We all know that most kids turn their noses up at green things that make their way to the dinner table … but some kids adamantly refuse almost all fruits and veggies.
And while I could argue that this is more about the way that we start our kids out (like, if you don’t give them unhealthy foods from the start, they really don’t know any different), let’s for argument’s sake assume that your kid loved fruits and veggies and then just, bam!, woke up one morning boycotting them.
So, how do you get them eating the good stuff again? By being sneaky. And you can argue that it might be deceitful, but it’s not in a bad way.
Spinach Smoothies: I first talked about this back in April. So before you turn your own nose up at the idea, hear me out. You can easily add a few handfuls of spinach to a smoothie made with rice milk, bananas, strawberries, and blueberries … and your kid will never know the difference. And, depending on what you combine with the spinach, it probably won’t even be green. But if it is, call it a superhero smoothie and watch how fast they gobble it down!
Let the Kids Decide: It’s a known fact that if kids help prepare their food, they’re more likely to eat it. So let them go to the Farmer’s Market or the grocery store with you … and let them choose the fruits and veggies. This is one of the best times of the year to get unusual-looking fruits!
Add It In: Here’s where sneaky really comes in. How about a fruit pizza for breakfast? Or a sweet potato burrito for lunch? Caroline at After Dinner Dance has a great recipe that has been adapted from The Picky Eater … and which includes brown rice, another tasty food that kids usually won’t eat.
While you’re at Caroline’s site, take a second to read her “About” section … she grew up refusing to eat fruits and veggies, and so her blog is an excellent resource for coaxing kids into doing so.
photo credit: caroline/after dinner dance
