Getting kids to eat their vegies:

Kids appear to be inexplicably programmed to resist vegetable consumption. Of course, adults (who have now discovered the delectable delight of vegetables) have devised many ways to coerce and convince children, but, as sad experience demonstrates, all manner of proactive measures, cunning disguises and dastardly threats can be reduced to naught by a determined youngster.

The very real possibility of momentary defeat should not deter conscientious parents from attempting to provide their children with healthy, nutritious diets, well flavoured by vegetables.

To assist those who may be searching for battle plans, here are strategies that have been tried, tested and (sometimes) proven.

1. Feed children vegetables from their earliest occasions of consuming solid food. Resist the screwed up face, and the pumpkin spat across the kitchen and continue feeding your baby vegetables. A baby cannot select his own food and, if hungry, will eat what is presented. Gradually, baby will become accustomed to vegetables. Don’t give in to the temptation to feed baby the sweeter, more palatable fruit.
2. Lead the way and eat vegetables regularly and readily. Little ones often prefer the contents of everyone else’s plates, to their own meals, so share your vegetables with them.
3. Present vegetables in a fun way. Try using cookie cutters to cut interesting shapes from slices of steamed vegetables. Refer to broccoli and cauliflower as “trees” or “flowers”. Make a vegetable “face” on your child’s plate.
4. Grate or shred vegetables and include them in sausage rolls, lasagne, bolognese, meatloaf and casseroles.  Kids greedily devour homemade sausage rolls which contain at least eight different vegetables (onion, carrot, celery, sweet potato, pumpkin, potato, zucchini and corn).
5. Vegetable soup may be acceptable, particularly if it is pureed to render all vegetables beyond recognition. This is a great healthy after school snack on a cold winter’s day.
6. Don’t give children huge portions of vegetables on their plates. They may easily become discouraged when presented with mountains of cabbage or pumpkin. On the other hand, you could try giving your children more than you expect them to eat, then magnanimously declare that they only have to eat half of what is on their plates.
7. Consistently expect your children to eat vegetables. Insist that a reasonable portion be ingested before dessert is served. If children decline the invitation to eat their vegetables, then they forfeit their dessert for the meal (and perhaps special between meal treats).
8. Experiment with different vegetables. Perhaps you could choose an exotic variety from the grocers and learn about its origin. The whole family could embark on a vegetable adventure!
9. Enlist the help of your children in meal preparation. Ownership increases interest. You may even plant some vegetables and enjoy the produce of your garden. Many vegetables can be grown on dwarf, tub varieties, if space is an issue.
10. If your child enjoys some vegetable varieties, make sure you present them regularly, as they will likely be accepted. If they express strong dislike for particular varieties, these could be avoided, in the interest of a peaceful meal table.

Parents can only try their best in training children to have healthy, balanced diets. Very few people retain an aversion to vegetables beyond childhood, so in most cases, maturation will bring a healthy appetite for vegetables.

What are your tricks to getting kids to eat their vegies?