Being a toddler mom of two is…well, interesting. Tons of fun (toooons), but also one of the most rigorous experiences. Seriously. I think I get a workout just from following around behind them and picking-up the path of destruction that lays in their wake. And getting them to do “good” things like going to bed on time or learning to potty train? Not easy. So. Not. Easy. Friends, I have to go to some pretty strange lengths to get things done that need doing. And this is How I Trick My Toddlers Into Eating Vegetables, which is one of those things that just needs doing. Heh.
How I Trick My Toddlers Into Eating Vegetables
- Serve Veggies First. I don’t put fruit on their plate, then expect them to dig into green beans. Nope. First the veggies. Then, after they’ve eaten several bites and I feel like they’ve had enough, I go ahead and put other stuff on the table. That way they think there’s only veggies for lunch or dinner and don’t ignore the good stuff for the junk. LOL!
- Disguise and Hide Veggies. I make spaghetti with hidden cauliflower sauce. Or do fried rice with carrots and broccoli. They never know the difference. It’s kind of funny, too. I even found these awesome Gerber Lil’ Beanies at Walmart. They’re like chips, but made from beans, which totally counts as a veggie in my book. And they have 2 grams of protein per serving, which is AWESOME that my kids think they’re getting chips, but I know they’re getting something more substantial.
- Eat Veggies. Yeah, this is kind of a thing. If you eat the veggies–they’ll eat the veggies. Pretty simple. I munch on tomatoes–they munch on tomatoes. I have a Lil’ Beanie when I put it on their plate–they’ll have a few. I don’t make a fake “Mmmmmm!” drama, I just eat it, smile and go on. They are totally interested EVERY TIME. LOL!
- Use Veggies. As treats. Not sure how much baser of a “trick” I can get there. But seriously, I tell my girls that “if you behave, we’ll have a Lil’ Beanie!” or “if you play nice, we’ll munch on a cucumber together!” Yeah. It’s all in the delivery. Heh. Just happy, excited, fun, and most of the time it works.
- Last Resort: Negotiate. My mom hates this one, believes I should NEVER negotiate with the kiddos (but she did it with me–where else would I have learned it?!). But, sometimes, it has to be done. I offer a sweet option (like a piece of fruit) if they’ll eat 5 more bites of veggies. I stick with my guns, too, and don’t give them the sweet until those 5 bites are gone. Not 4. Not 3. 5. Heh.
My oldest (who’s 14 now) finally caught-on with how I trick my toddlers into eating vegetables and he TOTALLY thinks it’s awesome. And continues to eat the veggies–even though he knows they’re there. Which is really cool that I know these tricks work. Because I’ve been doing them all along with him, too. And now he has good veggie-eating habits I wouldn’t change for the world.
And, don’t forget to hit-up WalMart for your Gerber Lil’ Beanies. It’s totally a #GerberWinWin that you can get a little veggie in your “chips” for your toddlers. LOL!
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