Last year, it was reported on CNN.com that only 22% of children between the ages of 2 and 5 are currently
meeting the government’s regulations when it comes to vegetable consumption. This isn’t good news
because we all know that especially when it comes to a child’s development, vegetables are a vital
nutritional resource; they’re a building block chocked full of the vitamins and minerals that they need to
become healthy and strong individuals.

However, if you have a child, you also know that if they don’t like veggies, it can be an extreme battle of
the wills when it comes to getting them to eat them. The truth of the matter is that kids don’t care much
about what all of the research says. All they know is that “Vegetables are icky.” For them, it’s just that
simple.

If you’re someone who’s at your wits end when it comes to getting your kids to eat their vegetables, here
are some ideas to try.

Do some taste tests. Although there a few, it’s rare that children hate all vegetables. In other words,
if they don’t like peas, they may like carrots. If they won’t want squash, they may be open to some corn
on the cob. Don’t get immediately discouraged because the salad that you make continually remains on
their plate every time you make it. Get creative with your presentation methods. Hold a taste test contest
at home where a first prize ribbon is awarded to the vegetable that your child likes the most (and eats
the most of). There are a couple of benefits to this. One, they had to eat at least a spoonful of a couple of
vegetables to know which one they liked and two, they got rewarded for actually finishing a portion of
their favorite one.

Let them create some of the menus with you. If you’ve ever gone back and forth with your child
about why they should finish the food on their plate, before long, you may notice that it’s not so much
about the vegetables, but them feeling like they are being forced against their will to do something that
they don’t want to do. In the wise words of [Read more…]