How to Make Your Kids Eat Vegetables

As parents, we try to give our kids healthy diets, but unfortunately this is not always as easy as it should be. Kids like their sweets, and they don’t have much patience for foods that, while being healthy, may not taste so great. You can even try to explain to them why they should eat certain things, but they’re not likely to listen to reason. As adults, we’re capable of making smart decisions about what’s healthy and what’s not, but kids don’t think this way. They like things that taste good.

And children do need vegetables. According to most government authorities, children need to have around three or four servings per day, and it’s best if these servings include multiple types of vegetables. If you’ve been having trouble getting your children to follow these guidelines, don’t give up.

Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Start early: Studies have shown that the earlier kids start eating vegetables, the more likely they are to enjoy eating vegetables later on. In fact, according to one study, this starts even when the child is in the womb. Mothers who eat vegetables when pregnant and, later, when breastfeeding are more likely to raise kids who enjoy eating vegetables.
Have persistence: Other studies have shown that, while children may reject vegetables at first, the more time they try a given vegetable the more they will accept it. So even if your child insists on being stubborn about eating that broccoli, keep serving it, and he or she will eventually come around.

Make vegetables more fun: There are many ways to make eating vegetables more than just a boring chore. For example, serve multiple different colors of vegetables, and encourage your child to “eat the rainbow” on a daily basis. In fact, this is a good practice for all of us.
Eat what you serve: We cannot overestimate the importance of setting a positive example. If you encourage your child to eat a certain food but don’t consume it yourself, this is obviously not the best form of encouragement. Rather than having different meals for parents and children, eat as a family. Everyone should get the same foods.

Let the child participate: Many young children will jump at the opportunity to make grown-up decisions such as what vegetables to have for dinner. Try collaborating with your child on the food decisions. Let your child help plan meals based on the healthy food pyramid, and make whatever tweaks to the meal that you think are necessary.

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