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DO
your picky eaters turn up their
noses at everything from A (apricots) to
Z (zucchini)? If so, here are some home-
spun strategies for transforming young
fruit and veggie haters into more adven-
turous (and healthier) food lovers.
1
Plant seeds for change.
Picky eaters
may be more enthusiastic about food
they’ve grown themselves. Start them off
with tomatoes or green peppers in pots.
Clipping herbs from their own window
garden might help change your yuck
brigade into garnishing gourmets.
2
Organize a field trip.
Visit a farmers
market, where the farmers themselves
can help kids choose the best cantaloupe
or the tenderest butter lettuce.
Next stop: an ethnic grocery store.
Savor the aromas, and have kids name the
shapes and colors of the exotic fruits and
veggies.
3
Raise the bar.
Kids are more apt to
eat something they’ve created them-
selves. So set up a family
meal bar—a countertop
buffet with bowls of sau-
téed or fresh veggies and
all the other fixings for
nutritious, build-your-
own burritos, stuffed potatoes, salads
or sandwiches.
4
Hide in plain view.
Slip kale
into smoothies, puree peaches to make
a sauce for baked chicken or layer
spinach into lasagna.
5
Name that food.
Try boosting menu
appeal through rebranding. Anyone up
for snowballs (cauliflower), giant raisins
(prunes) or spare spears (asparagus)?
Whip up a new veggie dish with
your child’s help, and name it after your
young chef. The next thing you know,
you may get regular requests for Josh’s
Posh Squash, Avery’s Savory Yams or
Eileen’s Silly Beans.
In the end, the more
involved kids are—
choosing recipes, shop-
ping, peeling vegetables,
stirring pots—the more
likely they are to try new
foods. And cooking together might help
create habits for a lifetime of healthy
eating.
Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; American Academy of Pediatrics;
U.S. Department of Agriculture
These tips can help
make your household
healthier—one small, fun
step at a time.
A LEGACY OF GOOD HEALTH is published as a community
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PLAN, 1115TruxtunAvenue, First Floor, Bakersfield, CA 93301,
telephone 661-868-3280 or 855-308-5547.
Information in A LEGACY OF GOOD HEALTH comes from a
wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or
questions about specific content that may affect your health,
please contact your health care provider.
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2015 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
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No, I won’t eat it!
5 ways to make fruits and veggies more appealing to kids
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