But, My Kids Don't Like Veggies!

When we decided to change up our eating habits I was really worried about how our kids would take it.  Would they be okay without their normal snack foods?  How would they handle snacking on celery, apples, cucumbers, etc?  Instead of totally changing everything at once I took it one step at a time.

First, we had a family meeting and told the boys that we would no longer be buying foods that weren't good for our bodies.  We explained that food is to give us energy and we wanted the best possible energy to keep us moving.

Then, we went to the store and I let the boys pick out anything that they wanted to try in the produce area of the grocery store.  Ryan and Dylan LOVE LOVE LOVE apples.  They picked out one of each type of apple.  Kamron really likes mangoes so when they are in season I buy TONS of mangoes.  Ryan also thought that brussel sprouts looked pretty neat.  We also picked out different colors of peppers, cucumbers, carrots, celery, lettuces, cauliflower, and broccoli. 

Next, I toyed around with recipes, dips for fruit and veggies, and homemade treats.  I told the kids that it was their job to taste everything twice and rate it.  I don't expect everybody to like something but I do expect them to try it.  After two bites they had to score it on a 1 to 10 scale.  Turns out Kamron doesn't like brussel sprouts (I don't blame him) but he loves green beans and broccoli cooked in garlic.  Ryan is a fan of anything you put on his plate (yea!).  Dylan likes most things but except mushrooms and tomatoes.  Anna is starting to eat table foods and she is a big fan of sweet potatoes.  However, I didn't expect them to like these foods at first but by keeping them in the process and letting them share their likes and dislikes I kept mutiny at bay.

I don't sneak veggies in my kids food.  I know that a lot of people do and it works for them.  The main reason I don't is because I have an open kitchen and I would get caught!  I also wanted to keep the kids involved and help them to be adventurous with their food choices.  By doing this they are slowly starting to try new foods without worrying about being forced to "like" something, as a result they are ENJOYING veggies!