Indeed, I believe the more you expose your kids to vegetables, the sooner they will try new vegetables, the more vegetables they will eventually come to like, and the more vegetables they will eat over time.
It is this last idea that is most important.
For, to me, it isn't about getting my kids to choke down a bite of broccoli today. It's about getting them to happily eat broccoli when they're away at college. To order a side of szechuan green beans with their take-out when they're older. And to want to have something green at every meal.
How to Put the 50-Exposure Rule into Action
What does this mean on a practical basis?
For starters, don't make such a big deal about whether or not your kids eat vegetables today. Just keep serving them. Prepare them in ways you like, and ways you think your kids might like. But don't pressure your kids to eat them.
Remember, seeing you eat vegetables is important modeling for kids, so make sure you prepare vegetables in ways you like, even if that means frying or cooking with butter or salt.
Secondly, try learning to like new vegetables yourself, using the same methods you try on your kids. If you've never liked broccoli, try pureeing it, serving broccoli with cheese sauce or making broccoli stuffed potatoes.
In the meantime, while your kids are still becoming familiar with vegetables, serve them plenty of fruits. Fruits don't have the same hurdle as vegetables in terms of kids' willingness to eat them, and they provide many of the same nutritional benefits as vegetables.
If your kids don't like munching on apples or oranges, or grapefruits or bananas, try making fruit smoothies. Each of my fruit smoothie recipes offers at least one serving of fruits, and many offer two.
Finally, try these vegetable recipes that are especially designed for picky eaters:
- Broccoli Salad -- This salad has it all: crunch from the broccoli and almonds, sweetness from the raisins, saltiness from the bacon and creaminess from the cheese. It's divine!
- Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes -- Tender cauliflower is mashed with cheesy, creamy potatoes in this comfort-food favorite.
- Green Beans with Browned Butter and Walnuts - A little butter goes a long way with this tasty recipe. If the kids don't like nuts, leave them out.
- Broccoli Cheese Soup -- Creamy, cheesy and delicious, this soup can be made in advance.
- Zucchini Pancakes -- Also called zucchini fritters, this is a simple and tasty way to enjoy zucchini.
For more help, sign up for my Coping with Picky Eaters email class. You'll get tons of strategies, plus dozens of recipes, too!
