Trying to Incorporate Veggies in Our Life

have you tried using a juicer and /or a blender?
Carrots and apples make yummy juice, sweet tooo!!!
blend bananas, berries all softer fruits for great smoothies. I freeze peeled chopped fruits when they are getting really soft and put them in the blender. We eat them with a spoon like ice cream
see if they can go to a farmers market with you. They can try all kinds of fruits and veggies right there. Plus, it is WAAAAY cheaper and fresher then the markets. usually organic to boot.
I have started getting my older older to even cook us a meal once every few weeks. It really helps her "get it"

Good morning T.. I am a veggie lover and so I try to get veggies in almost everything. I use The Pampered Chef Food Chopper to mince the veggies up really small so that the my boys don't even know they are there. Kids always like pasta. I mince carrots up really small and add them into the sauce. The carrots add a little sweetness and a beautiful color. I do the same for meat loaf. The Pampered Chef Food Chopper has been a huge help.
Here is the web-site: www.pamperedchef.biz/latashaphilleo
Or contact me for a current catalog

My friend just wrote a cookbook called Mom-a-licious - and it focuses on how to get your kids to eat well - healthy, easy and delicious meals.

I couldn't disagree more with the Seinfeld book - I think there's something really horrible about "tricking" your children into eating veggies - and it doesn't teach them healthy eating habits or ways to eat veggies (like when they're cooking for themselves) It's bad, bad, bad.

Check out my friend's website - Domenica Catelli - www.mom-a-licious.com

edited to add...they say it takes at least 10 tries with a new food before you should give up. i am constantly putting veggies/fruits, etc my son's plate - one little piece. if he tries it - great - if not - i don't push it. i don't use food as a reward or as a punishment as i don't think that works or is healthy. the more you can expose them - the better - they might not like them for a long time - but one day they may just start eating them. i was that way with a lot of veggies!

the trick for me to get both my husband and 3 1/2 year old to eat more veggies than they normally would is to roast them! their favorites are roasted zucchini, butternut squash and asparagus. i drizzle a little grapeseed oil (lower in fat than olive oil) and kosher salt and spread them evenly over a stoneware pan and roast in a 400 degree oven. you can roast just about anything and it gets carmelized and sweet and absolutely delicious!! let me know if you have any other questions about how to do it - i love to talk about food! :-)

There is a cookbook called "The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids/-E Favorite Meals" that you might want to try. Sounds interesting and fun.

Also, there is a fruit punch flavored vitamin that is in powder form to mix in with water. Besides it being great tasting (especially when cold), there are no artificial flavors, color or sweeteners. The vitamin combines antioxidants with the proprietary Super ProFood Blend for kids with key ingredients: Vitamins and minerals, whole food fruit and vegetables. So, when you can't get them to always eat right, you at least know they are getting proper supplements. Just mix a packet in with about 6 oz of chilled water and have it with a snack. There is also a Nutritional Chew for teens that includes additional elements to help combat effects of stress. Everything is vegan certified.

If you already have a rep, call her to order and try it (there is a 45 day money back guarantee), or contact me if you have questions or want more info. Good luck with your kids--I have found that they do outgrow it somewhat.

HI T.,

You've gotten a lot of responses so far, so these suggestions might have already been covered, but I thought I'd chime in because I think this subject is so important. My children, ages 7 and 4, both eat veggies so I feel somewhat knowledgable on this subject. They didn't pop out of the womb liking green things by the way, it's been a bit of work. When my daughter was 2 or so another mom asked me which veggies my daughter liked. Embarassed, I answered "She'll eat frozen peas once in a while". Tonight she tried brussel sprouts and ate half a baked potato, so we have made some progress over the years. Here's my advice for what it's worth;

1) Be patient. I was once told that children need to see a new food 10 times before they will try it. In my experience it takes another 10 tiny tastes of the new food before they will actually eat it in any quantity.

2) Eat dinner together. This is often hard for working parents, but if you can sit down nightly for a family meal it will make a big difference in how many new things your children will try. When your kids see you eating and enjoying veggies they will begin to change their minds on the subject. You have to remember they eat with their peers, who probably have poor eating habits, every day. Kids need something to balance the school cafeteria version of food.

3) Dump the junk. Remove all the junk food, the boxed mac&cheese, the chips, the cookies etc from your kitchen. Stock your pantry with healthy snacks. Fill a bowl on the counter with fresh, seasonal fruit. Let your kids know they can snack on as many apples, oranges or bananas as they want.

4) Be strong. If your children won't touch a beautiful dinner made from scratch don't make them a frozen pizza instead. Let them go hungry one night. Believe me, they won't go hungry for long.

5) Learn to love to cook. A cook who loves to cook is a good cook. If you consistenly put tasty food in front of your kids, even if it isn't what they're used to, they will eventually try it and learn to like it.

6) Serve really fresh, seasonal veggies. Cooking with really fresh produce, in season, makes a huge difference. Frozen spinach is OK in a pinch, but it doesn't taste nearly as good a big, fresh, bundle of the sandy stuff you have to wash three times. If you purchase the sandy green stuff now, in the winter, rather than in the summer, it will taste even better. Try buying your produce at a local farmer's market and it will automatically be less expensive, better tasting, fresher and in season.

7) Take your kids shopping. Let them pick out one thing each, specify that it has to be from the produce section. Better yet, take them to a local farmer's market where there are not doritios calling to them. Let them help you make decisions about which veggies to serve for dinner that week.

8) Invest in some really good cookbooks. I would recommend "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison. I'm not a vegetarian and I probably never will be, but I like to make vegetarian dinners at least twice a week. This book covers just about every vegetable available in the US and explains how to best store and cook it.

I would love to hear how it's going with your quest!

H.

Defintely read Seinfeld's wife's book on recipes to disguise veggies in your kids food. It's called DECEPTIVELY DELICIOUS.

You have to try the Deceptively Delicious cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld. I absolutely love it! Every recipe I have tried is delicious and fun to make. I have two boys and they love the items as well as my husband who doesn't eat a lot of veggies. It's a way to "sneak" veggies into their diet. Still offer them regularly but also give them these items so you don't have to worry so much. The recipes are also very healthful. Look it up and give it a try. I definitely recommend it. It's life changing! Have fun!

Hi T.,

It's a mystery why some kids willingly eat veggies and others won't, isn't it? You might try offering your reluctant kids raw veggies (e.g., broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery) with a dip or with peanut butter, as a snack. Lots of times, kids who turn their noses up at cooked veggies will happily munch on crunchy raw ones. At their age, they can digest raw food better than older adults can, too.

You also mention that two of your sons are overweight. Do they eat a lot of starchy foods like bread, potatoes, and pizza? If so, you might want to prepare or buy fewer of those kinds of foods and make it harder for them to access those foods when they are eating away from home (e.g. with friends or in a restaurant).

You are on the right track with the veggies. Nearly ALL modern evidence shows that most chronic disease, including heart disease and many cancers, can be prevented with a diet that habitually includes plenty of whole veggies and fruits and fewer processed foods. The habits they get into now as children will determine whether they lead long, happy lives or get their lifespans cut short with early-onset chronic illness. Keep up the good work!

S. I., L.Ac.
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I highly recommend the Jessica Seinfeld book "Deceptively Delicious" I've tried 90% of the recipes and they are, mostly, even better than the 'non-deceptive' varieties. Also, the example parents set is the strongest influence - they will eat what you eat. I grew up with an obese mother, and have had to learn to prefer healthy foods - it's hard, but ultimately worth it! Good Luck!

There is a book that Jerry Seinfield's (I think)wife wrote about how to "sneak" veggies in. She has great ideas. Even how to put them in brownies. She was on Oprah and everyone who tried the food could not even tell. Target has the book. If I remember the name I will let you know.
E.

Hi!

I just received a great book called "Deceptivley Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld. She pures (sp?) the vegetables and mixes them in with the dishes so that your kids can not taste the vegies but still get the nutrtion. The ones that I have tried have been really good and all of the recipes look so yummy. You may want to check that cook book out!

Farmers market!! Let them choose the prettiest and most colorful veggies they can find, or maybe the one with the funniest, longest, or shortest name. Let them prepare it with supervision, and then eat it. Let them try it raw, semi-cooked, and then completely cooked. Maybe they don't like the way you prepare it.

Of course you have to eat them yourself, along with any other caregiver they have. My daughter, she's 9, changes what veggies she'll eat every 6 months or so. But what I do, luckily she'll eat salad( just green or red leaf lettuce but it's something), is I feed her whatever veggie we are having first, while I'm finishing cooking the rest of the meal. She's always hungry when it's time to eat, so I make sure she eats that first. And as far as your 9 year old in concerned, if he wants to play ball, than he has to eat what your giving him. I would make that a rule first and foremost. Also look at all the vitamins in veggies and fruits. A lot of people don't realize that you could really take veggies out of the mixture all together with the right kinds of fruit. Also try juicing, we juice everything with apples to get a sweeter product. Good luck!

Hi T.!
I have the same problem with my nine year old..and still searching for the answer. my next step will be a new book written by Jerry Seinfeld's wife. It targets that subject exactly. Unfortunately I do not know the name of it. I saw her on Oprah talking about the book and demonstrating. So every book store knows exactly who she is!!Good luck..I am buying the book this weekend!!

Both my kids take the Juice Plus Gummies. They offer Fruit and Veggie gummies, and if I can't get them to eat the fruit and vegetables they should at least they will eat the gummies. Website is juiceplus.com.

Dear T.,

Two things: Have them help you prepare dinner salad and peel the veggies to steam or boil .

Go on line to Jessica Seinfeld, I hope that Jessica is her first name. She has a lot of good ideas about using vegetables in cooking favorite foods and the children do not know it is there. I made a delicious chocolate cake with pumpkin pulp to try out one of her recipes, and it was just great, noone knew it had pumpkin in it.

C. N.

Go to Whole Foods for some inspiration. We eat veggie chips and dried bananas for snacks. I also try to mix veggies into our regular food...finely chopped veggies in our taco meat, spaghetti sauce, etc. The book the other response was recommending was "Deceptively Delicous." I don't have it but I've heard really good things.

There's a book out by Jerry Seinfeld's wife on exactly this topic. She tells how to slip healthy stuff into foods kids love, like pureeing squash and putting it in spaghetti sauce - they'll never know! Sorry I don't have the name of it, but I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find on amazon or any bookstore.

You can put a little sugar to make veggies taste real good then use less and less by that time they will only enjoy what you are giving them to eat. It is always better to start early so kids can grow up with good eating habits. Also use veggies often so kids know this is a way of life not some new fad. Good Luck

hi T....jessica seinfield has a new book out called "deceptively delicious" and it is filled with recipes where you puree fruits and veggies and sneak them into your recepes. i've tried them with my two picky eaters and so far it is working. i also insist that my girls try the veggies that are on their plates. at first i started with 2 green beans and each time we have them, i increase the number. it takes 14 tries to build an acquired taste, so don't give up. my 5 year old would gag at first, but now asks for seconds! good luck.

HI T.:

All the suggestions are great, but I wanted to share what worked for me. First, I got my kids involved in the kitchen. They love to help prepare the meals and see how foods are cooked. Second, since kids love finger foods, we used tempura batter and a wok and let the kids dip all the veggies (some examples are broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, parsnips, potatoes, onion, and mushrooms) and stir-fried them. That might not be the best method of cooking, but the kids just loved to eat all the vegetables with their favorite dip. We also used fruits (bananas, apples, pears...)as a tasty dessert!

I just purchased the book "The sneaky chef" couple weeks ago. Great information and recipes inside. The recipes don't seem too difficult to make either. I haven't try it yet, but definitely will. Take a look and see if you like it. J.Y.

Did they eat veggies before? Keep trying all kinds of veggies. I teach first grade and I introduce veggies to my kids. Most of them seem to love them. Most of the parents don't keep them in the house. They like them best when they are fresh, not frozen or canned. Hope some of this helped.

Hi T. -
This is a challenge for all parents. Less than 10% of Americans get the recommended daily servings which is 7-13 fresh RAW servings of fruits and vegetables per day (proven to help strengthen/balances immune function and lower disease risk). Mom's have forever been trying to hide vegetables in recipes and there's a great new book of healthy recipes with "hidden" fruits and vegetables by Jessica Seinfeld called "Deceptively Delicious". It's better than nothing, but if you're cooking this way remember you need to eat twice as much because cooking produce kills important enzymes and cuts its healing power at least 50%. For all of these reasons and having three boys of my own who don't like to eat vegetables, my family depends on Juice Plus. It's whole food in a capsule and gives you the nutritional essence of 17 fresh raw fruits, vegetables and grains every day. It's a nutritional seatbelt for your family. I became a distributor after my family experienced the health benefits and wanted to share the health benefits with others. Feel free to learn more about it on my website http:/www.juiceplus.com/+cc42230 or an the health info line 800-942-1260. I applaud your efforts to make good nutrition a priority in your family.

p.s. Feel free to call me at ###-###-#### and I'll tell you about the Children's Research Study and how you can get you children's Juice Plus for free (for three years).

Hi T.,

I saw this on the Oprah show last year when Jessica Seinfeld was on her show. She was promoting her book, "Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets To Get Your Kids Eating Good Foods" Check it out. I bought the book and gave it to my daughter for Christmas because she was having the same problem with her 6 yr old son. Both love it.

The Book Deciviously Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld is a great cookbook dedicated to helping moms sneak in some veggies. Like putting Squash in mac n cheese etc... It is based on the principal of steaming veggies and pureeing them and putting a little in every meal.

Hi T.!
I feel your pain, girl. I have a couple of suggestions! I have a 3 1/2 year old and 21 month old and I have had great success with hiding vegetable and fruit purees in everyday foods (try Missy Chase Lapine's book, "The Sneaky Chef" - my favorite), but remember to put a little steamed or raw veggie on the side so that they can clearly see it is important to eat them. Eventually, your children should develop a taste for many of those veggies you have been sneaking in...without even knowing it! Also, I am blown away at the results from my children taking Juice Plus+ gummies....this is a whole food based dietary supplement, completely natural. It is made by taking 17 different whole vegetables and fruits, extracting the water and sodium, and encapsulating the whole product (therefore, not a mere vitamin) into gummi or chewable form for kids (capsules for adults). It is meant to augment the fruits and vegetables that you are already trying to incorporate into your diet (because nothing should ever try to replace them). My children have not been sick since last spring! The science behind this product is staggering - and there is plenty of research to support it (I am a nurse AND from the Show-Me state, so I must see to believe). Find more information on my website (I love JP+ so much I began distributing it a few months ago!) at www.juiceplus.com/+sc86163. Whatever you decide, you are on the right track with making this a priority! Our children need our help and good example -how is all this processed, artery-clogging, preservative-drenched food being passed by the FDA? So glad you want to take control and get healthier in '08! I am coming from a good place here....if you want to check out any of the other mamas' Juice Plus websites through Mamasource, please do. I just want our future generation to be healthy!
To your health!
S.

hi
There are a few new books on the Market that help you hide healthy food in other food:
One is
Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld or
The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in KidsÆ Favorite Meals by Missy Chase Lapine

My sister bought one of the books for her picky eater and picky husband- and has been sucessfull some examples are butternut squash puree added to a grilled cheese sandwich, mac and cheese with colflower puree, and spinich in brownies!
Amazon.com has a variety of books of that sort!
good luck

Well I do not have a 9 year old but I do have a 4 1/2 year old. If she eats all her veggies she can have dessert. Dessert is frozen blueberries, strawberries and cream or one cookie. I will also buy Horizon yogart tubes and put them in the freezer. she loves them and will eat all her veggies for a frozen yogart.

Good Luck!

Hi T.,

I know of a great way to ensure that, not only your children, but your whole family gets more fruits and vegetables in their diet. My 5 year old, as well as myself and my husband, take a whole food product daily called Juice Plus+. It's seventeen fruits, vegetables and grains in a capsule, chewable or gummie form. It's not like taking a multi-vitamin; it's better, because you consume the whole food, not just isolated vitamins.

I'm a firm believer that, because my daughter consumes Juice Plus+ everyday, she makes better food choices. She actually asks for more fruits and veggies and understands that they are healthier for her. If you're interested in learning more about this, feel free to contact me at ###-###-####.

To your families health,

C. Spinosa

I use to cut up broccoli and other like veggies and put them in rice with a little butter. You know what else i give my kids is monavie juice. 19 of the most valuable fruits known to man. Flash frozen to preserve nutritional value. 2 oz per day and they get MORE than the recommended daily amount of servings.

start with an art project... make a "rainbow graph. THe colors lined up across the top of a page and columns going down from each color ( 7 colors) and each time your child eats a "color", put their name there. HAve one for each month. Play the game with visiting friends as well. Keep fruits and veggies available in kitchen grouped in their colors. IF you are missing a color one week, take them to farmers' market and only buy that color in everything...ie: bannanas, corn, squash, lemons, yellow beans.

I make a"sauce" that i put over all veggies that was very successful with the kids.....olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a dash of worschestshire, dill and a teaspoon of honey all melted together and poured over the cooked veggies. also a good dip is: mayo, yogurt w/ curry and honey.

Have you tried the organic foods in your freezer section? Morningstar makes chicken nuggets, veggie patties (like burgers), a morning scramble full of veggies and several other things that hide the veggies right in them. I recommend Trader Joes or Whole foods to find the best (freezer) organic foods. Also, you can get the V8 juice that tastes like fruit, but has a good serving a veggies too... Just watch out for hight levels of sodium and added sugars in both the juice and organic freezer foods!!
Good Luck!

as a student of dietetics, the advice we are taught to give is to NOT force any foods on them. children and adults alike will grow to accept (and maybe even like) certain foods with REPEATED, NEUTRAL EXPOSURE. another idea is to have a variety of foods available for them to try, and of course, model the desired behavior yourself (i.e. eat and enjoy the veggies in front of the kids). never underestimate the power of social suggestion! also, adding salt and fat (like margarine) to improve the taste adds calories but if they taste better to the children, go for it!

Hi T.. Have you heard of Juice Plus? It is 17 fruits and vegetables and fiber available in capsules, chewables, and gummies. They are not vitamins and are different then what you find in stores. They have extensive research behind the product. It has made a profound impact in our lives and several of our own personal Dr.'s recommend it. check out my website to read the about it. Evesturn.com
S.

Have you tried that book by Jessica Seinfeld? The recipies are actually quite tastie and the veggies are hidden in them! I think it's called Deceptively Delicious.

It often helps for children to be involved in prepairing the food when it's something new.

limit the portions of the other food groups. get a measuring set and use it to portion meals. the things they like, and the things they don't. If they're still hungry, after eating the portions of things they like, they can eat what's left. the vegies. eat your vegies with excitement at the beguinning of the meal and tell them they're best when hot.

Do a basic nutrition study project as a family so that everyone knows what healthy eating is. then hold them accountable.

you control the food. you bought it. it's your food. don't let them push you around. It will take a lot of self dicipline for everyone involved to start so late eating healthy. But do it for love.

Get Jerry Seinfeld's wife's new cookbook. she was on Oprah and showed how to "hide" pureed veggies in almost any food and kids love it! they will never know.
P Stanton, mom of 3

ONe thing I did was buy squash (zuccini was most popular) and use a potatoe peeler to peel it in long strips all the way down to the seeds. (My youngest didn't like the peel because it was harder to chew and has more veggie taste) I would then saute it in a tiny bit of butter or olive oil and then add seasoning or alfredo sauce and use it instead of noodles. It is a great side dish and the kids eat half of it before they remember that it is squash.

I will also puree veggies and add them to the ground beef when I cook it and they usually don't notice. Things I use most are carrots, greens, soy, pinto or white beans, squash.

Just curious...have you tried salads? or chopping broccoli up and slipping it into such foods as mac and cheese, etc.? making soups and adding various veggies that way? my son has always loved veggies, there isnt anything he doesnt like, so I am not much of an expert in this department...if anything, he is trying to get me to put more veggies in different dishes that normally dont have veggies in them! The kid even eats saurkraut...if anything I am the one that doesnt care much for most veggies!!

Put it in soup even if you have to grind it up to were you can tell what kind it is. Most kids love soup I know I loved soup when I was younger. Also like make pizzas on bagels or whatever and make the sauce with corn in it or carrots put it in the food processor and the sauce. I know my mother hid food in stuff for my younger brother because if she hadn't he wouldn't have eaten anything healthy.

Get the cookbook "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld! We got it as a gift and I just love it! My son is 3 and doesn't like very many vegetables. The food is very tasty, healthy and simple to prepare. The concept is that she hides vegetable purees in the food. All you need is a food processor or blender and you steam veggies and puree them and store them in your frig or freezer and then add them to the recipes. One important point is to still offer veggies on the side so that your kids don't think you have given up on veggies and they still see they are an important part of a balanced meal. There are great recipes for Mac n Chees, chicken nuggets, brownies, and other yummy things kids love.
They carry the book at any bookstore and I just saw that Costco is now carrying it too!
Good Luck!

Dear T.,

The only thing I can think of, besides putting veggies on their plates and instituting the "one bite rule" or doctoring your veggies up with cheese or ranch dressing is to try a cook book like Jessica Seinfeld's, I think it's called Deceptively Delicious. I will say that I fully believed in having my kids at least taste everything - until the night my daughter was gobbling her "peas with cheese." I insisted that my son take a bite - which he promptly vomited on his plate and the rest of his dinner. That was the last time I made him take a bite of anything!

Good Luck!
B.

There's a book called "Deceptively Delicious." It was featured on Oprah, and it's all about how to sneak veggies into everything kids like to eat. Think acorn squash in the mac and cheese and spinach in the brownies. The recipes are actually really good, and it's all pretty simple.

Try placing them on the plate in an interesting way that you can tell them a story about them, or explain what they represent. My two year old will eat carrots and peas if I make them into the shape of a tree or a sailboat or if he can imagine beets as the sun or beachballs or something else. But don't belabor it. Make it fun. If they won't eat it one night, just try on another.

The best way to incorporate them is by loving them yourself. Make them so tasty that you can't resist them than they will love them too. I never buy or serve fast food. Unhealthy food isn't an option in our house.
We purchase gold fish or a churro every once in a while, but it is the exception not the rule. I always keep cut up fruit and a healthy sandwich or high-fiber bar, plus the ever-present water container on any errands we have to run, so there's never a reason to buy something on the run.
It takes preparation and planning, but that's what good health requires.
You are the ultimate in modeling. I talk to my children (4 and 2) about the fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, etc. in all the foods they eat. Even my 2 year old asks if certain food are good for her. I then proceed to tell her yes and why it's good for her.
Yes, the preparation and explanation is exhausting, but it will pay off over the course of their lives.
Will they be tempted by fast food and junk food when I'm not around, yes, will they eat it, yes. BUT, over the long run, they will make decisions that will prevent diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, etc. and all the problems that go along with it.
OK, I'll get off my soap box.
Just remember, you are the ultimate role model: if you do it, it's right (in their eyes).
Good luck

Jerry Seinfeld's wife has a book out, that uses methods on incorporating veggies into foods by "pureeing" them etc. It was on Oprah too. Try it. (sorry but I forgot the name of the book or her name). It seems to have helped many moms with cooking ideas. We do that too, puree cooked veggies INTO foods we cook. The kids don't know, and it tastes the same. Also, well, kids go through stages when they protest certain foods. LOL. Perhaps ask your Pediatrician for tips as well. Good luck!
~Susan
www.cafepress.com/littlegoogoo

I highly recommend Jessica Seinfeld's "Deceptively Delicious" cook book. She has a ton of ways to add veggies to everyday items. Have your sons help pick out recipes and make menu plans and don't keep junk food in the house. Let them cook and teach them what each vegetable can give them in terms of nutrition. Offer fruit for desserts (I use a tablespoon of caramel sauce or chocolate syrup for one apple or banana if there is an absolute need for sweets) It can be challenging, but you are giving them healthier lives, not just getting them on the football team. Best of luck to you.

I still grate raw carrots and mix them in w/ any hamburger I'm going to cook.(meatloaf, hamburger patties, meatballs)
My "kids" are now 26,23 and almost 21.
Try celery sticks, carrot sticks or baby carrots w/ peanut butter; raw broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes w/ ranch dressing.
Best of luck,
K. B

Just a couple ideas for you...

I often offer choices at the table for vegetables. A cooked one and a raw one. My kids don't all like the same thing but they all will eat something. For example, " would you like the green beans or the raw carrots?" When you offer it in a choice type format and don't back down they will usually get used to it and choose one.

Also, if you are trying to get them to eat healthier. Get rid of 90% of your snacks. Then load the fridge with fresh fruit and vegetables. When they want a snack they are welcome to have fruit, veggies, cheese or ... Give them choices but make every choice a healthy one. Saving the sweet or salty snack for once a day. Make sure you are joining in with them on this plan and so is your husband. :)

SAHM to four kids 18 months to 9 years old.

I have 4 children who eat their vegetables.

I started taking them to the grocery store with me and giving each a produce bag that they could fill with whatever kind of vegetable that was available. At first they thought this was a lame idea but after they got to chose the meal in witch the vegetable was included they really got into it.
I have also let them each chose one food that I will never make them eat, but only one! My daughter chose tomatoes when she was young and now they are her favorite and she can not chose another vegetable. This works really well because it gives them a choice in the matter.
The most important thing I did to encourage them to eat more veggies was to allow them to have any kind of snack after they ate a carrot or a bowl of cauliflour. Most of the time they will race through the veggies just to get the lolipop or ice cream treat that they origionally wanted in the first place.

I wish you all happy and healthy lives
H. Stanley

I give my children a whole food supplement called JUICE PLUS. It is 17 fruits and vegetables in a capsule, gummy or chewable. It fills the gap between what they should be eating and what they don't. It is backed by medical reseach. Since my kids have been taking them for the last 2 years their consumption of fruit and vegetable intake has increase quite a bit. Now they love fruits and eat fresh salads daily. Raw veggies are the best. For more info go to www.fruitsandveggies.com . Best of health.

Hi T.,

Here's a link for you to a Jessica Seinfeld's blog. http://www2.oprah.com/foodhome/food/jseinfeld/food_jseinf... She's written a cookbook called Deceptively Delicious which is all about trying to incorporate veggies into foods kids love. Check it out, and good luck!

Hi T.,

Have you ever heard of the book by Jessica Seinfeld called "Deceptively Delicious"? Check it out on Amazon.com...it shows you what the book looks like as well of it's content with a section of Q & A's with Seinfeld herself. And yes, she is the wife of comedian Jerry Seinfeld.
Hope this helps.

Hi, One of the things I do is puree the veggies into spaghetti sauce because I have a 10 and 3 year old who are the same way. I try and do that in many things such as chopping them finely and mixing them into rice or something they do like. Hope this helps. H. A.

Hey T., I was watching t.v the other day and saw Montel Williams talking about using a smoothie blender to blend your favorite veggies and friuts together and making delicious smoothies that are not only healthy, but taste great too. He has a book out. Not sure of the name. Google his name.

Hi T.,

There are several ways to do it. Don't offer them anything else but that's pretty heavy duty.

Another way to go is as you slowly introduce veges they will eat, also provide them gummy bears that are made up of 15 fruits and vegetables (brussels sprout, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, kale, tomato, turnip, papaya and pineapple). Lots of mums I know use these for their kids. They are called MannaBears. They are really good for big kids too!

I offer free coaching for adults and children who want to lose those inches they don't want. If you would like some help with it, let me know.

S.
www.mannaworld.org

I have made a heartier spaghetti sauce by adding chopped veggies (zucchini, grated carrot etc) and adding it to the sauce as it heats up. you can even grate everything or better yet, blend it all in the blender with the sauce and they'll never even know it's there. Good for spaghetti, lasagna, meatballs & sauce etc. Good luck, and there's always tons of ideas on the internet.

Dearest T.,

Not to long ago I was watching a cooking show for kids and it demonstrated how to smash up and grind veggies up and mix them up in your childs food without them noticing anything different in the food. Honestly, at this moment I can't remember what show it was. But I'm always checking online for new cooking ideas on www.foodnetwork.com and www.nickjr.com these websites are great for giving cooking ideas, especially for kids. My daughters love watching the cooking channel and they always want me to cook whatever is on the show. Sometimes I do and they love it. Try it, see what catches your eye.

Good luck,
E. M.

The long and short of it with kids and veggies is that you do the shopping and you put the food in the pantry. If they have few other choices to fill up on, they'll be more likely to (gradually) come around. Stock up on healthy (and mostly vegetable) snacks, and leave out the junk. Eventually they will get hungry. Also, let them pick out one or two veggies or fruits at the store, and stock up on any one or two they really like. Try to present it like it is a non-issue; do not argue with them about it or try to compromise, just do it.

That said, I am not above "hiding" vegetables, but I don't intentionally do it for that reason- I try to limit our meat intake by mixing different chopped or pureed vegetables into my recipies (depending on the desired texture) to make them more substancial with less meat- I even substituted the cheese in my enchiladas last night with a pureed mix of carrots and sweet potato, which was pretty darn good. I love sloppy joes with about 2/3 meat and the other third chopped zucchini and peppers. And often I take the meat out altogether and replace it with beans or a bean puree. It takes a little thought, but this can be done with most recipies- oh, another favorite, meatballs or meatloaf with about 1/3 mushrooms (food processed and then with the excess water squeezed out)- way better than with just meat. Parents.com had some easy recipie ideas along these lines, both the purees and the hidden veggies. Try doing a search on their site.

Remember, the most important thing is for you to model the behavior yourself!

PS I do agree that it is ineffective to simply hide the vegetables- you also have to serve some vegetables alongside so your kids get used to them. But put them on the plate and don't say a word- don't even make them eat them (although I would nicely suggest taking one bite).

Oh, and one last thing- I used to work at several different child cares and I never had a problem getting my kids to eat their vegetables- I simply told them two things; One, they had to take one little bite of everything on their plate (which I would bend on if they were the last one still at the table and I was finished cleaning up- it's never effective to get into a battle of wills with kids, plus I was not legally allowed to force them to eat anything), and two, I told them that you have to taste something seven times before you liked it. Of course, they weren't able to keep track, and I think it sounded so official to them that they would try anything (even beets!) without much fight.

I have a 7 year old and he is a PICKY eater!!! I have tried everything! I finally found an answer.. Juice plus+. They come in gummies or tablets or pills. They are all your fruits and veggies rolled up into one. There are a ton of studies on this great product. Since we started my son has been sick less often, trying new foods (sometimes!) and thnak goodness going potty on areg basis now. He loves the gummies and there is no added stuff in them just pure fruit and veggies. Very inexpensive too. I teach preschool and signed up a few months ago as a distributer.I am not one to jump on the band wagon with new products but I was very impressed with Juice plus+. I feel at ease knowing that he is at least getting all his fruits and veggies now. Email me for more info :)
C. ____@____.com
PS. have you tried that new cookbook from Jessica Seinfield?

hi, T.! my name is M. and i am a nutrisionist and a personal traner and my suugestion to you to try Mona vie it is a blend of high in antiaxidant berries the main is acai from Brazil . it is very tasty and it will give your kids a lot energy and vitamins your kids need, i know it is hard to make them it veggy, but i think it is great solution and its gonna help to loos weight. For more information about it contact me at ____@____.com Thank you.

I'm sure they are just being dramatic for attention. Anyhow, please sneak them into their meals. If they don't see it they won't know it!!! I finely grate carrots into meatloaf ( be sure to use lean meat here and drain half way through cooking time) and you cannot tell unless you are getting out the magnifying glass. It doesn't taste carroty either. You can do this with zuchini and carrots in spagetti sauce too, add diced tomatoes for more veggies. Also, try casseroles on the back of the Bisquick box or at their website. My kids love them. What about chicken and veggies pot pie too?
Maybe the eleven year old wants to learn how to cook a meal for the family? What about telling him he can cook what he wants but give him a challenge. Tell him he has to do it with at least 2 different veggies. Tell him to try making homemade mac'n cheese with veggies in it (make sure the fridge has fresh tomato and zuchini in it!!!) See what he comes up with.

We are vegetarian and I find that soups are a great way to get vegetables. I make soup almost everyday, minestrone, lentil, split pea, collard or other greens and asian style soups in addition to vegetable stew and veggie chili. Soups are also great because you can make a big pot for the week on weekends.

My 2 year old loves eating broccoli, cucumbers, carrots and dipping them in hummus, yogurt sauces, soy sauce or even a little butter/olive oil with lemon. Mixing vegetables into pilafs and pastas is also good.

With vegetables is all about seasoning them. Make sure you add a little salt and herbs, and for kids, I think a little butter is OK (just make sure they don't drown it). Find a dressing they really like and use that for salads. If they like ketchup with their veggies, why not? Right now it's about getting them to like vegetables for life. As they grow, their tastes will become more sophisticated but hopefully, their love of vegetables will stay.

Finally, make sure you explain and model healthy eating. Most of my friend who complain their kids don't eat vegetables, don't eat vegetables themselves.

When I was growing up, I hated eating veggies, but I think it was because my mom just cooked them the old fashion way and boiled the hell out of them and put butter on them.

The truth is that I like raw veggies much better. Why don't you try to incorporate many veggies into a salad instead? Raw veggies usually are much more nutritious anyway. Try this: lettuce, bell pepper, asparagus, zucchini, onions, cucumbers, carrots, french green beans and more. If you have lot's of veggies and they are cut up small, it might work. Plus, they can put their favorite dressing on the salad and not notice the veggies as much.

Another thing that may work is if you make casseroles and put the veggies in it. They may not notice as much.

And lastly, try getting these two magazines: Taste of Home and Taste of Home Simple & Delicious. These two magazines have recipes from women across the nation. They are usually really simple and really good. You should be able to look them up on Google. Women across the nation send in their favorite recipes and I often get ideas for veggie side dishes that are a little more creative.

Good Luck!

D.

I would buy frozen veggies. Cook them in a pan with boiling water, this only takes 5-7 minutes. salt the water a little bit, as if you were cooking pasta. Then sprinkle the veggies with shredded cheese once they're on the plate. Cheddar or parm. work well. everytime you make veggies, use a little less salt and a little less cheese. Also set out a tray of carrots, crackers, celery with peanut butter or cream cheese, cherrie tomatoes, snow peas, etc., as a snack after school or while you make dinner. One thing I have learned is that children will eat when they are hungry and when they are hungry, they will eat what you give them. Good Luck