Growing Veggie Lovers

Posted by in Parenting Tips & Tricks, The Blog

Want to grow veggie lovers? Today I am guest posting over at Peanut Blossom. Do your kids gripe about having to take “one more bite”? Do they whine when they see green on their plate?

Pop over there to read a few tried and true tips for accomplishing this seemingly challenging goal.

One of my favorite, sure fire ways to get kids to not only eat, but enjoy veggies is to challenge them to a crunching contest. This works every time with fresh veggies if delivered with enthusiasm.  Here are a few tips to help your delivery:

  • Start with carrots! Peel nice, fresh, full sized carrot sticks.
  • Have the kids join you, but don’t offer them up as a snack option to the child. Start a casual conversation as you munch on the carrots.
  • After a few bites, stop very suddenly, and say, “Shhh! Did you hear that?” Stand quietly, until the silence has lapsed. When you take another bite do the same thing but say, “Oh my goodness, did you hear that CRUNCH?” pause and continue, “Shhhh!  Shhh! Listen!”
  • Once you have the child’s attention take another bite of carrot and try to really pop it by breaking/bending it as you bite down. Be sure to laugh and go on and on as if this is the funniest thing you’ve ever heard. Finally ask, “Do you think you can CRUNCH louder? Let’s have a contest.”

I’ve tried this approach on many children & I have yet to have a kid turn me down. The key is to be over dramatic and silly. A crunching contest also works with celery, but carrots are my favorite. Watch the video below to see my Rose CRUNCH, seriously, the biggest carrot ever.

Let’s Lasso the Moon Tip: Our family often goes around and rates each person’s crunch as a group. We then vote on who was the loudest.

Be sure to pop on over to Peanut Blossom for a few more tips on creating veggies lovers! I’d love to hear any additional suggestions you have… let’s chat in the comments below.


PS: Rose’s shirt in the photo above reads, “Conserve Water, Drink Chocolate Milk.” {hee hee} Don’t miss future posts and projects! Be sure to sign up for our RSS feed or connect online:

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  • Danielle F

    I always give my kids the veggies while I am cooking the protiens. My son especially always fills up on protien and then is too full for veggies. Also if I am chopping and he wants to try I always let him have them. Most veggies are just fine raw, so he usually has his dinner portion before we even sit down for dinner! I have found that he prefers raw veggies anyway, so I have started just flashing mine to keep them crunchy or lightly steaming or sauteeing (sp). :)

    • Anonymous

      We do that too. :-) Thanks for sharing the idea. My mom always made mushy veggies; I agree saute!

      I was a guest at a house the other month where the parent yelled at the child to stop eating apples because they were going to fill up before dinner (which was fried chicken & french fries). This just made me laugh on the inside how backwards we sometimes have it!

  • Tina

    My kids hate cooked veggies but love them fresh as well. We like to pick our own veggies and fruits when in season and that really gets them excited. Last year we had to seperate our lot at the pea/bean farm because we were all fighting over them. We had labled bags of snow peas and such in the fridge with our names on them. It was great to hear the kids say “I’ll trade you 10 dragon beans for 10 snow peas!” Also, we joined a CSA program, it’s a great way to get to try new produce. We even had veggies that I’ve never tried so it was a growing/learning process for all of us. And we ate a ton more produce than ever. Another hint that worked for me: brussel sprouts on the stalk! My boys found this facinating at the farmers market this year. I think they just thought it looked cool. They would beg me to buy them! (side note: Lola’s cheeks in the first video melted my heart)

    • Anonymous

      Our neighbor grew brussel sprouts and they looked awesome! We tried a CSA when we first moved to the area, but even a half share was too many greens for us. Still, we love our farmer’s market. It is HUGE up here.

  • Alana of HOME: MADE

    This is so cute! Awesome idea! ;)