Vegetable-hating children

[Jourdain11]

My three kids, who used to eat a fairly balanced and healthy diet, have all turned into vegetable haters!

DD1 has now decided that she only likes "white" food. DD2 and DS seem to have collectively gone on vegetable strike (although this may be partly because their dad is cooking most of the meals and his idea of adding vegetables to a meal is boiling them separately and plonking them on the plate, where they can be ignored quite easily).

They're happy to gorge on fruit (although "white fruit only" in the case of DD1) but vegetables have randomly become a total no-go. Would I be unreasonable to insist that they're eating at least a few things containing vegetables each day? I don't want to be an evil, healthy-diet obsessed mother. But at the same time, concerned that now comma more than ever it would be a good idea for them to be getting plenty of vitamins and nutrients to boost the immune system etc.

Aware that this is a very minor problem in the scheme of everything that's going on presently!

How old are they?
I have no joy at all with “new” veg but my kids (9&6) will eat the standard carrots, broccoli, green beans etc that they have always eaten.

I had 2/3 like this. They ate many more vegetables than they realised as I would sneak them in!

I'd boil up a selection of onion, courgette, cauliflower, mushrooms, carrots, baby corn, etc. and then pureé it. I would then add it to bolognese, stews, pasta sauces, etc.
On their plates I'd give them whatever vegetables they were willing to eat
in the 'normal' form.

They're now older teens/young adults and still have their preferences but will eat most and try all.

I wouldn't get too stressed about it if their overall diet is healthy. Their tastes will likely change.

How old are they? My children became more adventurous with food in general (inc being less fussy with vegetables) as teenagers. This then had a knock-on effect on my younger children in a 'lead by example' way. With two adults and two teens sitting at the table with them eating healthy, balanced meals - then while my 6yo and 11yo are still hard work with their vegetables, that are improving their palate all the time.

A very familiar problem. A nutritionist once told me that kids get most of their nutrients from fruit and veg is secondary so you are more than half way there. It's probably infectious with three. We insist on one veg item with tea which is not winning any parenting awards but it's a non negotiable standard.

Would they eat?

Stir fried veg mixed with noodles
Coleslaw
Vegetables in a pasta bake

I hide veg in sauces, otherwise it’s on their plates. I put it on but don’t make a big fuss as I hope that one day they might go back to trying it.

Can you do something with the veg. Make them nice, soup, stir fry, roast in a sauce. The way you describe it (boiled and on the side of the plate) sounds unpleasant and I'm with your kids on that. Make the veggies taste nice and look and smell appetizing and see if that helps things. Veggies should be nice and not a chore.

They are 8, 7 and 5. I'm quite good at sneaking veg into food, and I usually cooked their evening meal. But lately DH is doing it and he's not amazing at cooking... They won't go for veg sticks as snacks or anything like that, which I do kind of get (I'm not mad keen on carrot and celery sticks myself...).

Youngest DD (6) has been a nightmare for veg her whole life. For the first 4 years of her life the only veg she would eat were the little jars of various puree'd veg which we started her on when she started solids! I let her randomly eat a warmed jar with a teaspoon or mix it in with pasta. Even now she'll ask for a jar before swimming or ballet ect as a snack ...

She will nowadays eat broc and/cauli florettes if it's part of a roast dinner and will eat a few peas (with a face like thunder). I'm working on carrot ...

She's fine with any fruit. Keep on as you are OP - push gently and they will get there.

Will they eat a fruit smoothie with a bit of veg chucked in?

At that age I don’t see anything wrong with putting a very small amount of disliked veg on to the plate (1 forkful) and insisting it’s eaten. It won’t kill them and if you’re very firm on no theatrics eventually they do realise they can at least choke stuff down and even like it, especially if they ate it before. I allow my DC some things they don’t have to have but most things they have to try.

It's true about the insisting leading to liking. It's how DD eventually started happily eating broccolli. That and the fact that the whole family would cheer if she ate a 'tree'

Before 5 ish though she would gag violently if she was pushed to try something she knew she didn't like. So we had to bide our time - but she's getting there now and the insisting and cheering is working! There's no more gagging these days so i can push a bit.

This may be controversial, but I firmly believe that my two nieces love vegetables just because my DSis really doesn't...

I still have to do the sneaking in thing for Ds (17)! He will voluntarily only eat carrots, peas and green beans, plus apples/pineapple. I should have probably insisted on more veg, but I picked my battles, so he knows that that is a minimum. Whatever he has, it always has carrots n peas, or carrots n beans with it. Pizza tonight? Have a bowl of carrots n peas with it! Pasta? Guess what it comes with?! And he has to have an apple before any other biscuit or snack, so has 2 or so a day.

He's still alive. And v. healthy. And one day will get a girlfriend who likes veg . . . I hope. It's how I learned to be much more ambitious in my eating.

I’d say if it’s veg they’ve reliably eaten until recently push to keep it in. Maybe but a few veg they used to eat on offer and insist they have a portion of one of them or a little of each to make up a portion. I think if there is a choice it gives them a feeling of control.

So DH needs to figure out how to increase their veg intake? I suggest

• Mini side salad of cherry tomatoes and Iceberg lettuce
• cauliflower and brocolli cheese
• Houmous and bread sticks
• cheesy tomato Red lentil bake (call it dragon pie or something)
• corn on the cob
• tomato soup

Camouflage is the answer.

Spag bol ; usual recipe plus a tin of tomatoes, large grated onion and garlic, and several grated carrots . Grated veg invisible after cooking.
Chile con carne; as above (plus beans of course)
"Red soup"; a can of tomatoes, lots of red peppers, carrots, onion, lentils. Cook then blend.

         As for the white diet  that little wannabe fad try-on  would meet  a firm flat absolute NO in this house.

Don't stress about it, my DS would only eat Broccoli and no fruit. Grown into a 28yr old 6ft 3in man who 2 years ago decided to be vegan so now eats all veg, still a bit dodgy on the fruit front tho'.

Thanks for all the suggestions, really helpful

They've all just got picky! And it's partly that DH's interpretation of "cooking" is to take stuff out of packets. But then, for example, DD1 will eat coleslaw but the other two won't. DS will eat peas and carrots, but DD2 will only eat the peas and DD1 won't eat either. I'm partly annoyed by DH's lack of culinary effort because, for example, they all used to eat pasta with sweetcorn, cheese and baby spinach mixed in, and some salady stuff on the side. But he "can't cook". Honestly, I don't know how much more simple the "cooking" could actually be, as regards that particular meal.

Argh I have the same issue so sympathise and have no advice as I haven't cracked it! My eldest (6) is ok- eats tons of fruit and will eat brocolli,beans and runner beans cooked but everything else needs to be raw if he's going to eat it. He won't eat peas or sweetcorn which annoys me as they are classic kids veg!

My youngest (3) on the other hand will eat Broccoli and the occasional bit of raw carrot but absolutely nothing else in terms of veg. She won't eat sauces either so I can't hide anything. Fruit wise she won't snack on fruit like my eldest does, will occasionally eat peaches or pineapples from a can and the odd Strawberry/raspberry or apple but not consistently. She no way gets her 5 a day. Annoyingly she apparently eats fairly well at nursery so I'm hoping it's just a phase...

What about raw veg? This tends to be my best bet with veg hating Ds - cut up raw carrots usually so we tend to have them alongside everything. Luckily I love raw carrots anyway!

Hummus and breadsticks a favourite with him too

Also cut up oranges

They're averse to raw veg, but tbf I think this is due to me trying celery. Which is enough to put anyone off.

Really tempted to just order a load of random veg, and barely anything else, on our online shop and DH will be forced to do something with it 😂

Your DH’s ‘cooking’ sounds extremely unappetising OP, sorry! I would refuse to eat it and I enjoy most vegetables. He needs to get creative.

It’s like my parents who think I’m a ‘fussy eater’ for liking my broccoli bright green.

Oh, don't be sorry! I completely agree. He needs re-education but he's not really psychologically ready for it at the present time 😂

I think it’s fairly normal for kids to be fussy about veg...doesn’t it taste more bitter for young tastebuds? DD would try every type of vegetable till she was about two. Aged 4 she now eats a grand total of cucumber, carrot, tomato and occasionally sweetcorn. Liked broccoli until she announced she no longer likes it a month or so ago. That said, as a child I was similar and only liked raw vegetables. DH only ate carrots and hated the ‘hidden’ veg his mum blended into everything As adults we now eat mainly vegetarian food and absolutely love our veggies, tastebuds change!