5 Tips to Get Your Kids to Eat Vegetables

VEGETABLES are some kids' worst nightmare. They squirm at the mention of it and refuse to even look at them…especially when it's on their plate. And even if you were to hide grated or thinly sliced vegetables in their food, the hidden vegetables will still find their way out of their mouth, somehow. But parents don't give up on them yet. Let's be patience and take small steps by following these tips.

1) Good Example - Make sure your child sees you and others in the family eating the same vegetables. Smile and share the enjoyment of eating the vegetables with the rest. Children need to see the same expression of enjoyment when you are eating vegetables. Offer them a piece. If your child refuses, try a different one. Praise them for willing to try as it will motivate them.

2) Shopping Time!! It's Fun time with Mommy at the supermarket. Get your kids to help you choose vegetables from the fresh produce section. This way they will not only learnt the names of different vegetables but also how to best select them and empower them to make their own food choices when it comes to fresh foods.

3) Be a chef for the day! Make it even more fun by putting on an apron for them. Make them feel good about themselves. Let them watch you prepare the foods and assist you with the easier tasks eg. washing vegetables, plucking bean sprouts etc. Kids are more likely to eat the food they helped to make.

4) Dipping Sauces - Prepare some dipping sauces to go with the vegetables and/or fruits e.g. MAGGI HCS Tomato Ketchup, salad dressings, cream cheese, peanut butter, low fat yogurt or melted cooking chocolate (dark chocolate). Serve dips with thinly sliced apples, pears or celery, cut banana, watermelon balls etc.

5) Drink it Healthy! Make a smoothie. Experiment with food they like eg. Soya milk with apple or yogurt with mango. Simply delicious.

Most importantly, relax. Your children will eventually develop a greater palate, explore and eat more variety of foods as they grow older.