10 simple and effective tricks to make your child eat vegetables and greens

Anyone who is a father, mother or lives with children knows how difficult it is to make them eat vegetables. Especially in the first years of life, the child’s taste buds are developing, but it is important for them to taste food to know the taste of food.

We adults are already used to consuming vegetables, we cannot forget that this is a matter of habits and habits are created over time. In the beginning it may not be so simple to get children to eat all the foods that will be good for their health. To help you, we’ve selected 10 simple tricks that will make this task easier.

1. Use the right spices

Everyone’s taste buds are different, there’s no telling which seasonings kids like best. Here, the rule is to test. Use different types of seasoning and pay attention to which one is more acceptable to the little ones. Write down some combinations that are usually successful: carrots with ginger, green vegetables, such as broccoli, with garlic and leaf salad seasoned with mustard and honey.

2. Insist that they prove it more than once

Some studies point out that children who refuse a food usually start to accept it after having tasted it 8 to 10 times. After trying it a few times, the initially rejected food starts to taste familiar and the taste buds get used to it.

3. Roast the vegetables

In addition to being an easy way to prepare, roasting vegetables makes the sugar present in these foods caramelize. That way, they are more “sweet” and the aroma also becomes more attractive. You can use olive oil to give it a special touch and make the vegetables even more delicious!

4. Let the kids choose

Taking children to the supermarket is not always an easy task, but it can be an outlet for them to choose which vegetables they want to eat. In addition, this attitude encourages children’s independence. When serving, remind them that those are the foods they chose themselves.

5. Grate the vegetables in spaghetti format

Noodles kids like, right? Have you ever thought about making vegetable noodles? You can cut normally with the knife or use some kind of grater that gives this effect. Zucchini, carrots, beets and squash are just a few examples of vegetables that can be used to make this type of spaghetti.

6. “Camouflage” vegetables with other foods

Butter, bacon, cheese… If the child likes some more caloric and less healthy foods, introduce vegetables mixed with these ingredients. A cool idea is to gratin vegetables with cheese and sprinkle pieces of bacon on top. Much more attractive than the pure vegetable, isn’t it? With time, the little ones get used to it and you can leave the dishes healthier and less caloric.

7. Make vegetable puree

Pureeing vegetables is a practical idea, as you can freeze them in small portions and serve them in a variety of ways. It can be with meat or fish, meatballs, pies or rice. Carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, squash and peas are some examples of vegetables that can be frozen.

8. Make vegetable juices

Juicing vegetables and vegetables is another good tip to include vegetables in children’s diets. Kale, beets, spinach, cucumbers are great ingredients to make a delicious juice. The ideal is not to add sugar to these juices, but if the child makes a face, you can add a little honey. But remember: chewing is important for the development of little ones. They should not feed exclusively on liquids and pasty foods.

9. Use creams and sauces

Cottage cheese, cream cheese, peanut butter, ketchup… Why not dip a piece of carrot in one of these creams? I’m sure she will be more attractive. Any cream or sauce that children love can be used to their advantage at mealtimes, just be careful not to overuse them.

10. Encourage children and set good examples

It won’t do you any good to keep telling children about the benefits that vegetables bring to their health. At this stage, they are not too concerned about these things. Instead, tell them that vegetables will make them stronger and bigger. If necessary, show examples of people or characters he admires, reinforcing that they also eat healthy. And never forget: the child follows the examples they have at home.

Extra tip: don’t give up!

All these tips are to help you on this difficult journey that is raising a child and no one said it would be easy. A golden rule is not to make comparisons. Does your friend’s son love broccoli and don’t care about chocolate? Excellent. Don’t blame yourself because yours throws itself to the ground every time it sees a carrot. In these moments, patience is the keyword. More than patience, persistence. And if after a lot of insistence he still doesn’t eat, that’s okay too. Don’t cover so much! No child is the same as another. Sooner or later your efforts will pay off.

Do you have any other tricks to keep kids from having a childish taste forever? Tell us here in the comments and share this post with that person who needs a little help with feeding the little ones.