Ways to Make Your Child Eat Vegetables, role of veggies in Child’s growth

Children are not inclined towards eating vegetables these days. If you are thinking that you are the only one of this planet, struggling everyday over vegetables, then you are wrong. Every parent is victim of the same situation. Most importantly, children don’t understand they their health is suffering in the absence of vegetables. Kids and vegetables is a tricky combination. We, as a parent think that our child’s health will be better if they eat vegetables every day. Keeping in mind, the bothering situation, it is crucial to acquire ways to make your child eat vegetables. However, before that let’s start with some facts.

Why Children feel difficult to eat vegetables?

It is helpful to know that we are born with the sweeter tastes. As soon as the baby born, the first food is breast milk, which contains natural sugar and lactose. The nutrients present in the breast milk are beneficial for the growth and development of child. Children are not accustomed to vegetables and if they eat, a parent has to take the child to the park, or they eat while taking a bike ride. The entire process of making your child eat vegetable needs a lot of patience and low-pressure environment.

Do Vegetables Play A Major Role In Making Child Healthy?

Why we overemphasize on getting our child eat vegetables? The answer to this, vegetables provide important nutrients. They are vital to the growth and development of child. If this is so, then what are the ways to make your child eat vegetables?

• Make Vegetables Taste Delicious: If your child is reluctant to eat veggies then make sure that vegetables should not be boring and flavorless in taste. Use the different approach while serving and preparing them. Add some herbs, spices, seasonings. You can sautee the veggies with butter. Make a fruit salad and serve it along the food. Your child will start developing the taste for vegetables. You can serve the vegetables with poori or paratha etc.
• Pair vegetable with similar foods: Serve the vegetable with the food that your child is comfortable to eat will make your child eat and trying vegetables. For example, if your child enjoys eating potato, try adding a small amount of spinach leaves in it or if eating cheese is not an issue with your child then add peas in it. This way, your child will understand the taste. To enhance the taste in these vegetables, try adding fresh cream, which will further taste delicious and your child gets inclined to it.
• Dough mixed up with Veggies: This is also a good way to make your child eat vegetables. You can rinse, peel and chop the vegetables, boil them in the pressure cooker and add them in the wheat flour. Prepare dough and make parathas out of them. You can serve these healthy parathas with curd, butter, or even with pickle. The nutrients of the veggies will go in your child and
• Reward your Child: You may reward your child once they finish the food served on the dining table. It is important to note that reward should also be health- friendly like you can give a promise for a nature walk or preparation of a snack on weekend. You can prepare a healthy fruit parfait with your child on weekend. This will boost up the confidence of your child on one hand and on another hand; he/she is inclining towards healthy eating habits.
• Keep Trying: Try and keep trying, if at first you don’t succeed, look for other alternatives or ways to make your child eat vegetables. As a parent, do not give up. May be that your child rejects the food again and again. However, the child’s repeated exposure to a vegetable sometimes lead to food acceptance. A research has shown that a child needs at least 10-15 exposures to the specific food before they accept eating it.

In the Nutshell: Introduce new foods for your child, prepare in a low-pressure environ to increase the food acceptance.