Last week I talked a little bit about the parenting strategies I use to help my kids learn to not be picky. But what if the damage is done and you have an established picky eater?
We gotta get those veggies in them somehow.
The answer?
A little deception. A little trickery. Lots of blender usage.
I have this blender, but I imagine this one or this one will serve you quite nicely also. It really doesn’t matter as long as it turns veggies into mush, which is the name of the game when plotting to get little kids to consume what’s good for them.
The goal here is to make vegetables look as unveggie-like as possible. You could use your imagination here, but I did some of the work for you and rounded up a number of recipes you might like to try in your veggie-hiding ventures.
Read on for the details.
Chicken parmesan for kids
In my experience, anything breaded and covered in cheese is usually a hit with picky eaters. This kid-friendly chicken parmesan recipe has spinach sneakily sprinkled throughout. For the sake of health and well-being of course. Your kids won’t notice, especially if you blend it with the sauce beforehand!!
I’m honestly kind of skeptical of this spinach and banana pancake recipe, so I’m going to try it soon and update you on how it goes. I don’t think I would introduce it as a pancake, though. Just tell them it’s special bread or something. The term pancake might conjure up the wrong idea in their little brains, since this isn’t really quite like normal pancakes.
Here’s a recipe you could serve the whole family for dinner and keep everyone, including your picky eaters, happy! This kid-friendly chili dish includes grated carrots and celery that I’m sure you don’t even notice once they’re mixed in!!
These veggie-packed toddler muffins would make for a great snack that’s yummy but sneakily healthy. Anytime vegetables are disguised as carbs is pretty much a win, I would say. I might even be tempted to munch on a few myself.
I’m gonna go ahead and say this cucumber bread recipe isn’t exactly on the spectrum of healthy, but if your kids eat the whole loaf, they’ve also eaten an entire cup of cucumber! Ha. But still, it looks YUM.
I don’t even like kale. So getting a picky eater to eat it is nothing short of impressive. Maybe you’ll get lucky with these kale chips and do exactly that. Just think of all the fiber they’ll be getting!
Banana spinach smoothie with vegetables and yogurt.
I’m pretty sure you can put ANYTHING into a smoothie and kids will eat it. This particular smoothie recipe uses bananas, spinach, and yogurt, but you could even throw some tofu or peanut butter in there for protein. Then add some cocoa powder and tell ‘em it’s a chocolate milkshake ;).
I hope you find something here that helps you make sure your picky eater still gets the nutrients they need!! If you have a recipe that you think would make a good addition to this list, share it in the comments!!
Photo by Mink Mingle on Unsplash
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Melinda worked with children for years in a professional setting before becoming a full-time stay at home mom. She currently has three young children, and enjoys sharing tips and ideas about parenting and how to manage a home with excellence. She’s been featured on Heathline and Her View From Home.
You must be logged in to post a comment.