How do you encourage your children to eat their vegetables?

“It’s time to eat your veggies!” 

“No! I don’t want to eat my veggies! 

“But veggies are good for you!” 

“I don’t like them, ew!” 

Does this conversation sound familiar?  

Many parents struggle to get their children to eat their vegetables. This is an age-old problem that many parents face. It is a daily hassle to persuade their children to consume their vegetables but it is something parents persist in trying since the importance of a balanced diet takes precedence over letting them have their way.  

Vegetables are important for a healthy and balanced diet as they contain different nutrients, including vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and fibre. These nutrients are essential to normal growth and development. Moreover, some of these nutrients play a role in warding off chronic diseases, like hypertension, heart disease, and cancer by strengthening your child’s immune system.  

It can be frustrating when your child starts fussing about their food. If your child refuses to eat their vegetables, try these simple tips to get them to enjoy their vegetables and meet their nutritional needs: 

Ψ Lead by example (Monkey see, monkey do!)

Young children model behaviours from their parents and older siblings. Show your child that you enjoy eating a particular vegetable dish. Prepare something that you like and eat it with enthusiasm. Sooner or later, your child is likely to be curious about the food that you think is so delicious. Remember to enjoy meals together with your children whenever possible.

Ψ Do not make the dinner table a battlefield (Avoid pressuring them!)

Forcing your child to eat their vegetables may cause them to resist and dislike them more. Avoid pressuring them and allow them to decide how much they want to eat. Recognise that it may take many repetitions before a child accepts new food. Offer the vegetables to your child and if he or she refuses, do not get upset, plead, or engage in lengthy discussions about the benefits of vegetables. Instead, move on to other topics and try again another day.

Ψ Familiarity 

Children need a chance to learn to enjoy fruits and vegetables. Since fruits and vegetables may initially seem unappealing or unappetising to children, they may need to see the fruit or vegetable many times before they are willing to try it. Accordingly, your role as a parent is to ensure that these vegetables are available at the dinner table. Try including a small serving on your child’s plate every day and encourage them to try it. However, let them decide if they want to eat it or not.  

Ψ Resist the urge to prepare different options for the meal you have prepared.  

Some children may be picky eaters and avoid certain foods. Nonetheless, they will learn to accept the meal prepared for them if alternatives are not offered. It is important to consistently introduce vegetables and fruit in a variety of ways, as children learn to eat what is familiar to them. Never assume your child dislikes a particular vegetable or fruit. The next time you offer it, they may decide to try it.  

Ψ Get them involved

If you are still met with reluctance after several tries, ask your children to help you prepare the next meal. They are less likely to refuse to try the dish they helped make if they spend part of an afternoon preparing the vegetables with you. You can also have your child help you plant vegetables in a vegetable garden, have him or her water the plants, harvest the crop, bring them in the kitchen, and proceed to help cook them. This will also provide an opportunity for your children to learn about their food!

Ψ Offer non-food rewards (Not desserts!)

Do not reward your child with sweet treats such as a dessert after you have successfully gotten them to eat their vegetables. Rewarding children in this manner may send them the wrong message that the dessert is more important than the vegetables. Instead of inculcating a desire to eat and love vegetables, they may focus on the reward more than the behaviour which gets them the reward. Accordingly, this will deter your child from embracing positive eating habits. Although you may occasionally serve dessert, do not treat it as a reward for positive behaviour. Alternatively, try to encourage the consumption of fruits and vegetables by providing non-food or social rewards, such as stickers or one of your child's favourite activities.

Ψ Serve vegetables as the entrée

Normally, vegetables will lose the competition against all the other delicious plates of food on the dining table. Vegetables might not lose that battle for everyone, but they do for most children.  

This strategy puts vegetables in a competition they can win, by pitting vegetables against no food at all. To do that, serve the vegetables first before any other food and ensure that your child has eaten them before other food is displayed on your table. Your child is usually the hungriest at the start of the meal. Thus, when they are unable to pick something else on their plate, they are more likely to consume their vegetables. 

A final piece of advice 

Do not let mealtimes become a time for arguments because of vegetables, or any healthy eating. Instead of getting frustrated, recognise that there are good reasons as to why your child might be reluctant to accept new foods. If you set a good example and are persistent with your efforts, it is likely that your child will eventually embrace and even enjoy their vegetables. 

It is normal to be disheartened during the initial attempts at getting your children to eat their vegetables. Try the aforementioned tips and, most importantly, do not give up! It is important to keep encouraging your child to eat their vegetables. If you help your child develop healthy eating habits now, you will inculcate in them healthy habits for life. Lastly, your child’s diet is merely one element of a healthy lifestyle. It is paramount to also ensure your child is getting enough sufficient physical activity, sleep, and adequate fluid intake.