How I got my kids to eat vegetables

Hey!

"My kids won't eat vegetables!"

I hear this from parents ALL the time. And honestly? I used to say the same thing.

My youngest would literally pick microscopic pieces of onion out of spaghetti sauce. My oldest lived on chicken nuggets and claimed carrots were "too spicy."

I tried everything:

• Hiding vegetables in smoothies (they figured it out)

• Bribery with dessert (created more food battles)

• The "you can't leave the table" approach (tears for everyone)

• Making separate "kid meals" (exhausting!)

Nothing worked. I was ready to accept that my kids would survive on beige foods forever.

Then I discovered the secret...

I stopped making vegetables the enemy.

Instead of "eat your broccoli or no dessert," I started doing this:

1. I put vegetables on MY plate and ate them enthusiastically "Mmm, these roasted carrots are so sweet!" Kids copy what they see, not what we say.

2. I involved them in cooking They helped wash lettuce, snap green beans, and stir the pot. When they help make it, they're more likely to try it.

3. I offered vegetables without pressure "Here's some cucumber if you want to try it." No forcing, no bribing. Just available.

4. I served vegetables they could actually handle Raw carrots instead of cooked mush. Cherry tomatoes instead of big slices. Kid-sized portions.

5. I made vegetables taste GOOD A little olive oil, salt, and roasting transforms everything. Even adults don't want to eat flavorless steamed broccoli!

The breakthrough moment: My picky eater asked for seconds of roasted sweet potato fries. SECONDS! Of vegetables!

What changed? I stopped treating vegetables like medicine and started treating them like real food that could actually taste good.

Now here's the thing...

Kids need snacks that actually satisfy them between meals. Not processed crackers that leave them hangry 20 minutes later.

My snack collection has 30 recipes that kids actually ASK for - things like sweet potato bites, veggie muffins, and fruit leather that tastes like candy but is made with real ingredients.

These aren't "hidden veggie" recipes. They're just genuinely delicious snacks that happen to be healthy.

What's your biggest challenge with feeding kids? Picky eating? Snack time chaos? Meal prep with little ones around? Hit reply and tell me!

Keep feeding them well (even if it's messy)! Sarah

P.S. - My kids now fight over who gets the last piece of roasted broccoli. I'm not kidding. It took time, but it happened. Don't give up!