My kid wont eat vegtables....

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  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
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    my mom solved this problem pretty easily - we ate what was for dinner, or we had a glass of water if we didn't like it (sometimes bread and butter but that gets old reallll fast).
    i think parents give their children too much control with making those decisions, you are the parent you know what's best therefor there should be no choice wether they eat their vegetables.
    as far as hiding it, maybe try mashing in cauliflower and carrots with mashed potaties. try cooking potato wedges with olive oil and season with garlic and oregano they may like that. soups are good you can puree the veggies and sneak them in there. pizza always works as well, kids love pizza.
    also, maybe they don't like steamed or plain veg? try grilling them with some seasonings they may like it more.
    when i was a kid i loved to eat sauteed spinach with a little marinara sauce and ricotta cheese.
    smoothies work as well, can sneak in some greens with some fruits they won't even tell.
  • Patzycakes
    Patzycakes Posts: 175 Member
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    Bad parenting advice of the day: Stop feeding the kid anything but vegetables. In a couple days he'll be so hungry he'll eat drywall.

    I came here to post this. :)

    As far as sneaking them in, you can make all manner of smoothies and put in lots of tasty tasty vegetables. You can also blend those greens kids seem to hate into pasta sauce or just put it on pizza.

    I was blessed my daughter loves all vegetables and will try anything.
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
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    My daughter is definitely a super taster, as is my husband.

    She will eat very few veggies, but she does like fruit, so I generally serve her a portion of fresh fruit as a side dish instead of vegetables.
  • Kasmira0004
    Kasmira0004 Posts: 79 Member
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    I wouldn't hide them. Figure out why he doesn't like them. With my oldest (at the beginning of our food journey) she preferred some veggies cooked instead of just raw and vice versa. Now she'll eat most things regardless of if it's cooked or raw. We also don't cover it in ranch or any other sauces.

    With my youngest, she was just difficult and refused to try new things for awhile. I would put it on her plate every meal and if she didn't try it, fine, but she wasn't getting anything else. I always made sure every meal had something new that she hadn't tried yet and a little of something she liked. She eats everything now too. Just be patient.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
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    My parents made it clear that they knew what was best for me and that they were the ones in charge, so eating vegetables was never a choice for me, lol. However, I never gave them much trouble. I have always loved vegetables.
  • Beckboo0912
    Beckboo0912 Posts: 447 Member
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    Ok, not to be the witch of the hour for you but he isn't the parent, start with a bite and work up from there..promise he won't die and he won't think you are the worst mother ever. Don't hide them but mix them with the things he likes...do a bite of the main part of the meal and the veggie...so it's not a huge fight. There was a study done that it takes trying something 10 times to decide if you like it or not. Don't make it a huge battle either, just a bite of broccoli on the same bite as chicken or whatever you are having. And praise him when he takes the bite. Just state that he has to take a bite and stand your ground, don't compromise with him. It's the way it is...you set the rules.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    I've found that since being at nursery my 4 year old son started being funny about veg, saying things like 'I don't like peas, they're dirty, yuck' which I guess is something he's heard another child say. So I just give him other veg I know he likes, like broccoli and carrots. Sometimes I sneak some peas in there! He keeps saying he doesn't like sweet corn, but I put it in shepherd's pie and he ate it!

    I do resort to bribery sometimes ' if you eat 3 more mouthfuls you can have your yogurt'. Funnily enough he likes the veg then :)

    He just started school this week and he appetite seems to have improved already. Today he had Thai curry with sweet corn, courgettes and carrots in it and didn't complain once!

    My 2 year old daughter is the opposite, she will try anything. She ate sprouts the other day. She's tried asparagus. She loves clementines and dates.

    There are so many different veg, just find some your kids like. As adults we don't like everything.
  • guif
    guif Posts: 23 Member
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    I think my mother-in-law would really appreciate this.. My husband would literally sit at the table for hours to avoid anything that was not corn, potato's or green beans. He used to tell her when he was 6 he would eat vegetables, when he was 10, then 18.. Then 40. 40 came a few years ago and he ate two bites of salad and we all applauded. :tongue: . He still really does not like them, he will not eat a salad to eat a salad, or broccoli as just steamed broccoli. However, years ago I did start blending in mushrooms, squash and other substances very fine into almost everything, about 10 years before he turned 40. He needed intense training for the big day. Eventually, things started to get a little bit bigger and then a little bigger when realized there was a vegetable there he did not freak, but at it. He still begs for things to be fine and not big chunks. He claims it is the texture that makes him :sick: wince.. He will now eat at most a couple of tablespoons of veggies on his plate but the must be smothered with potato's and gravy, or in a stew.. This is what a now 43 yr old Occupational Therapist calls eating vegetables :ohwell: .

    So that being said, Occupational Therapist have been researching picky eaters.. something he likes to keep up to date on just because of his own experience. He found a way to justify his aversion and they have done research on it being a sensory thing, that can be dealt with when the kids are young.. I'm going to give you some links, maybe you can email some of the Occupational Therapist doing the research or find one locally that works with kids with sensory issues then you nor him will be too traumatized by vegetables. If you do you seek help of an OT you might not be applauding on his 40th birthday because he took two bites of a salad. :eyeroll: He informed me his neuro-pathways and sensory patterns are not changing now, so don't expect him to like them. But he has stated he wished he did like them more for health reasons. :huh: I don't know if I believe him through :wink: . Hope this helps!

    http://www.otinfo.org/category/picky-eater/

    http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/picky-eaters.html

    http://www.occupationaltherapy.com/ot-ceus/course/problem-eater-picky-eating-oral-1028
  • goofyblonde
    goofyblonde Posts: 47 Member
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    Here's a breakfast option that uses zucchini, but they're sweet enough that the kids may still like them!
    Zucchini Waffles:
    http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/zucchini-waffles/

    I make up a huge batch and freeze them. You can also add things like walnuts or chocolate chips. :)
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Best advice I ever received was from a radio pshychiatrist - put a little bit of vegetables on your childs plate with his meals. Don't force him to eat it. Ask him to try it but don't make him. Often kids just have to get used to how it looks before they try. It's a survival thing. Usually after 4-5 times of putting a vegetable on their plate, they will try it. I did this with my son and I created a monster - he turned vegetarian when he was 14. He decided he didn't need meat any more. So, whe he turned vegetarian, and refused to eat beans, I'd put 2 or 3 beans in his veggie burrito. He'd get mad and I would tell him, "Pick 'em out if you don't want them". Now (he's 21) and one of his favorite foods are bean burritos. One thing you learn with kids is, nothing lasts forever - unless he turns vegetarian, then you're screwed. Just be encouraging. :) Trying to hide the food reinforces pickiness.

    I like Sporks42's suggestions too! Very nice!

    Love this. Never force your children to eat things they don't like. Eating shouldn't be a punishment.
  • MissyBenj
    MissyBenj Posts: 186 Member
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    smoothies do the trick for my kids. I also, always, put veggies on their plates and they have to try a bite every meal. Eventually they'll start eating them. My daughter never touched a veggie, and loves several now. Still working on my son. Last night we had a "date night" and our special drink was a kale pineapple smoothie.

    Good luck!
  • Toonewbeginnings
    Toonewbeginnings Posts: 6
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    We dont eat fried foods in my house and he wont eat them baked.

    So nope he dont eat french fries.

    Everybody keeps telling me to show him that I eat them, well HELLO I am a vegetarian so I eat plenty of fruits and veggies in front of him HOWEVER I do not force my beliefs on him.

    He will put it in his mouth and gag, I try and FORCE it on him and he literally throws up.

    I have tried everything but actually hiding it in his food therefore this is why I ask....

    I dont believe in trying to FORCE my child to eat or do what he does not want to do...
  • Toonewbeginnings
    Toonewbeginnings Posts: 6
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    my mom solved this problem pretty easily - we ate what was for dinner, or we had a glass of water if we didn't like it (sometimes bread and butter but that gets old reallll fast).
    i think parents give their children too much control with making those decisions, you are the parent you know what's best therefor there should be no choice wether they eat their vegetables.
    as far as hiding it, maybe try mashing in cauliflower and carrots with mashed potaties. try cooking potato wedges with olive oil and season with garlic and oregano they may like that. soups are good you can puree the veggies and sneak them in there. pizza always works as well, kids love pizza.
    also, maybe they don't like steamed or plain veg? try grilling them with some seasonings they may like it more.
    when i was a kid i loved to eat sauteed spinach with a little marinara sauce and ricotta cheese.
    smoothies work as well, can sneak in some greens with some fruits they won't even tell.

    A glass of water for dinner? Or bread and butter if you was lucky?! Are you kidding me?!

    That is considered corporal punishment. I would never subject my son a glass of water for dinner, that is obsurd!
  • barb1241
    barb1241 Posts: 324 Member
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    Bad parenting advice of the day: Stop feeding the kid anything but vegetables. In a couple days he'll be so hungry he'll eat drywall.

    This, sort of. First, take away candy, pop chips, cookies etc. Don't give them the option of making bad choices. And don't "sneak" vegetables into anything. Chop them fine if needed so they are palatable for the first several tries, but let the kids know. If you hide the veg, then it seems like feeding them to the kids is doing something awful to them. If you have never encouraged them to eat veg, then no wonder they don't like 'em. I am an adult and never ate veggies until I tried to start eating healthy. I have used the above advice on myself. Also, let the kids help with the food prep. Let them look for recipes to help make. start small so they can gradually get used to liking the veg. and try preparing them in different ways-different seasonings, cooked to al dente or roasted. Baby carrots dipped in ranch? Celery sticks with nut butter and raisins or cranberries? Zucchini bread. Cucumber slices in yogurt or ranch or hummus. Be creative. and if they want to make peanut butter and jelly and cauliflower sandwiches-let 'em try their veggies that way..
  • Toonewbeginnings
    Toonewbeginnings Posts: 6
    Options
    Bad parenting advice of the day: Stop feeding the kid anything but vegetables. In a couple days he'll be so hungry he'll eat drywall.

    This, sort of. First, take away candy, pop chips, cookies etc. Don't give them the option of making bad choices. And don't "sneak" vegetables into anything. Chop them fine if needed so they are palatable for the first several tries, but let the kids know. If you hide the veg, then it seems like feeding them to the kids is doing something awful to them. If you have never encouraged them to eat veg, then no wonder they don't like 'em. I am an adult and never ate veggies until I tried to start eating healthy. I have used the above advice on myself. Also, let the kids help with the food prep. Let them look for recipes to help make. start small so they can gradually get used to liking the veg. and try preparing them in different ways-different seasonings, cooked to al dente or roasted. Baby carrots dipped in ranch? Celery sticks with nut butter and raisins or cranberries? Zucchini bread. Cucumber slices in yogurt or ranch or hummus. Be creative. and if they want to make peanut butter and jelly and cauliflower sandwiches-let 'em try their veggies that way..

    Tried this. He questions anything that is not of color that belongs in the food. Lmfao.

    He will spit it out or pick it apart.
  • tonybalony01
    tonybalony01 Posts: 613 Member
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    Here's what I remember from growing up:
    1) Fry those suckers - fried okra, fried green tomatoes, fried green beans, etc and drown them in ranch
    2) Bribery - if they eat their veggies they get a special treat (favorite dessert or whatever they really love), but not until they're gone
    3) Don't fight it - you can always give them Flintstone vitamins; it's just a phase, and you need to pick which battles are worth fighting
  • Glynneybug
    Glynneybug Posts: 196 Member
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    I have heard of blending fruits and veggies and sneaking them into recipes....

    Anybody have any good recipes that I can try or any suggestions?

    When I was having to take care of my Dad after one of his surgeries I came up with a zucchini egg bake. It is shredded zucchini, egges, cheese and some spices (to taste.) The zucchini is super moist- so you don't need to add any milk to make your scramble mixture. Put your egg/zucchini mix in a baking dish, cover with shredded cheese (I used extra sharp cheddar) and cook thru in the oven.

    My Dad HATES most veggies but asked me to make this for him again- so that's saying a lot for him. Hope this helps!

    OH- and I LOVE to make variations on Mac & Cheese. My husband's favorite that I would suggest to try is use 1/2 of the pasta your recipe calls for and fill in the rest with cawliflower. It is nearly the same color as most regular pastas- so harder for your little one to detect- it has good texture and tastes great! I always use low fat or non fat milk, since Mac & Cheese recipes always call for so much.

    Take care,
    Glynis
  • zeebruhgirl
    zeebruhgirl Posts: 493 Member
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    If they don't eat what you prepare for them, then they don't eat. Simple as that.
  • CannibalisticVegetarian
    CannibalisticVegetarian Posts: 1,255 Member
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    I'm not the biggest fan of veggies as an adult and that statement rang especially true when I was a kid. Mom didn't really give me a choice in the matter anyway. It was either, 'Eat what's in front of you or you don't get anything else'.

    Now there were SOME veggies that could be forgiven like cooked carrots *Super gag*. In those cases she'd allow me to eat mines raw since that was the only way that I could keep it down.
  • rizzod206
    rizzod206 Posts: 18
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    Hello-

    I just wrote a recipe to help with this problem in mind today actually. I have a very picky family that absolutely hates veggies. My husband eats nachos and cheese all the time and it drives me nuts so I made this recipe to trick him into some veggies. I call it "Sneaky (Veggie) Loaded Nachos" it will get them a few servings of veggies including jalapenos, bell peppers, cilantro, onions, and tomato!

    1 tsp Olive Oil
    2 Large Jalapenos
    1 Medium yellow or red onion
    1 Large Red Bell Pepper
    1lb Ground Beef 90/10
    Salt & Pepper to taste (Keep in mind the tabasco sauce has salt too)
    2 Tbsp Chipotle Tabasco sauce
    1/2 cup Cilantro (Chipped)
    4 servings of Tortilla chips
    1 Cup Shredded Cheese of your choice
    1 Cup Pre-Made Salsa of your choice
    4 Dollops of sour cream

    Heat a saute pan with olive oil to medium heat. Chop the jalapenos, onion, and red bell pepper into small pieces as desired (The smaller the better, then your picky eaters don't realize they are there!). Add to the pan and cook for approximately 5 minutes, then add the ground beef. Break the beef down until its in really small pieces, once it has browned a bit add salt, pepper, and the Chipotle Tabasco to the pan. Continue cooking until brown or as desired- about 10 minutes total cook time. About three minutes before the beef is done add in the cilantro and mix in as the beef finishes cooking.

    Place 1 serving of chips on a plate and put 1/4 a cup of shredded cheese over them. Put in the Microwave for about 30 seconds. Take the ground beef/veggie mix and put 1/4 the contents over the chips and cheese. Add the salsa over the top of that, then finish with a cute little dollop of sour cream. What kid (or picky husband) can resist such a delicious stack up?!

    I am part of a CSA so I have to cram a lot of veggies down everyone's throat somehow. After eating this my husband said "Honey, thanks for giving us a break from vegetables tonight". I smiled and never mentioned 5 veggies he ate that night :)

    This links to a picture of the finished product! Enjoy.

    http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/854/z2ke.jpg/

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