Children and Vegetables
Okay, I feel like I am forever asking stupid questions, but everytime I ask them, you moms never fail to give me great ideas.
So, Stupid Question #891: How do you get your kids to eat vegetables?
Kathrynne thinks vegetables and almost all fruits were the worst things created and I'm about at my wit's end on getting her to eat them. She loves bread and sweets and would be happy to eat bread and potatoes and cookies every meal -- lots of them. She likes yogurt, too. But, vegetables are another story.
Any suggestions? The only way I can currently get any down her is to mix them with yogurt or put them in soup. We started her out with sweet potatoes and carrots, which she really never liked, but she would eat a few bits of sweet potatoes on a good day. We gradually added in other foods, most of which she didn't like either. But, once we hit bread, she was sold. Now, that's the only thing she wants. She begs for it every meal and spits out anything which is remotely vegetable-looking. I really don't know how to deal with a picky eater since all of my siblings always ate almost everything they were given with no trouble. I'm glad she likes wholegrains (the bread we do give to her is almost always homemade and good for her) but she needs to eat other things! Help!
posted by Crystal Paine at 2:42 PM
20 Comments:
The best thing is to keep serving them to her, to expose her, but don't "try" to get her to eat them. The more you try, the more she'll resist and things will only get worse. Get a hold of the book "Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense." It's the method that is now advocated by leading nutritionists and nutrition experts. The book recommends a division of responsibilites: you decide what she eats, when she eats and where she eats; she decides how much she eats and if she eats at all. This method has been extremely successful for the pickiest of eaters.
I have a 10 yob who went through several months, when he was a toddler, in whch he would only eat refried beans, tortillas, or saltine crackers. After he moved on from that, he still would not eat meat for several more months. He now eats almost EVERYTHING!
Some of my other children have gone through this type of thing as well. It will pass. I would like to encourage you not to get concerned about it. I understand the wanting her to eat from a variety of foods for health's sake, but her body will eventually prompt her to want other foods. It seems to me that this sort of issue could easily turn into a power struggle. Realistically, you cannot make her eat something if she refuses to, so that would be a struggle that you would not likely win. My advice would be to just let her eat what she wants to of the healthy choices you give her.
If this stage lasts longer than you are comfortable with, you might want to give her a liquid infant multivitamin each day.
All of my children have gone through this phase. My youngest child, who is now 14 months, started off eating almost all vegetables and fruits, but now is more selective. My experience has been that they will eventually come around. The key is to keep offering them variety and encouraging them to try everything without making it a struggle. My older children now love most vegetables and are usually willing to try new foods. And they all went through different phases in their food choices.
I second the "keep serving them but don't push it" notion. There'll be plenty of time to institute a clean your plate policy later on. For now just focus on making meal time happy:) Some things I did that worked were serving frozen peas (still frozen) with a little sugar sprinkled on them (I figured a little sugar wouldn't hurt if they were actually eating vegetables!) and making the pureed veggies into dips for things like bread or crackers. Sweet potatoes with a little cinnamon and brown sugar makes a great dip for something like raisin bread. You could also try things like zucchini bread and carrot cake. These can be healthy as long as you don't go overboard with the sugar:) Actually you can sneak grated veggies into lots of things:)
My oldest (he's 4) went through this stage too, but he now eats everything I serve him (except onions) and asks for seconds, so don't worry too much. If you keep cooking vegetables, she'll eventually eat them.
try playing with texture, shape size. For lots of babies it isn't the taste as much as the texture.
Hi Crystal!
I too have a picky eater. We have just recently been able to get her to try new things without it being a big mess. She is still not fond of certain things, but I have told her that she either eats it or she gets no dessert. It seems to be working. Of course, I know that this isn't as easy with one as young as yours, but don't be discouraged it does get better.
Here is a tip though...since she likes bread, try making breads, muffins that have vegetables in them. Blueberry muffins, zucchini bread,etc. It may work to at least get it in her somehow for now. But don't stop trying with the whole vegis and fruits or she will think she has won.
I mix everything together - meat and vegetables and that's all I offer her. :)
Chloe's only 10 months though.
Deborah
I agree with the others! Always serve the fruit or veggie, but don't force them.
My oldest daughter (now 15) use to be extremely picky. When she was 5 yo, we instituted a new rule for the dinner table. Everyone had to eat at least 1 bite of what was on their plate. If it was a veggie that I knew she didn't like I would only give her a small bite, but she had to eat it. There are several things that this child now loves that she didn't use to i.e. lasagna, greenbeans, pinto beans, etc. There are a few things she don't like, but she is more willing to give new things a try now.
Plus, our taste buds do change over the years. I know mine have. I use to love Asparagus, but now can only eat it a little. So, hopefully your daughter will come around soon! :)
Hi, have you tried soup? If this is a texture problem she may like a good vegetable soup.
She may like different fruits. Mashed banana is often a hit and many fruits can be pureed with youghurt.
Please, please don't give her sweets or too many cookies. These will be much sweeter than fruit and even sweet veg and will put her off the more subtle taste of natural fruit. Plus, she is likely to end up with dental decay. I have had sad experience of this with my children and am now very strict about sweets but wish that I had been stricter before the damage occurred. I wasn't even the sort of person who used to give the children loads of sweets.
Children often get less fussy as they get older.
One last thought, how about pizza with vegetables in it? Tastes like bread!
HTH
Annaelisabeth
I would just keep offering Kathrynne a variety of foods without worrying too much about whether she eats them or not. A child needs to try something between 14 and 17 times before they start to like it, so it's best just to be calm (ha!) and ride it out. Hannah (13 mths) is dreadful at the moment. Everything has to be sweet and smooth or else it ends up on the kitchen floor, walls, etc. (she's a good shot!). Sometimes she deigns to eat a few peas or nibble on a chunk of cold apple. Chopped dried apricots and raisins are usually popular. But at the moment it's just yoghurt really. Matthew is now three and eats a good variety of everything and is more willing to try new things. He's been through picky phases, too, and they do pass!
A friend of mine swears by serving her son raw foods with dips. Like raw carrots with a little bit of fat free ranch, or raw celery with peanut butter. He won't eat it otherwise, but if he has something to dip it in to, eating vegetables is fun!
He's four, so you may have to tweek a bit if you choose this method.
I make what I call "Mystery Meatballs" and spaghetti... of course, I do not tell the children that is what I call them. To them it is their favorite recipe of "meatballs and spaghetti" that they literally beg for.
To the ground beef I add brown rice, grated cheddar, minced veggies, including carrots and brocolli or whatever you have available... and then some butter crackers all crunched up, an egg or two, all mixed together, formed into balls, baked and put in the sauce... or not put in the sauce for they even like to eat them alone. I cannot tell you an exact recipe, for there is none. I throw it together and it always comes out... well, except one time when I tried to put cabbage in there... don't do that. It makes your house smell like someone has a bad case of the... well, never mind.
VITAMIX!!!!!! or ok, a good blender. Make smoothies with some added raw carrots or other vegetable mixed in with yogurt and fruit. Make soup. Samuel has loved cream of broccoli soup since before he was 1.
Sue Gregg cook books too. I have the whole set.....I'll bring them over. C.
Hi Crystal,
My youngest sister Hannah has always been a very strong willed child and the only one of us seven to be a picky eater. We follow the rule that if it is set before you you must eat it. Of course, that doesn't mean that we gave her lots of vegetables and fruits, just a bite or two. Hannah used to just want bread, but with a little disipline and a lot of patients she rarely ever gives us a problem eating the food we give her. One tradition we started as a family is that if she had something she does not like, when she eats it, we all clap. So now, when she has a little salad on her plate, she eats it and starts claping, making sure that we all noticed how good she is being. When she was younger, one day she would like something, the next she wouldn't. Now she especially likes raisins and nuts, and chewing on apple slices. She also enjoys veges. when I mix it in with the rest of her food.
That was excellent advice by Shannon Miller. I can testify to this day that I still love frozen peas, but without the sugar. Mama would put me in the highchair while she was making dinner, and serve me partially frozen green peas. It is also an excellent way to improve hand-eye coordination.
Sarah S.
Longview Tx.
Apparently, I’m the dissenting opinion. Our 'mean parent method' of getting kids to eat has worked with all 4 of our children - even the one who tried to be picky, although all of them went through a testing period to see if we really meant it. We establish from the beginning that you need to eat what's before you. Picky eating is NOT an option in our house. I have 4 children, the youngest is 2yo, they will eat ANYTHING, including onions, spicy ethnic food & brussel sprouts. (No, they don’t like brussel sprouts, but they eat them and dinner is not a whiny battlefield.) That said, if Mom & Dad won’t eat it, it’s hypocritical to expect Baby to.
When introducing food, we simply never feed the kids ANYTHING but vegetables until they eat them. I usually start with something green & saved the ‘sweet’ ones, like carrots & sweet potatoes, for last. Breakfast, before they nurse, is the best time to get them to eat something they might not eat at lunch. They’ll be hungry. :sneaky mom grin: If they won’t eat it, don’t force them. As long as babies are nursing, nourishment is not an issue. If babies are really hungry, they'll eat vegetables – any of them, without a second thought. Don’t feel guilty though about them not liking the veggies & start nursing double time so they still won’t be hungry. It defeats the purpose of trying to introduce solid foods.
Feed her off your plate. Mash up your peas & feed them off your ‘big Mommy spoon’ & plate. (She can have her own big spoon. My kids always preferred a regular teaspoon to a baby spoon.) Being grown up is inviting you know! Remember the lipstick incident? ;^) This gives you a controlled ‘adult’ experience for her enjoyment.
We never add fruit, bread & especially sweets until all the vegetables (& protein foods – minus allergen foods like eggs) have been introduced and they’ll eat them. We don't give them sweets at all until they are around 18mo-2 years. If you realize how small their tummies are, how little nutrition a cookie has in it (even a ‘healthy’ cookie) plus how much space it takes up in that little tummy and how much nutrition vegetables & protein have, you really need to prioritize what your children eat simply to ensure their health 30 years from now.
A small quantity of whole grain bread isn’t bad, but it’s so easy to overeat on bread & not have room for other nutritious stuff. A little bread AFTER she eats her veggies as ‘dessert’ would be fine. She’ll always find room for the bread! “If you eat your peas, then you can have bread (or whatever),” period, can be a workable compromise AND you need to MEAN it. No peas, no bread. She’s smart. She’ll get it quickly.
I’ve watched moms of picky eaters over they years and they’ll often say things like, “Oh you don’t like that?” and “You think that’s icky?” etc. etc. I feel this reinforces the child’s dislike of the food, not to mention it associates more ‘feeling’ to what we eat. I don’t have research on it, but I have a hunch that the mentality promotes eating disorders of various sizes. (My professional background is the health & nutrition field.) That said, food *should* be good tasting! It should be comforting, but I think positive fellowship with family around the dinner table is much, much more important than whether we ‘like’ the food. Is it healthy? Is it nutritious? Is there enough for everyone? Have we asked God to bless it? Simply “Here’s another bite Little One” has always been my motto.
Ok I’ll get off my ‘children & food’ soapbox. Our children aren’t traumatized because we made them eat peas first. They end up traumatizing me sometimes! They enjoy variety and request strange things like eggplant parmesan (which I really dislike!) But I make it and I eat it. It’s good for me. :-p
I don’t know what you’ve done up until this point or how much she’s nursing, which can make a difference, but if she were mine & still nursing a good deal, I’d be mean enough to give her only peas for breakfast, before she nurses, until she’ll eat them without hesitation. Explain to her you love her & want her to eat healthy food because it’s important she grow up strong to be able to take care of her future family. Then add spinach the same way… No bread, no cookies. If nursing isn’t enough, she’ll get hungry and she’ll eat vegetables. No, she won’t be happy at all. Expect pouty faces & tears. But you’re the mom and cookies aren’t the best for little tummies.
I hope I’ve given you food for thought! ;^)
Eliana (21m) has never been allowed to spit food out. If she really doesn't like a food then I only make her eat few bites. I agree that eating just a few bites of something can help you grow to like it over time (dh and I have always been picky eaters!).
Ypu may wan tto have her checked for something called 'insulin reisstance'. It's more common than people think, and one of the common symptoms is a constant craving for sweets and carbohydrates... It isn't dangerous, but later in life can lead to diabetes.
"Green smoothies" are a favorite way of getting greens into my children's mouths. You simply make a fruit juice/milk (we use soy or almond) smoothie, with a couple of bananas, and throw in a handful or two of spinach or other mild-tasting greens (I've even used carrot tops). You cannot taste the greens at all, it's nice and sweet, and all of my picky eaters love it.
Raw vegetables might be more appealing to her than cooked, too. She might need a break from bread, till she gets over the pickiness. As young as she is, if she's still nursing, she really doesn't need a lot of solid foods.
My boys all love vegetables. They did not really like them when they were very little though, they did not like food much and thought milk tasted better! I do not really care if they eat everything, like yesterday I made a dish with brocolli and carrots in it. One son wanted just broccoli and other just carrots, I will allow this kind of pickiness, but not others as I have likes and dislikes also.
I think the best way to get her to eat them is not make a issue of it and have her learn by example! When she sees you enjoying salads like you do, eventually she will think mom's food is best and want to eat it. Anthony (19 months) just discovered how wonderful cucumbers with vinegar dressing of all things is! He loved it! He also would dip his bread into it! I found too I would say things like "Ooh, red pepper is just like candy, it is better than candy" "I love tomatoes, they are so good" "cucumbers are so good when you put salt on them" pretty soon they start repeating me and they are eating "little trees, green and white" (broccoli and cauliflower) cucumbers and red and green peppers. I like to make some dip too as that really helps!
I think Martha A. summed up quite well the method advocated by leading nutritionists. Let them make their own choices and learn by example. Maybe some children will eat vegetables when "made" to do so or by having parents only serve them vegetables until they eat them, but the majority of children won't, but instead will become even pickier eaters. Just keep serving the healthy foods and show her by example. She'll eventually learn to like a large variety of foods, if the pressure is removed. (On a side note, I would definitely recommend avoiding giving her cookies or any type of sweets until she is at least three years old. Give her the first three years to taste only fresh, wholesome foods with no added salt or sugar. That way her tastes and likes will be for the healthy foods. If you start too young on sweets, that's what she'll come to like and vegetables will not be nearly as appealing.)
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