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Family · Tips

Eating More Vegetables When Your Family Is Picky

Less pressure, more practice. Simple ways to help picky eaters make friends with vegetables.

HealthStylz Editors
· 3 min read

Photo: cottonbro studio

The short version

  • Keep offering veggies without pressure or bribes.
  • Touching and smelling count as practice.
  • Aim to fill half the plate with produce.

Nutrition facts

Vegetables worth a second try. One normal serving of each.

Fiber per serving

  1. Broccoli1 cup chopped (91 g)2.4 g
  2. Carrots1 cup chopped (128 g)3.6 g
  3. Sweet potato1 medium, raw weight (130 g)3.9 g
  4. Spinach1 cup raw (30 g)0.7 g
  5. Cauliflower1 cup chopped (107 g)2.1 g

Protein per serving

  1. Broccoli1 cup chopped (91 g)2.6 g
  2. Carrots1 cup chopped (128 g)1.2 g
  3. Sweet potato1 medium, raw weight (130 g)2 g
  4. Spinach1 cup raw (30 g)0.9 g
  5. Cauliflower1 cup chopped (107 g)2.1 g

Calories per serving

  1. Broccoli1 cup chopped (91 g)30.9 cal
  2. Carrots1 cup chopped (128 g)52.5 cal
  3. Sweet potato1 medium, raw weight (130 g)111.8 cal
  4. Spinach1 cup raw (30 g)6.9 cal
  5. Cauliflower1 cup chopped (107 g)26.8 cal

Source: USDA FoodData Central.

If your child pushes the broccoli away, you are not alone. The good news is that most picky eaters can learn to like more foods. The best tools are patience and low pressure. Here is advice from Cleveland Clinic's dietitians.

1. Turn down the pressure, but keep offering

Their main advice: "Turn down the pressure, but don't stop offering." Parents decide what, when and where to eat. Kids decide whether they eat. Offering vegetables again and again helps kids get used to them. Do not insist, bribe or punish.

2. Let kids touch, smell and talk about food

A child does not have to eat a food to make progress. Touching it, smelling it or describing its color and texture are all good steps, even if it never reaches the mouth.

3. Pick soft, cooked veggies for little ones

For younger kids, soft cooked vegetables are often the best choice. Good ones are cooked carrots, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, sweet potatoes and cucumbers.

4. Add a dip or a seasoning

Try peanut butter on celery, hummus with carrots, or a little ranch seasoning. A dip can make a plain vegetable feel more fun.

5. Get kids in the kitchen

Kids who help shop and cook get to know foods. Let them wash the lettuce, pick a new vegetable at the store or stir the pot. Fun tools like cookie cutters can help too.

6. Do not sneak it in

It is tempting to hide vegetables in favorite foods. The Cleveland Clinic advises against it. Kids notice when a food they love changes, and that can hurt trust. Serve vegetables in plain sight instead.

7. Skip the labels

Try not to say "Junior doesn't eat asparagus." Labels can limit how often a child sees a food. Say "You are still learning to like asparagus" instead.

8. Explain it in simple words

Connect foods to how they help the body, in words your child knows. Keep it short and kind.

A simple plan for week one

  1. Pick one vegetable your child sees often and does not hate.
  2. Serve a small bite of it at dinner, with a dip, for five nights. Say nothing if it is not eaten.
  3. Eat it yourself. Kids watch what parents do.
  4. On the weekend, let your child pick a new vegetable at the store.

Keep it small and calm. A few quiet wins matter more than one big fight.

How many vegetables do kids need?

The USDA daily amounts, as listed by Cleveland Clinic:

  • Ages 2 to 4: 1 to 2 cups
  • Ages 5 to 8: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups
  • Girls 9 to 13: 1 1/2 to 3 cups
  • Boys 9 to 13: 2 to 3 1/2 cups

One cup is about two medium carrots, one large sweet potato or two stalks of celery. A good rule is to let produce take up half the plate.

A quick note

If your child is losing weight, not growing well or eats a very small range of foods, talk with your child's doctor. Check with a doctor or dietitian before giving a vitamin or supplement. Look for products labeled "NSF certified."

Where this comes from