Encouraging Vegetables with a Toddler

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My four year old loves broccoli and corn. To get him to try new veggies, we do several things.
1 - let him help prepare foods _ they love to eat what they "cook"
2 - we take the kids to the farmers market and let them help pick the fruits and veggies. This is how he ended up liking string beans
3 - we look at the cookbooks together and choose recipes to try
4 - we "sneak" some veggies into sauces and casseroles
5 - if he doesn't like a veggie - we just put it aside. We may try it later, prepared another way

I'm "old-school" about our veggies -- no hiding food for us (although I think it's a clever idea.) When young, the kids were given a mini kid-sized serving of whatever low-carb veggie we ate for lunch & dinner and they were expected to eat it. They had to finish the veggie before they were given their fresh fruit (for dessert), but finishing the meat or starch was not required. Also, the kids could request "seconds" of the other meal foods only after they finished that first serving of the veggie. This didn't result in fights over food more than a couple of times. And now, my kids really enjoy all veggies, including asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, (etc.) without any sauces, cheese, etc.

I think it's important not make a big deal about the veggie (or any food, for that matter) -- just put it on his plate and assume he will eat it. Prompt him gently, like you would do in any other matter, if he doesn't eat it. And, finally, try not to fight or show much emotion. If he really refuses to eat, you can calmly excuse him from the table and tell him dinner is over. This method really worked for me...but maybe I just lucked out.

Another way to sneak veggies in the diet is to blend them in a good quality blender. Through a few berries in and you can't taste the veggies!

I think the more you can get your Toddler involved in the choosing, cooking and preparation of the vegetables, the more luck you may have. Also, don't just serve cooked veggies, how about carrot sticks, celery sticks, brocolli pieces and maybe some yogurt dip for them?
Do you and your husband eat a lot of veggies and enjoy them? Don't make a big deal out of it...it will happen....don't make it a battle.

I agree, try hiding them in your recipies. If that doesn't work, V8 juice has a great line of juices that have an entire serving of veggies and fruits in one cup.
I have found with my kids that some veggies they like frozen, some fresh and some canned (depending on the veggie). Some they like steamed, some baked and some boiled. I had try many different ways of preparing them until I found the right way. Now they eat veggies every day.
You can also try dipping sauce like ranch dressing or a cheese sauce.
Just keep trying. Eventually you will find one you like.

You can add purreed veggies to food, just for some piece of mind. I have the sneaky chef cookbook, and she has recipes for some purees... like spinach and blueberry puree, cauliflour/zuchinni puree, sweet potato/carrot puree... that I add to things not even in the cookbook.

I add the cauliflour/zucchinni puree to mac and cheese

i add broccoli/spinach puree to pancake mix... my girls love these, even without any syrup. we call them purple pancakes!

the sweet potato/carrot puree can be added to meatloaf.

My daughters like zuchinni cut into strips dipped into ranch dressing or cheese dip. My really picky eater will eat baby carrots if she dips them in peanut butter (where she came up with this... I have no idea!)

They also have juice boxes called "Healthy harvest" that has veggie juice in it too. Hope this helps!

My son is a bit older and eats every thing put in front of him, luckily, but one thing he loves to do is go to the farmer's market and pick out food. Since it is organic, you can sample stuff while you are there. Let him pick it out, put it on the scale, hand the money to the farmer, and hold it. Let him watch you cook it, etc and see if that helps.

You can always go the "hide the vegetable in the food" route by pureeing and mashing things to get them in foods just for nutrition's sake.

I wouldn't worry too much. His tastes will vary as time goes on. He obviously likes sweets, hence the fruit eating.

How about putting a teensy (I'm talking 1/4 tsp) of agave nectar on things like sweet potatoes to see if he will eat them or make your own sweet potato fries.

I've found that if I let my son dip things (in yogurt, ketchup, etc) he will eat anything.

Good luck!

When my kids were that young I used frozen vegetables, cooked them on the stovetop in about 3/4 inch of water to which I added about a tablespoon of sugar. The vegetables absorbed the sweetness (must keep lid on while cooking) and the kids ate them up. As time went on I decreased the sugar, little by little, over a year, until there was no more. The only vegetable none of them ever ate was brussell sprouts.

Juice Plus for Kids!