Toddlers often have picky eating habits, and vegetables seem to be one of the most unpopular food groups. If your toddler has a seemingly overnight realization that vegetables are to be avoided at all costs, don't worry. As long as she is growing and developing properly, temporary food aversions aren't usually harmful. However, there are a few steps you can take to try to increase your toddler's vegetable intake and improve her overall health and wellness.
Step 1
Involve your toddler in vegetable selection and preparation. Your toddler's aversion to vegetables may stem from a natural fear of the unknown. Let her put vegetables in the produce bags at the grocery store, and ask whether she wants to watch when it's time to chop or prepare vegetables for dinner. A hands-on experience with the salad spinner may be all your toddler needs to fall in love with lettuce or spinach.
Step 2
Serve fresh vegetables with condiments to pique your toddler's interest. Condiments are a tasty and fun way to introduce your child to vegetables, and some are also nutritious. For optimal benefit, choose nutrient-rich dips such as hummus, nut butters and yogurt.
Step 3
Offer your toddler vegetable juice if he simply refuses to eat his veggies. Vegetable juice isn't as nutritious as fresh vegetables, but it's better than nothing. Smoothies are another fun way to incorporate vegetables into your toddler's diet, as noted by the What To Expect website. Mix carrots or spinach with fruit and yogurt for a refreshing and healthy afternoon snack.
Step 4
Reserve a "snack shelf" in the refrigerator for your toddler to visit throughout the day. On the lowest shelf of your fridge, put bags of pre-washed carrots, celery sticks, broccoli heads, bell pepper spears, avocado wedges and other vegetables that your toddler can munch on for snacks. Even if she might not eat veggies at the dinner table, your toddler may enjoy having her own snack shelf.
Step 5
Use a food processor to conceal vegetables in sauces, soups, casseroles and other dishes. If a recipe calls for diced or chopped vegetables, throw them in the processor instead and puree. You can either put the puree in the dish as is or saute it in a bit of oil to make the vegetables even more tender and less noticeable.
References
- Ask Dr. Sears: Feeding the Picky Eater: 17 Tips
- What To Expect: Get Your Toddler to Eat Vegetables
- Medical News Today: Fussy Eaters? Helpful Ways to Encourage Children to Eat Healthy Diets; 2006
- University of Florida IFAS Extension: Raising Healthy Children: Introducing New Foods to Your Preschooler; Julie M. Martinez and Karla P. Shelnutt
