It’s really important that kids get used to eating vegetables from an early age. Vegies are essential for a balanced and healthy diet, and the sooner they are introduced on kids’ plates, the better. But this is not an easy task. Tastes have to be developed and it is normal for children to reject some new foods at first. We have to give them time to get used to the new textures and flavours. The most important thing is to not give up! Still, there are several tricks we can use to get our kids to eat their vegetables. Here come a few of them.

Insist, persist and don’t give up
Encourage children to eat the vegetables on their plate, but have some patience. Instead of giving in to the first signs of resistance and providing them an alternative, give them more time. Don’t give up!

Let them choosewhat they want to eat
If you let kids choose which vegetables they want to eat, they won’t feel obliged and will be much more motivated to eat better.

Spiralise (a lot)
Spiralised vegetables are more fun and attractive for children. Cut and serve them in long, thin slices like spaghetti. To make this whole process easier, you can use a vegetable spiraliser.

Praise them at the table
Whenever kids eat vegetables, even unwillingly, don’t forget to praise them. They’ll want to keep pleasing you and will repeat the behaviour with increasing frequency.

Make more soups
Soups are an easy and very tasty way to get the little ones to eat the vegetables they reject. Soups also have lots of vitamins and minerals. Don’t just give them blended soups, however. It’s important they get used to the texture of the vegetables.

Take them shopping
When you go for a shop, take the kids. Let them see everything and participate in choosing what to buy. Put them in contact with healthier foods, explain where they come from and what their benefits are.

Cook vegetables in a variety of ways
Explore different ways of cooking vegetables so they never become boring. You can steam, sauté, grill and stew them. Whatever you do, don’t forget to season them properly. No-one likes bland food!