My 3.5 year old won’t eat vegetables.
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I’ve tried everything - sneaking them in, making them different ways, covering them in cheese, etc. I feel so guilty but is this normal and should I actually be worried? We did start a daily vitamin gummy which makes me feel slightly better.
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Smoothies! Can make a smoothie and freeze it in popsicle containers. Works like a charm. Call it "ice cream" whatever it takes ha!
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Kids eat in Color is a great resource for picky eaters and they have lots of creative ideas. Key is to keep
offering even if they don’t eat it and not to do the bargaining where you make them eat it in order to get something else, it will always backfire. Choice and control are huge at this age so any opportunity to let them ‘choose’ or be in control can sometimes help!
I also add pureed veggies to most of my sauces and mix in zoodles with my regular spaghetti and they often can’t tell the difference! -
We try to add spinach to anything we can hide it in. For example, pan cake mix we put spinach in the vitamix and make sure its chopped super finely and then add it to the pancake mix. Also in our house no dessert is to be had unless you TRY or have one bite of your vegetable, not sure if you have siblings but when siblings get their dessert our picky child takes a quick bite to join the fun.
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+1 to @CallMeDrMom … kids eat in color is great. We can sneak them in sometimes but they aren’t a fan favorite in our house either. Our pediatrician said it’s a normal phase, to offer them every time, but make it a “non event.” Like: here they are with everything else on your plate, I encourage all this equally and my job as mom is to give you the opportunity, not insist it happens (bc then it will be a power struggle, bribe, seen as a challenge, non choice, whatever). I am glad I can still sneak a few in here or there but I see no signs of this phase easing up and I ….would hate to explain to that same pediatrician that it’s been six years since our child ate a piece of broccoli and now have scurvy
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When I’m on it, which isn’t consistent, but I’m trying :), I set out a veggie tray before dinner- normally cucumber, celery, carrots and peppers with ranch and put it on the table. At first no one in my house was interested, but it’s starting to catch on that if you are hungry, eat the veggies! My kids are 5, 7 and 9 and all normally will snack on a few and then I add the remaining veggies to their plates for actual dinner. I’ve also started hiding the go-to snacks (chips, granola bars, etc) higher in the pantry so they can’t see them
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My favorite resource is Kids.Eat.In.Color on instagram! She's amazing!
