Help with on-plan veggies please!
RebekahR84
Posts: 794 Member
Does anyone have any vegetable recipes that a picky 2 year old would enjoy? I try to cook healthy for my older son, but he simply refuses to eat most of what I make for him. I made all of his baby food, with all sorts of vegetables, and he inhaled them all until he was a year old. After moving him to regular food, though, he's just the worst at it, and I'm at my wit's end. The only stuff he likes is the non-keto food we used to eat. I want him to be healthy.
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If he liked his baby food have you considered making a batch of puréed veggie "soup" and getting him to eat his veggies that way?
I make a couple pots of puréed low carb veggie soups every week and have a cup as a side with my meat entree... I always joke that it looks like baby food!
I didn't learn to love my veggies until I started cooking for myself and discovered the flavour and texture that you can achieve by sautéeing vegetables versus boiling them (my mother's preferred technique) But your son probably isn't ready for any complex flavours. Maybe try serving raw veggies with toddler-friendly dip? My little nephew loves his veggies raw.2 -
He hates raw veggies, but he does love soup. That's a great idea. Thank you for the suggestion!0
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I thought I didn't have anything to offer you in help since I don't eat veggies myself. I do cook them for the family but my youngest is 14 and I can get him to choke down minimal things he doesn't like just because he's old enough to understand that he doesn't get the junk I still allow him to eat unless he eats the real food first. I figure I'll get him as full as possible first since I waited until this late to teach my kids better. I didn't really know myself til too late...
Anyway, @PaleoInScotland 's idea reminded me of Abel James green smoothies.
http://fatburningman.com/the-best-fat-burning-breakfast-green-smoothie/
I've never had one and I'm sure they can be made to taste pretty gross, but since your kids are... kids and most likely metabolically healthy, I'm assuming of course, you're the judge of that, they could probably handle more fruit than us adults that have already ruined our metabolism over the years. So they may actually like them if they can taste a little sweeter. And they probably don't have to really drink a huge glass to get a really good amount of nutrients. Maybe even enough that you don't feel you have to stress the eating of veggies at the other meals.
Just an idea. You might even be able to make a compromise that if they drink a smoothie each day then they only have to eat x number of bites of veggies at other meals. Maybe something like that would be a way around the battle of the veggies.
I wish I had figured this stuff out when mine were younger. You're doing great things for them but it's hard on them when we suddenly change the rules and I think it's ok to make reasonable compromises especially with older kids.1 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »I thought I didn't have anything to offer you in help since I don't eat veggies myself. I do cook them for the family but my youngest is 14 and I can get him to choke down minimal things he doesn't like just because he's old enough to understand that he doesn't get the junk I still allow him to eat unless he eats the real food first. I figure I'll get him as full as possible first since I waited until this late to teach my kids better. I didn't really know myself til too late...
I started pretty early with mine, but they still pull that crap on me anyway. The older kids eat what they are given (12 and 14) because they know I will wring their neck and take away any treats in the future if they don't. They know they should and they do, but they do still complain.
The younger kids are stinky little stink-faces. I have to bargain with them sometimes, other times, they devour certain things without complaint. My 8-year-old loves asparagus and eats tomatoes like apples. But all she wants to eat for breakfast and lunch are cereal and tortillas. My 5-year-old is even weirder. But if I count his food, say "eat 8 broccoli trees and 10 meats" then his inner evil scientist complies. He prefers some veggies raw and dipped in ranch, and prefers most of his food to not touch, so I accommodate his eccentricities to an extent.
You just have to work with their personalities and preferences, but sometimes, they'll still be uncooperative. This is true of my youngest, the contrarian. And if he pulls his crap, then he can "not eat." His plate will be there waiting when he's hungry enough. He gets hangry eventually, even him, and finally gives in.
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At 2 years old he may just be a lazy eater. My brother would not eat anything that was too hard to chew. Seriously! Weiners were the only meat he would eat and no raw veggies.... Since there is a huge age difference, I remember my parents going crazy because it was a drastic change from what he used to eat... took them awhile to figure it out and I don't remember how long it took for that stage to pass. He has the most expansive palate of anyone I know as an adult lol1
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My own kids weren't picky eaters at all. My son was somewhat but at least liked enough variety it was easy to work with... plus was the exact opposite. .. leave it raw and provide dip = happy. Have you tried adding sauces? Just keep offering. ...1
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He literally dips the veggies in whatever sauce is provided and licks the sauce off. His veggies are simply a delivery mechanism for his ranch.
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My 6 year old is currently all about marinated raw veggies. I place 1 1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil in a jar with a lid. Add 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 TBSP oregano, 1 TBSP basil, a tiny pinch red pepper, and 1 tsp crushed rosemary. Put the lid on and shake it all up. Add thinly sliced zucchini, asparagus tips, and thinly cut cauliflower. Replace lid and turn upside down to keep it all coated. Refrigerate @ least 3-4 hours, but it's better if it sits overnight.2
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