To make my five year old eat his vegetables with his birthday tea?

[Pregnantabroad]

He's having macaroni cheese and chocolate cake (his request). Veg is always a bit of a battle and I'm going to do peas tonight. Do I let him off or not?

I think I'd either leave the peas out for everyone, or put a platter in the middle of the table with raw veg/salad on; I do this and it works for some bizarre reason. Kids munch loads of carrots, cucumber, etc. One loves lettuce and peppers (the others don't but hey, one out of three is better than none!)

Instasista are you thinking of juicing? Pureeing doesn't remove any fiber

No thinking of pureeing

Any links for that? Because a quick google says the opposite

All these people who say don't force, just give them what they like obviously don't have a child who refuses to eat all veg, all fruit, and lots of other food.

They would eat no fruit or veg otherwise.

Nothing improves mealtimes like being forced to choke down something you hate

Eating veg is a part of daily routine for health, like brushing your teeth. Would you let your child skip brushing their teeth because it's their birthday?

DD gets the same veggies on her plate as DH and I and either she eats them or she doesn't. We never pester her to eat them or make it an issue, it's just part of her dinner. She usually eats them.
It's a shame to see kids going nuts because they have a vegetable on their plate.

Can you mix the peas into the macaroni? Not specifically for his birthday tonight, but just generally if he won't eat them separately?

And this is why, to this day, I don't eat vegetables. At all.

Sorry just saw this-

www.nhs.uk/livewell/5aday/documents/downloads/5aday_portion_guide.pdf

Second page purred fruit or veg counts as one a day no matter how much you eat same as juice / smoothie- I presume this is for the same reason smoothie/ juiced veg is only one a day

mobile.nytimes.com/2002/04/23/science/q-a-finer-fiber.html

Pureeing food does not reduce the fiber or nutrition content of food. Nothing is being removed so how could it? Cooking yes. Heating yes. Juicing yes. Blending no.

Serve the peas as a starter on their own.

Don't leave them out as that sends a message saying veg is a punishment. Don't make him eat them either, just put hem on the plate and say nothing. If he so much as touches them praise him. Lick them, balance on his nose etc. Just make them non threatening.