#1 – Actions speak louder than words! – Set a Good Example! If you are not a good veggie eater here are a couple must know facts to consider:

 

• Plants synthesize vitamins that are essential. Humans can only synthesize 3. Otherwise we can only get the other 10 essential vitamins from food and supplements.

 

• Vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, hydrating fluids, and special plant compounds that help fight disease.

• There’s evidence that a fruit-and-veggie-heavy diets may be linked to lower risk of health problems like heart disease and possibly a healthier weight too.

 

#2 – Don’t give up – Keep Trying – For some children it takes up to 10x before a child will accept a certain vegetable and up to 10 more times before they decide they like it. Research has shown that kids are more likely to eat and like foods that are familiar.  Exposure to foods is more than just eating, it’s seeing, touching and smelling.

 

#3- Praise for Peas! – Offer specific Praise.  “ I really like how you gave green beans a try tonight.” Also if your child refuses try not to make a big deal out of it. Just try that particular vegetable again another time.  Force feeding and clean plate club mentality has been shown to cause more harm than good.

 

#4-  Get those hands dirty – Get your child involved with the cooking process and even the shopping or picking process.  Have then look thru Cook books and choose recipes that sound good to them or that they would like to try.

 

#5 – Keep it exciting – Offer a variety – try different veggies with a variety of colors, shapes, textures, raw or cooked in a variety of ways.

 

#6 -Change it up –  Get vegetables into meals in different ways.  Notice I didn’t say “sneak”.  It’s important your kids know if they are actually having veggies in a dish.  My daughter is very proud of her veggie smoothie.

 

#7- Talk them up!  Keep yourself informed about why you are eating particular things.  Sell it!  “I’m really enjoying this salad. It has such a nice crunch and the tomatoes are sweet. I love sitting down and enjoying a fresh meal packed with vitamins.  It makes me feel good.”

 

#8 – Embrace all the flavors –  Salt, fat and sugar.  Serving veggies with a sprinkle of salt, a pad of butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, or a greek yogurt dip can really make them taste better and entice your child to try them.

 

#9- Keep Portions Small – Large portions can seem daunting while a small amount of something may seem doable.

 

#10-  No Contingencies – Keep it positive-  That sends the message to your child that vegetables are what you suffer through to get to the good stuff. The goal is to allow children to develop a positive relationship with food.

 

How many veggies do kids need?

Ages 2-3 – 1 cup of veggies per day

Ages 4-8 – 1 ½ cup

Ages 9-13 – 2 ½ cups

Ages 14-18 – 2 ½ – 3 cups

*depending on gender and activity level

 

Your child still won’t eat veggies hear this:

• It doesn’t mean you’re a bad parent.

• It doesn’t mean your child is unhealthy or nutrient-deficient.

• It doesn’t mean your child will never, ever eat and enjoy vegetables.

Whole fruit is a great pinch hitter.  Again offer a lot of variety. It is best to eat whole fruit versus juices.

Fruit also contains important vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

• Carrots, sweet potatoes, and spinach have vitamin A. So do apricots, cantaloupe, and mango.

• Bell peppers, broccoli, and tomatoes have vitamin C. So do strawberries, oranges, and grapefruit.

• Broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes have potassium. So do bananas, peaches, and raisins.

• Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and romaine lettuce have folate. So do oranges, papaya, and bananas.

• Carrots, corn, and artichokes have fiber. So do apples, raspberries, and pears.

I highly recommend taking some time to research organic vs conventional.  This is a topic that could stand alone.  Yes the cost is higher but you get more for your money when it comes to nutrient content.  (Ewg.org for the Dirty Dozen and the Clean Fifteen)

Environmental working group.

Bottom line: Just keep trying and keep leading by example.