This post may contain affiliate links that allow me to earn a small commission from your purchase. There is no additional cost to you.
My 1 year old loves veggies. She will eat nothing but broccoli for an entire meal. She asks for seconds and thirds on sweet potatoes and snacks on green beans. My 3 year old is the complete opposite! I can hide peas in his mashed potatoes and he will spit out each individual one. Glazed carrots are a no-go. He’ll even dig tiny chunks of tomato from his spaghetti sauce – and he loves spaghetti sauce.
So, my toddler hates veggies. Because of this, I’ve had to come up with some vegetable ideas for toddlers that simply refuse to eat them. If your child, like mine, won’t eat vegetables in any shape or form, covered in sugar or dressed up like pasta, here are a few ideas that might help your situation.
Pureed Vegetable Pouches Have No Age Limit
You might think your three year old has no reason to eat those pureed fruit and vegetable pouches because he or she has plenty of teeth. In my experience, those pouches (we call them grabbers), are like vegetable-infused apple sauce. My boy eats at least one per day – sometimes two. That’s nowhere near the necessary 5 servings he should be getting, but it helps!
Make Smoothies at Home
I love this one because it is delicious to me, too. Smoothies are so easy to make! Throw a few pieces of fruit, honey, any nut butter of your choosing, and kale, spinach, or avocado in a blender with some milk. You can find really great combinations by playing around – I’ve never had one I didn’t like. Plus, my kids think they’re getting milkshakes, so it’s a win-win!
Blend into Different Foods
You can easily blend veggies into baked goods or use vegetable purees in various recipes. From muffins and cakes to burger patties and pancakes, purees can be added to get your toddler that extra serving of vegetables. This one of the vegetable ideas for toddlers that I plan to implement a whole lot more!
Use Veggie Powders
You can put this stuff in so many things! Put a scoop in your smoothie, add some to your pasta sauce, or mix it in some juice. If you get the measurements right, your toddler will never know it’s there! Big win for mom!
This post may contain affiliate links that allow me to earn a small commission from your purchase. There is no additional cost to you.
Finely Chopped Spinach or Kale in Eggs or Other Items
You probably won’t be able to get enough chopped spinach in your toddler’s eggs to count for an entire serving, but a little can help. Whether you scramble eggs or make an omelette, chop up that veggie finely enough and your child will be unlikely to notice its addition.
Make Veggie Chips!
Kale chips can be so delicious if made right and your toddler will probably think so, too. With some olive oil and salt, kale chips are almost like the real thing. There are so many other vegetables that you can make chips from, too. Hit up Pinterest and give it a try!
Put Veggies in Sauces
Most kids will be none the wiser if you’ve secretly added in some vegetables to their sauces. Whether it’s pasta sauce, ketchup, ranch, or something similar, it’s easy to juice or puree a vegetable and add it to their dipping sauce. For toddlers that are wary of eating foods that look different from what they’re used to, try to use something of similar color. For example, pureed cauliflower can be added to ranch dressing so as to not change the color.
Cauliflower, Cauliflower, Cauliflower
Cauliflower is my big tip! My own kids have no idea that they’ve eaten mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes. My son, in fact, has asked for seconds! Riced cauliflower is also a good one to throw in instead of regular rice. There are so many creative cauliflower recipes out there that you can use it for just about anything these days!
Keep Trying!
My son’s pediatrician tells me to keep trying. Kids have changing taste buds. What he doesn’t like today he might like next week. Don’t give up on trying to get your little on to eat vegetables the boring way – he might like it someday! If he’s still refusing anything that resembles a veggie, the above vegetable ideas for toddlers can help in the meantime. Saying a prayer or two won’t hurt, though!
Do you add veggies into your child’s food? What are your favorite methods? Share with me in the comments!