Everyone could use more veggies, right? I’ve always been a vegetable lover, but I know a lot of people who tend to struggle with how to enjoy them. And now with a toddler who is on and off with foods, it has been more important than ever for me to be creative in the kitchen. It’s my personal mission to make veggies as interesting, fun, and delicious as possible. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to share some of the tips we use in our home with you guys.
These tips will be aimed towards kids for the most part, but they go for adults, as well. We could all use more veggies in our diet.
I just want to make a note that some of these tips are sneaky, especially for kids. I do not like to always hide veggies from my kids because then they really won’t ever be exposed or enjoy them. I always always always serve veggies in their whole form, as well. Even if I know she doesn’t like it, I will give her a piece or two of broccoli or tomato. She will pick at it, try it again, and then spit it out. THIS IS A SUCCESS. As long as she continues to try it, I am happy! But of course, to get in the veggie, I do turn to the tips below. At least she is trying it whole AND having it one way or another. This is just what works for us!
— Try a new veggie every week. I made this chart a loooong time ago, but it really helped me personally to expand my veggie palette. It is kinda like a fun game to learn all about the new veggie and then find ways to try it. That may definitely help some kids become more excited about something new.
— Shred it up. Instead of larger chunks, I will often shred veggies to make them less noticeable in dishes like soups or stir-fry. For example, I will shred the carrots in lentil soup (one of her favorites) for Willow because I know she usually eats around the chunks, but if they are shredded, it all goes in.
— Add to a smoothie. This is an obvious tip, but worth mentioning anyways. Some veggies are basically non-detectable in a smoothie. Two of my favorites to add are spinach and zucchini.
— Make it sweet. Veggies don’t always need to be in something savory. My daughter loves this carrot cake oatmeal for breakfast. I shred up the carrots in it and she doesn’t bat an eye.
— Blend it into a sauce. So many options here and they all go over pretty well, for the most part. I will add roasted red peppers to red sauce, cauliflower to white sauces, carrots, onion, and sweet potato to cashew-based sauces, butternut squash to mac and cheese, and kale or spinach to pesto sauce. You can really get creative here and when served with a favorite pasta, it will more than likely go over well!
— Serve with a dip. Kids LOVE to dip. Well, my kid does, anyway. Hummus, cashew cream, or whatever dip your kid is into… serve alongside veggies and see how it goes. They may just use the veggie as a vessel for the dip, but you never know when they get a bite and possibly *gasp* enjoy it. I do this with cucumbers, even though Willow isn’t huge on them. Sometimes she takes a small bite, and that is a win in my book. Exposure exposure!
— Blend into beans. I did this a lot with Willow when she was going through a picky stage. I would go about making some refried beans my usual way but would add some green or red peppers, onion, and sometimes even broccoli. Blend together and then add to taco or quesadilla or burrito… whatever the preference. She never noticed and was getting a great dose… plus, the hint of flavor was good for her palette.
— Add to soups or stews. Soups and stews are an easy way to pack in a few veggies your child might not always enjoy on the reg. For example, Willow doesn’t eat raw celery (it makes me nervous) so I add celery bits to her chickpea noodle soup (another favorite). She actually picks the celery out first sometimes because she enjoys it! You can try doing this with pretty much any veggie to see if they might take to it better when it is surrounded by things they already love.
— Roast with flavorful spices. Raw veggies or even plain with some butter/olive oil doesn’t always cut it. I make sure to roast veggies with a variety of spices to make them not only flavorful, but appetizing. This is a great way to expose new spices, too. Plus… a little extra fat from whatever oil you choose to roast with!
— Serve with carbs. My daughter isn’t going to really eat spinach as is, but you bet she loves spinach pies. She also doesn’t enjoy tomatoes much, but if I make a quick homemade marinara and serve on pizza or pasta, she is digging in. Kids love carbs (well, everyone does) and this has been a big help in exposing her to some veggies she isn’t as into. Another good idea is making mashed potatoes with some cauliflower blended in… so yummy.
