Getting fussy toddler to eat vegetables

[Jayneisapain]

She is going through a phase where she picks veg out of everything. If she could, she would live on eggs, sausages, pasta and cheese.

I've offered her veg alongside meals but it just gets left. I can get some into her by grating into spag bol, blending up into a pasta sauce etc.

What tricks do you use? Any tips on sneaking veg into food, or even better persuading her to eat it on it's own?

i could never get my oldest dc to eat veg on its own (and still can't with my youngest) until they were around 7/8. I used to make veggie meatballs and serve with pasta or rice, and tomato sauce, hidden veggie mac and cheese, hidden veg pasta sauce etc. basically hiding veggies wherever i could. use veggie sausages instead of meat ones (homemade with actual veggies as opposed to quorn), veggie burgers etc

oh, and you can make hidden veggie ketchup link if they like the taste of that

Oh thank you! Love the idea of the veg meatballs- if they taste cheesy enough she might just eat them!

Use exciting names for foods e.g. we call chicken in sauce 'sticky chicken' or soup 'surprise soup' or green beans 'squeaky beans' (can you hear them?) and ham up the name ... Playing with food doesn't have to be a bad thing. We used to pretend we're dinosaurs eating trees when we eat broccoli – adds a bit of fun to the meal! Or try arranging vegetables into silly faces, writing your child’s name in blueberries or peas, making sculptures out of salad, filling an ice-cream cone with chopped fruit, or making a vegetable kebab.
We've explained about vitamins and minerals and how they help your body grow and stay healthy. My DD will now eat mushrooms because she is desperate to be a big girl. And DS will flex his muscles when he's eaten a lot of veg!
Offer condiments. Sometimes, all my DC needed to eat a certain food was a little bit of dressing or for example, sweet potatoes with some ketchup. Don’t limit the use of condiments; eventually, they might opt for the items without them.
Try to eat all meals together. Your DD is more likely to copy good eating habits from other family members.
If you know another child who’s an adventurous eater, invite them round for tea – watching them eat different food might just encourage your Dd to join in. If not, get teddy to join in – one for teddy – one for you.

I used ketchup as a bribe to start them trying it, and then gradually withdraw the ketchup.

Works with DS2 but DS1 is a hell no. Still, I keep trying!

I grated veg like carrots and courgettes and mushrooms sauces and the then puréed for example pasta sauce
We often have wraps with raw veg that they add into their wrap.

I used to do hidden veggie pasta sauce - I’d blend a plethora of cooked veg into a tomato sauce and my DCs were none the wiser!

I served everything with dips for one of mine. The dips ranged from ketchup through avocado, mushy peas, hidden veg pasta sauce. All sorts. They would eat bland foods but with any dip and ended up liking a broad range of flavours.
They're each different. Try all the ideas and hopefully one will click for you. Good luck!

Hide courgette in this recipe for Mac and cheese www.myfussyeater.com/one-pot-mac-cheese-with-hidden-veg/
Or hide cauliflower with this version www.bbc.com/food/recipes/macaroni_cauliflower_53315 Cauliflower is good for hiding in mash, as are parsnips.
Chickpea meatballs www.myfussyeater.com/veggie-chickpea-meatballs-for-kids/
Sweetcorn pancakes www.waitrose.com/home/recipes/recipe_directory/s/sweetcorn-pancakes.html
Add puréed sweetcorn to scrambled egg.
Cauliflower cakes www.healthylittlefoodies.com/cauliflower-tots/
Pasta bake www.ocado.com/webshop/recipe/secret-veggie-pasta-bake/23305
Burgers www.hungryhealthyhappy.com/hidden-vegetable-beef-burgers/
Shepherds pie www.bbc.com/food/recipes/hidden_vegetables_05418
Meatballs realfood.tesco.com/recipes/sunitas-secret-veg-meatballs.html
Courgette muffins realfood.tesco.com/recipes/cheesy-courgette-muffins.html
Sweetcorn fritters www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/sweetcorn-fritters/
Stir puréed roasted red peppers into tomato sauce and use it in enchiladas and as pizza sauce.
Chicken nuggets kidgredients.com.au/the-tastiest-hidden-veggie-panko-coated-chicken-nuggets-ever/
Cheesy cauliflower garlic bread www.slimmingeats.com/blog/syn-free-cheesy-cauliflower-garlic-bread
Butternut risotto www.lifeasastrawberry.com/butternut-squash-risotto/

Soup! Or try raw veggies - my sister thought she didn’t really like vegetables but discovered raw carrots and steamed veg.

Veg muffins with eggs butter flour and a strong cheese. I vary the veg. Tonight I’ve batched cooked courgette, Carrot, sweetcorn, peas, pumpkin seeds and vintage cheddar muffins. Take out peas and sweet corn if she picks out veg otherwise add anything just grate it in.

Some brilliant ideas. Thanks.

Also have a veg-avoiding toddler who leaves bits on the plate. I find my DS is more persuasive at dinner time and wolfs down whatever is in front of him so I try to sneak in as much fruit and veg as possible chopped up in different shapes. Smaller bits with melted cheese work best for us as DS can’t pick off the veg as easy as it’s stuck to the cheese. If he sees daddy eating veg then he gives it a try. I just keep offering the veg and he’ll either eat it or leave it. He’s been on and off satsumas for the last few weeks. I’ve been offering them every day for the last couple of weeks and he’s finally eating them again.