Cooking your child a healthy meal full of vegetables is simple -- if only she would actually try them. When your child turns her up her nose at anything green, you don't have to give up and cook spaghetti for her every night. Instead, make the vegetable dishes you serve more kid-friendly and appetizing. Your child might find a whole new food group she loves to eat. Talk to your child's pediatrician before making any changes in her diet if she has allergies or health conditions.
Step 1
Incorporate veggies into meals that your child already loves. If your daughter loves macaroni and cheese, add chopped tomato and a handful of spinach and heat it over the stove for an extra minute before serving it. She might not even notice she's eating vegetables when she's enjoying one of her favorites.
Step 2
Make veggie ribbons with a vegetable peeler and add them to your child's sandwiches. They add a satisfying crunch and look so fun and colorful, your child might be tempted to try them.
Step 3
Grate root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, onions and radishes into your daughter's spaghetti sauce. Your child might not even notice that you've added extra fiber, vitamins and minerals to your child's lunch.
Step 4
Offer a variety of colorful vegetable dishes, such as steamed broccoli, sliced cucumbers, chopped bell peppers and roasted zucchini with your child's dinner. She doesn't have to try them all -- but she might find at least one dish appetizing enough to try.
Step 5
Make French fries out of carrots instead of potatoes. Carrots are packed with vitamin A and beta carotene, and your child might be more apt to eat them if she can dip them in ketchup. Cut 1 pound of carrots with a crinkle fry cutter, and top them with 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss until the carrots are completely coated with the herbs and spices. Bake them for 20 minutes in a 400-degree oven on a pan covered with parchment paper.
Tips and Warnings
- If your child is a picky eater, introduce new vegetables one at a time so your child doesn't get overwhelmed.
- Keep hot pans and sharp kitchen tools out of the reach of children.
Things You'll Need
- Vegetable peeler
- Fry crinkle cutter
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