10 Simple Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat More Fruits and Veggies

 Getting their kids to eat more fruits and veggies is one of the toughest things for most parents. As a dad to three young kids, I know exactly how that feels since my 10 yr old son has a tough time with veggies and most fruits. But my other two younger kids don’t have the problem. So let me share with you a couple tips that we practiced with our younger kids to get to that outcome.

 

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10 Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat More Fruits and Veggies  

1. Started the kids on greens really early 

We used the home blender for pureed peas, broccoli, etc . We kept fruits out our girls diet for much of the 1st six months.I wish we had stuck to that protocol longer. My 3 year old daughter will easily go through a few bowls of steamed broccoli for lunch or dinner even now.

2. Stick to water for hydration

We found out that every time the kids drank some kind of sugary drink, they craved junk food(especially salty)..so now things like fruit juices are a treat versus something we keep at home. Read More....   

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3. Make something frozen (even in winter)

My kids love anything frozen. You can buy frozen berries from the supermarket and then get them to help  with making fun parfaits .. the key is to get them involved. You can also get them to make some healthy frozen deserts from companies like Wink,top it with bananas or other fruits.

4. Smoothies

Make your own fruit smoothies by pulping  seasonal fresh fruit (bananas, strawberries, blueberries, peaches) in a blender. Add some dairy free milk to make it liquid, and a little honey to sweeten the  deal. Serve in a tall plastic glass with a thick and fun colorful straw. 

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5. Don’t give up

It took nearly a dozen tries before my son started eating any veggie. He is a sensory kid, so anything with a crunch is his type of veggie, but even then any new veggie takes quite a few trials and rejections.

6. Make food fun 

We use celery as “vessels” to add more veggies and top it with something we know they love like hummus, or cream cheese(you can get vegan ones now)

 

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7. Use good quality chocolate spread 

Use your chocolate spread as the tool to get other great fruits and veggies in. So we  commonly use a  simple chocolate spread from our friends at Barefoot and chocolate with some banana, dense whole grain bread.

8. Double down in the spring and summer

We are huge fans of local produce from the farmers market and really up the fresh fruits and veggies in the summer.

9. Start the planning now to build a veggie garden

It’s such an awesome way to get the kids to be involved in the process. Checkout our blog from last year on the process, but the planning can start now!

10. Be the role model

You have to eat like they do, and with them. When we eat meals with our kids, the chances are exponentially higher of them finishing all their veggies.

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