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When I was a freshman in college, I took my first developmental psychology class. One day the professor used food as an example of conditioning. He talked about a group of orphans (of which he was one) who were given their vegetables as the reward for eating their dessert. This reverse psychology led him to be an adult who loved vegetables more than ice cream.
Could it really be that simple? Will your child simply love their vegetables because they are deemed the reward?
A 1926 experiment took babies who hadn’t yet eaten solid food to see what would happen if they were given free rein of what to eat. Each child was given 10 options at every meal with a nurse waiting to see what they asked for. The concluding results were that children were eager to eat everything from bone marrow to beets.
With a little daily adjustment, it is possible to help kids to eat vegetables.
Why is it so hard to get kids to eat vegetables?
It’s innate for humans to prefer sweets over sour or bitter tastes. The reason is an evolutionary safety that tells our body that most poisonous things are either bitter or poisonous, and not usually sweet. The dislike for bitter greens and sour fruits is genetically inherited.
Combine evolution with a host of sweet foods we, as adults, consume regularly and feed to our children, we are creating a bigger problem. We encourage the natural tendency to become a habit.
Why it's important for kids to eat more vegetables
Vegetables provide the body with many minerals and nutrients needed to grow and remain healthy. These include antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin K along with fiber, manganese, and potassium. Different colors and types of vegetables help balance the nutrient intake. This is all important for metabolic processing, growth, and preventing disease.
However, if your kid doesn’t love vegetables, don’t panic. Many of the nutrients found in vegetables are found in other foods, particularly fruits that most kids love. Additionally, many kids will go through a phase of not loving vegetables. I can personally attest to having a son who only loved mac and cheese for nearly two years.
Today, my teenage son eats salads without dressing, actively asks to go to farmers market to find new vegetables to try, and will lament me if there isn’t what he thinks is a suitable amount of greens on the dinner table. Take hope in knowing that.
Tips for getting kids to eat more vegetables
There are a couple of very simple ways to get your child to eat more vegetables. The first is to keep offering them. Even if your child leaves them on the plate, try different vegetables in different recipes to peak their interest. You never know when they will decide to try something just because it looks interesting.
If that isn’t working, licensed nutritionist Christine Conley Reeb told Mom.com, “Try offering different flavorful dips such as hummus, fruit salsa, ranch dip, guacamole, or nut butters. If that doesn’t work, get sneaky and add veggies to pizza, tacos, mac and cheese, air-fried sweet potatoes.”
Los Angeles mom of three Alex Asal Yedidsion understands the problem and has some great tips to make the process of eating veggies fun. “Try dipping sauces, new/different utensils, like chopsticks and toothpicks, and hide it in other foods and sauces," she suggested to Mom.com. "But ultimately don’t give up. Keep trying.”
The other way to get kids to eat more vegetables is to be a role model of good eating habits. Children really do model their behavior based on what they see. I’m not a big veggie person myself, but I do love a good salad, roasted asparagus, or steamed edamame. By having vegetables that I liked, my son saw me enjoy eating them.
If I had to pinpoint a transition in his vegetable eating habits, it was at restaurants where he could choose a side dish. Giving him that control seemed to make certain vegetables were cool.
Vegetable recipes for kids
Looking for new interesting ways to get your child to eat their vegetables? Try these tasty vegetarian recipes, or one of these veggie-packed dishes:
- 3 cups basil leaves
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- ¼ cp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
- 2 zucchini (spiraled)
- ¾ cup grape tomatoes
Combine basil, pine nuts, oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and Parmesan. Blend until creamy. Pour over zucchini noodles. Toss pesto with zucchini. You can toss zucchini in a skillet for up to 3 minutes on medium heat and add pesto for a fourth minute.
Easy Spinach Balls
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 15 balls
Ingredients:
- 10-oz bag of frozen spinach (defrosted and toweled dry)
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 2 tbsp plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp sliced green onion
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Take a spoonful of the mixture and roll into a ball with your hands. Lay on a baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes at 350ºF.
