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JenniBaby85
JenniBaby85 Posts: 855 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
HOW can I get my 2 year old to eat her veggies!? She eats fruit with no problem, but not veggies.

Also, It doesn't really help much that my DH won't eat a lot of veggies either :tongue: .
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Replies

  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
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    Just act like it's no problem. My boyfriend is great at getting his neice and nephew to eat theirs, mostly because they want to copy everything he does. But he'll tell them to eat something, and when they say they don't like it, he'll ask if they've had it before. When they say no, he'll just say, well, try it! And generally they like it.

    You could also try making it fun, like doing designs with the veggies? I don't have kids, so I'm sorry that this is the best I can provide.
  • kaylacroswhite
    kaylacroswhite Posts: 19 Member
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    TrY a light dill dip with it, low calorie and it'll get them to eat the veggies !
  • Tlopez428
    Tlopez428 Posts: 115
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    Make them a fruit and veggie smoothies...you can add spinach and kale and they won't even know it's in there.
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
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    I find ketchup helps sometimes.

    And hey, thanks to Reagan, it technically is a vegetable...
  • preaser
    preaser Posts: 85 Member
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    There is no easy answer. Just keep trying different veggies and different methods. I'm kind of picky so I really understand kids who don't like things. But, you can make deals, try 1, etc.. and you can have more fruit or something like that. My daughter never liked vegetables except green beans and then she did cooking in Jr high and started eating all sorts of veggies. And she learned to like green beans at someone else's house! Hang in there, just keep trying!
  • pamfin
    pamfin Posts: 169 Member
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    I read something recently that said that the taste buds that detect bitter flavours kick in at around this age so it's not uncommon for kids to go off veggies. The suggestion was to keep trying every few months or so.

    I used to disguise them in a sauce and then give it a fun name - eg - Rainbow sauce was a can of tomatoes, some orange pepper, a handful of sweetcorn, courgette (zucchini) some onion and a bit of garlic and served it with pasta shapes. The sauce works out quite sweet and you can freeze the remainder or use it as a base for tuna bake.

    A covering of cheese sauce might work too.
  • nelsoji
    nelsoji Posts: 79 Member
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    I am 34 and I don't like to eat my vegetables - my parents never figured it out - haha
  • SeaChele77
    SeaChele77 Posts: 1,103 Member
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    Hide them!!!

    I put loads of veggies in my spaghetti sauce and meatloaf.

    Also you can buy juice now that has a full serving of veggies. As she gets older she may like them more. My son didn't like any veggies At.All until recently (he's 4.5)
  • morgansmom02
    morgansmom02 Posts: 1,139 Member
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    Hide them!!!

    I put loads of veggies in my spaghetti sauce and meatloaf.

    Also you can buy juice now that has a full serving of veggies. As she gets older she may like them more. My son didn't like any veggies At.All until recently (he's 4.5)

    This!
  • domgirl85
    domgirl85 Posts: 295 Member
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    My mom said she never called them vegetables or made a big deal about it. Also she let me call them whatever I wanted. I love vegetables (always have).
  • Linda_Darlene
    Linda_Darlene Posts: 453 Member
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    I read something recently that said that the taste buds that detect bitter flavours kick in at around this age so it's not uncommon for kids to go off veggies. The suggestion was to keep trying every few months or so.

    I used to disguise them in a sauce and then give it a fun name - eg - Rainbow sauce was a can of tomatoes, some orange pepper, a handful of sweetcorn, courgette (zucchini) some onion and a bit of garlic and served it with pasta shapes. The sauce works out quite sweet and you can freeze the remainder or use it as a base for tuna bake.

    A covering of cheese sauce might work too.

    This!

    And one person suggested smoothies. That is great idea.

    Eventually she will come around.
  • lisitabonita
    lisitabonita Posts: 81 Member
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    Puree them, add them to apple sauce. If she will eat pasta sauce, you can add spinach and all sorts of things to that. I put cauliflower puree in mashed potatoes and mac n cheese. Anything we eat has a veggie someplace. Another yummy thing is smoothie with pineapple, spinach, banana, and a few grapes. I have never met a kid who didn't like it. I add some greek yogurt for smoothing it out.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    My son likes some veggies but not many, to get him to eat more:
    I mix pureed veggies in with sauces (pizza, spaghetti, mac and cheese sauce, etc) and soups.
    I also make smoothies where I add pureed veggies
    feed him the ones he does like more often
    I mix mashed broccoli and cauliflower in with scrambled eggs
    mix in turnip, parsnips, cauliflower in potatoes
    add finely chopped carrots and onions to couscous
    finely chopped carrots and onions in rice
    I am sure there are a few other things we do but this is just off the top of my head.
  • jerbear1962
    jerbear1962 Posts: 1,157 Member
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    try adding them to things they like, say if it's mac and cheese, add some finely chopped broccoli or cauliflower, if it's pizza add spinach to the sauce...there are many ways to hide the veggies.
  • BSchoberg
    BSchoberg Posts: 712 Member
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    Just act like it's no problem. My boyfriend is great at getting his neice and nephew to eat theirs, mostly because they want to copy everything he does. But he'll tell them to eat something, and when they say they don't like it, he'll ask if they've had it before. When they say no, he'll just say, well, try it! And generally they like it.

    You could also try making it fun, like doing designs with the veggies? I don't have kids, so I'm sorry that this is the best I can provide.

    You said the key phrase: niece & nephew! Kids LOVE their aunts and uncles and when I tell my nieces & nephews to just try one little bite, they do it like that (snaps fingers). The same coming from Mom & Dad? Oh, the battle is ON!

    To OP: two is still pretty young... work on the sweet veggies like corn or carrots and - as so many have said - hide 'em! Also, raw veggies seem to be more appealing at that age... probably because they're nice and crunchy. I would just be sure NOT to make a battle of it at this point.

    Good luck!
  • ellehcimyelhsa
    ellehcimyelhsa Posts: 110
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    My parents gave us veggies for snacks all the time. We had a few choices, but all were veggies. My brother used to eat broccoli like crazy and I still eat carrots and hummus for a snack. Try a dip, dressing, nut butter, etc. I put celery with a little almond butter and a few raisins for my little cousins. We call them ants on a log. Check pinterest for some cute ideas.
  • NikkiSmo
    NikkiSmo Posts: 180 Member
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    TrY a light dill dip with it, low calorie and it'll get them to eat the veggies !
    Agree! My kids will eat anything that can "dip"!!! Ranch, honey mustard, cream cheese, etc....
  • Jelyn47
    Jelyn47 Posts: 14
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    Kids like having a choice, so I would give them a choice of which vegetable they want to eat.
  • amyniceneasy
    amyniceneasy Posts: 143 Member
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    Here is the story that I tell my kids.
    When I was a little girl my Grandma used to tell me that she hated peas but her mom would tell her to just eat "three wee little peas" each time she made them...and over time she learned to like them.
    I've used this on my girls for lots of foods and they have learned to like most of them.

    Also...have you tried roasting veggie's instead of cooking the poop out of them? My kids can't stand an over cooked veggie but give them roasted broccoli and they eat it like candy...as in I can't get it off the baking pan to the table before they start eating it.
  • HotAshMess
    HotAshMess Posts: 382 Member
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    Google sneaky chef....there is a book with some suggestions and techniques. Try dips, dressings and peanut butter ect to dress them up...kids love to dip. Try putting pb on celery and adding raisins for "ants on a log"....google for more cute ideas. Play pretend...and pretend you're a bunny.

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