. Add fish or ground beef (or ground turkey) to your au gratin recipes to make an even more complete meal.

4. Transform raw vegetables into sandwiches or skewers

You can chop raw vegetables (like carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, etc) and add them to a skewer to make kabobs. You and your kids can then dip the skewered veggies into dips like hummus, ranch, or Greek yogurt.

Offer kabobs as appetizers before main meals. This strategy takes advantage of your children’s hunger at mealtime. That way, they’ll be more likely to try new things.

5. Purees and smooth textures

In general, children prefer smoother textures. These allow vegetables to go unnoticed and distract your little one’s attention.

Warm purees are great during the winter. You can serve them cold during the hot summer months. Depending on their consistency, your children can eat them with a spoon or drink them with a straw. You can also spread them on toast or use them to make a sandwich with cheese and lunch meat.

Children are often more willing to try a new food when it’s part of some sort of combination. If your children like pasta, rice or pizza, then try adding vegetables to these dishes.

Above all else, don’t forget to make your food presentations playful. For example, use different ingredients to make a face. Use black olives for eyes, ketchup to draw a nose, and a piece of cheese as the mouth.

There are a million different ways to make vegetables more attractive and fun for your children. It’s best to try several ideas to see which ones work. In doing so, you’ll be caring for your loved ones’ health and creating positive eating habits.