Vegetables child refusal

[Rizzoli123]

My oldest son is 6. Everytime I put vegetables on a plate he sees them, has a tantrum and refuses to eat them. If he comes to eat the dinner eats every thing but them. Have tried treats and rewards. Says they taste yucky. Me and daddy say you have to try them. The school teacher said he is one of the better eaters in class but for some reason be won't eat them at home.

ANY tips to get him to at least try them!

Just keep going. Keep giving them to him, tantrum or not. And obviously eat vegetables yourself. Don't treat them differently from other foods so don't say you have to eat them to get something else.

Don't have sweets or puddings as 'treats' they are just food too.

@MrsEko

Just keep going. Keep giving them to him, tantrum or not. And obviously eat vegetables yourself. Don't treat them differently from other foods so don't say you have to eat them to get something else.

Don't have sweets or puddings as 'treats' they are just food too.

I love vegetables as does his brother. I just can't get him to touch them. If we have meat mash and peas. He will eat the mash and meat and then leave the peas. I worry to as younger son (4) will copy his behaviour

I wouldn't worry too much. Does he eat fruit? Can you get hidden veg into him? I used to make a huge pot of pasta sauce with loads of veg in and blend it, then freeze it for using with pasta or on pizza. I've also mashed cauliflower into potato...or make it look funny - one of the kids favourite meals was an omelette with broccoli hair and peas for the facial features and ketchup lips 😬

Have you tried offering raw veg for a snack (eg carrot sticks with a dip)? I hated cooked veg as a child but would happily eat raw carrots & turnips & salad. It may be a texture issue.

Or alternatively try roasting them?

I would not make a big deal out of it or force the issue. Just keep offering different things. It may be years before he changes his taste. My boys became a lot less fussy in late teens (as did I). All perfectly healthy.

Peas are gross tbh. How about sweet roasted pepper or sweet potato? Roasted broccoli goes really sweet and nutty.

Stop making it into a thing. Put some veg on his plate and don’t mention it. If he doesn’t eat it, he doesn’t eat it. The more you make a fuss the less he’s going to eat them. Meanwhile make food you can hide veg in like spag bol etc.

What about just one pea. Just on the plate. Don't make him eat it. One piece of carrot.

It's so small it's not worth making a fuss over. Once he's not making a fuss, he might start eating them.

Plus we always served up at the table, so they could chose how much they wanted. Lots of different veg refusals over the years. They always had to have a bit on their plate. We did make them eat it, but only a shred. Then most of the time, always with no warning they'd just help themselves to a huge portion and wolf it down.

@FayeFayeFayeFayeFaye

Stop making it into a thing. Put some veg on his plate and don’t mention it. If he doesn’t eat it, he doesn’t eat it. The more you make a fuss the less he’s going to eat them. Meanwhile make food you can hide veg in like spag bol etc.

This. Offer it, make no fuss over it being eaten or not. No treats or bribes. Don't make a pudding or treat dependant on eating the veg. If he's eating ok at school I wouldn't worry too much.

I was also going to suggest you try them raw (if you haven’t already). My dd doesn’t eat cooked veg, but will happily munch raw carrot, sugar snap peas, pepper, cucumber etc. I just slice some up and put in plate in middle of the table (perhaps that approach would also take the pressure off, can just ask him to try one or two pieces to work out what he likes).

Is there any veg that he does like?

What about sauces? I make a pasta sauce with tinned tomatoes that also has onion, carrot, celery, pepper, courgette, aubergine etc. in it. Chopped really small or even pureed.

Or pizza. Gets loads of veg on that. Or quiche. Or caramelised onion tart.

My kid won't eat any veg apart from sweetcorn if it's plonked on his plate. He eats loads of veg without realising because it's in sauces and stuff.

Also remember baked beans count as veg. Winner.

Great suggestions above.
Also agree with the helping yourself part, having them in a bowl on the table, asking him to serve the veg, having pride in having a job to do etc. Getting to offer to everyone. My nearly four year old loves offering to serve stuff with some tongs!
Sweet potato cut into wedges or chips, along with normal potatoes?
Roasted veg with halloumi?

I didn't like vegetables as a kid

Have you tried making them more sweet? We roast them with a little honey until they are very soft. And I always overcook vegetables (regardless of way of cooking), there are no "al dente" ones in here, it makes them more bitter

Kids eat in colour on Instagram is a nutritionist and she had a post this week where if they don’t eat veg what fruit to eat what vitamins/minerals instead of veg. Not solving the problem but may be helpful whilst you are trying to solve it

Don't make it a thing. It doesn't work.

• Are there any vegetables he likes? If yes then just give those.
• Hidden veggies are another way to go. e.g. grated carrot
• Does he eat fruit?
• I also give a multi vitamin each day.

My eldest (12) has a very limited vegetable pallet. He will eat mashed potato, carrot in certain meals, peas and beans. That is it. But he eats fruit and takes a mutli vitamin.

My youngest (8) has never copied him and lists her 3 favourite foods as broccoli, brussel sprouts and mangetout

Don't make a big deal out of it. If he wants to eat them he will and if he doesn't he won't. Absolutely do not have puddings as treats for eating all food on the plate. Be mindful of how food is treated in the house, you absolutely do not want to give your child a complex around food.

If getting veggies into him is important to you couldn’t you mash them in with mash etc? I agree maybe making them a bit sweeter, honey carrots etc

My SS won’t eat vegetables unless they are basically mush 😂 like way over cooked carrots 😂 how are you cooking them OP?

@hellcatspangle

I wouldn't worry too much. Does he eat fruit? Can you get hidden veg into him? I used to make a huge pot of pasta sauce with loads of veg in and blend it, then freeze it for using with pasta or on pizza. I've also mashed cauliflower into potato...or make it look funny - one of the kids favourite meals was an omelette with broccoli hair and peas for the facial features and ketchup lips 😬

No he notices them and picks them out. I haven't tried blitzing so that's next on my list.

@Decorhate

Have you tried offering raw veg for a snack (eg carrot sticks with a dip)? I hated cooked veg as a child but would happily eat raw carrots & turnips & salad. It may be a texture issue.

Or alternatively try roasting them?

I would not make a big deal out of it or force the issue. Just keep offering different things. It may be years before he changes his taste. My boys became a lot less fussy in late teens (as did I). All perfectly healthy.

Have tried carrot sticks at the side of the plate, cucumber he just leaves them

@HangingOver

Peas are gross tbh. How about sweet roasted pepper or sweet potato? Roasted broccoli goes really sweet and nutty.

Tried them and he again leaves them

@InconvenientPeg

What about just one pea. Just on the plate. Don't make him eat it. One piece of carrot.

It's so small it's not worth making a fuss over. Once he's not making a fuss, he might start eating them.

Plus we always served up at the table, so they could chose how much they wanted. Lots of different veg refusals over the years. They always had to have a bit on their plate. We did make them eat it, but only a shred. Then most of the time, always with no warning they'd just help themselves to a huge portion and wolf it down.

Have tried that. We have said have one pea that's all just one Carrott and he won't eat them has a tantrum.

I'd just keep popping them on the plate, get as much blended into sauces etc as you can, but try not to worry- it runs the risk of becoming a 'thing' otherwise. Veg isn't the be all and end all in regards to a balanced diet, perhaps consider a multivit if concerned?

@AtleastitsnotMonday

Is there any veg that he does like?

He tells us he likes broccoli but we put it on his plate and he leaves it

When DS was small (now 20 and loves veg), he was very picky. I heard a brilliant dietitian on the radio suggest the following:

1. Put a bowl out on the table with lots of different coloured veg and ask children to help themselves. Make comments like' you've had something green, what about something red and yellow etc. etc. I was sceptical but it worked really, really well; and 2) say something like' you really like football. To be great at football, it's good to have some X y z. Not sure whether this works as DS had no interest in sport

Have tried that. We have said have one pea that's all just one Carrott and he won't eat them has a tantrum.

Put them in a separate dish. DS won't tolerate veg on his plate (ASD related food issues) so I put it in a separate little bowl beside his plate, he doesn't have to eat it, its just there in case he does want it but isn't 'spoiling' the rest of his food.