Vegetables are one of the most important foods for children to consume, yet they are often the hardest food to get children to enjoy. To avoid the never-ending war with fussy eaters, should we turn to sneaking vegetables into everything? Is this a clever way to gain nutrition without the battles?    

Making sure kids consume five servings of vegetables each day is vital for their growing and developing bodies. Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre and many phytonutrients (nutrients naturally present in plants) and may also help protect against chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and some types of cancers later in life.    

Picky eating and food refusals are a lot more common than you think. Over 70% of our kids in Australia are not eating enough fruit and vegetables and so it makes sense why parents turn to hiding these foods in their meals. Yes it can offer parents short term wins but it can break the trust when kids become aware that they were duped into eating veggies and it can lead to suspicion of food. It takes away the opportunity for children to learn the importance of eating a balanced diet and making healthy choices. Nor do they get to learn about the ways that we can enjoy the taste and texture through different cooking styles.     

When trying to encourage your child to love vegetables, build the exposure, let them know what they're eating and increase the positive talk around meal time. Here are some ways to get started...    


> The best way to show children what is in their food is to get them to help cook in the kitchen. It could be as simple as having them wash, peel, safely cut, mash or mix foods. Let them ask you questions and answer truthfully without making a big deal of it. 
 

> Offer a variety and serve vegetables in multiple forms. Include some in their main meal, on the side, or in the middle of the table. 

> Kids love to be in control. Show them recipe books or images and let them point out the veggies that stand out most to them. Bring them to the supermarket with you and let them choose the new vegetables to try.  

> Parents need veggies too. Model the behaviour you want to see in your kids and show them how much you enjoy growing, cooking and eating veggies. 

> Relieve the pressure of eating by allowing them to play with food. This also helps to increase sensory development. Name the colours and talk about their shape and texture.   

> Another excellent strategy to increase the familiarity is to read books about veggies.  

> Have you read our ‘Division of Responsibility’ blog? Remember the saying, parents provide and kids decide. 
  

Remember...even if they haven’t touched their veggies, dessert is still on the menu.