#HeTriedIt: My Kid Refused To Eat Veggies. Here’s How I Broke That Habit

This post is sponsored by KRAFT and SheKnows Media

I swear to you, my son is the world’s pickiest eater. Up until a few weeks ago, the only foods he allowed on his menu were cheese, cereal, and chicken. No exaggeration.

And #realtalk? I’ve been going along with it. I remember being force-fed as a child, so I’ve been on #teamlethimeatwhathewants for the last couple of years of his life. Mostly because I didn’t want his time around food and eating to be this stressful experience, but also because I was being a lazy parent. JB is 5 now, so I’m all about choosing my battles. Screaming, crying, and whining is never a good time in my household.

But the reality is that we all need vegetables as a regular part of our diet, especially kids.  Veggies are important for a variety of reasons, such as:

  • Helping to strengthen the immune system
  • Ensuring proper growth and development
  • Maintaining a well-functioning digestive system

In short, I needed to start making some changes to help my son get comfortable eating vegetables. Here’s what’s been working for us

  1. Hiding veggies in his favorite foods

This is an old trick, but it works! The key is to make sure your child cannot detect the texture of a vegetable in his meal. I learned this lesson a few weeks ago when I tried to add blended kale to my son’s chocolate milk (#Dontjudgeme).   Thankfully I’ve since discovered KRAFT Mac and Cheese w/ Cauliflowerhow-to-Get-kids to-eat-vegetables3

This stuff has the same KRAFT Mac & Cheese flavor we all loved as kids with the added benefit of 1/4 serving of cauliflower in each dish. I promise you, your kid will never know the difference:how-to-Get-kids to-eat-vegetables1

The cauliflower is in the pasta, so as far as your kid is concerned, all he’s eating is cheesy goodness. Even better, there are no artificial flavors, preservatives, or dyes. how-to-Get-kids to-eat-vegetables-picky-eater-toddlers2

And listen, grown folks need their veggies, too! This stuff tastes good, okay?!

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2. Limiting Choices

I’ve started to slowly incorporate smarter choices for my household. Your kid WILL fight this change, but it will make it easier for you to help your child broaden their palate. Kids are creatures of habit, but they are also extremely resilient. Your child will not starve themselves, and will (albeit begrudgingly) try new foods. how-to-Get-kids to-eat-vegetables

3. Making it fun

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Make trying new foods a fun experience for you and your child. I’ve even been taking JB to the grocery store with me, allowing him to choose from a limited selection of new foods to try. This way it’s not being sprung on him unawares, and he feels as though he is actively participating in his food choices.  KRAFT Mac & Cheese Cauliflower is sold in most major grocery stores, but after discovering how much JB liked it, I’ve been ordering it from amazon, HEREir?source=bk&t=l05f2 20&bm id=default&l=ktl&linkId=3e823d95170b11dfe7a442cc83591074& cb=1532634601114. The price is right, and JB feels like a “Big Boy” when I let him click on the “Buy Now” button.

Tell me, what are some things you’re doing or have tried to do to help your kid try new foods? Sound off below!

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10 Comments

    1. and he can now use the bathroom without constipation…LOL! What’s a little lie if the result is one moving his bowels pain-free?

    2. We’ve done smoothies with spinach, I even found green smoothie muffins recipe on Pinterest, cutting foods into various shapes, making pizza myself (it’s like he knows it’s not Pizza Hut or Marco’s), having a small amount of veggies on the divided plate with other foods he usually likes, buying Annie’s Mac and cheese with the shapes. So much, I’m going to get that one from Amazon. Thank for that tip! Some of the others I’ve tried and nothing works except maybe offering 2 things he does like and having him pick one.

  1. Truth? I hide the spinach and carrots in smoothies. See the trick is to put it in a covered lid with a straw so they can’t see the color of the smoothie. Bingo!! I hide the super shredded carrots in Pina colada smoothies. They can’t tell the difference. This Mac and cheese idea? Yes please! much easier than all the hiding and blending.

    1. blended spinach and kale in his pankcake batter this morning..served up green pancakes and he loved it! Hiding vegis in food is GENIUS!!

  2. JB is so cute. I’m actually going to buy this for my boyfriend and I as we are both picky eaters but love mac n cheese! Thanks Lisa!

    1. LOL! let me know how he likes it!

  3. I’m gonna have to try that with my oldest. He loves mac and cheese but won’t touch a vegetable. It’s been a struggle since he was a little over 2. I stopped buying Kraft due to the artificial flavors and colors but I see they’ve made changes (at least they say so). I’ll try this next without letting him see the box and see how it goes lol! Thanks for sharing!

    1. yesss!! Let me know how he likes it. Heck, I like eating it myself!

  4. I peel zucchini, steam it, puree it up and then mix it in with the ricotta cheese for lasagna or stuffed shells. He has no idea it’s in there. I wish I didn’t have to peel it, but it’s too green otherwise. And Barilla makes pasta with veggies too!

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