Ah yes. We’ve got a 5-year old in the house again. Slowly but surely, we’re adding more fruits and vegetables into his diet. Interestingly enough, his teenage brothers who were raised in this house from the beginning have become more of a struggle than the little one. I don’t want to talk about it.
It won’t be long now before our Bonus Boy will officially be a Coppinger and I can show you pictures! But for now, just imagine lots of cuteness behind some gorgeous brown eyes and a giggle that turns all of us into mush.
When he first moved in with us, I knew he loved hot dogs, and that was all I knew. Man (or boy) can not live on hot dogs alone, so we began doing some trial and error to see what he might like.
First fruit success: Applesauce Pouches
Where were these gems when my other boys were little?
Yes, they are more expensive than canned applesauce or homemade. Yes, I still make homemade applesauce when I have the chance. But seeing as life has taken a major turn toward the more busy side of things (we have an infant boy living with us now too!), splurging on Applesauce Pouches has been very much worth it! Bonus Boy loves them, the teenagers love them (so there), and as an added delight, they can be eaten without making a mess.
We get them from Aldi, Walmart, or Amazon; and when they’re on sale, I grab varieties that have veggies added too.
Second fruit and veggie success: “Milkshakes”
Everyone knows that Smoothies filled with fruits and greens are a great way to easily get kids to eat (or drink) nourishment. Indeed.
However, if we said, “Would you like a Smoothie??” our Bonus Boy turned up his nose. Inspired, I said, “How about a Milkshake?” Aha! He thought that sounded delicious.
Call it whatever works – we now make “Milkshakes” all the time. Bonus Boy makes them with me, and we’re not even hiding the fact that they are filled with goodness. HE PUTS THE FRESH SPINACH INTO THE BLENDER HIMSELF. Then he adds the strawberries and frozen banana chunks. I pour in milk and a little maple syrup. He pushes the button on the Blendtec.
Then he guzzles down two full cups with a lid and a straw. Milkshakes for the win. Smoothies though? He doesn’t like them. ;)
Third veggie success: Cheesy Taco (aka Green Salad with Shredded Cheese)
I don’t even remember how this came about. I think I had made Taco Salad for the rest of us that day and decided to see if he’d eat any or all of it. I knew he loved tacos, so I told him this was “sort of like a taco.” I tore mixed greens into his special bowl, tossed in plenty of cheese (his favorite food of all time), and stirred in homemade French Dressing (ketchup for the win). He ate it all with a spoon and asked for more.
None of my other little guys ever ate salad at this age, and here this kid is eating his and asking for seconds and thirds. Sweet!
Fourth veggie success: Orange French Fries
Our whole family has learned that Sweet Potato Fries are the best way to eat sweet potatoes. Bonus Boy discovered without any argument that Orange French Fries are pretty tasty dipped in ketchup! Nice!
Fifth veggie success: Yet to come
None of us likes everything, and we can’t expect little kids to love all the green food we know is good for us. Green beans are a no-go for Bonus Boy. Peas, not so much. Carrots, neither raw nor cooked nor when one is pretending to be a bunny. Broccoli “trees” are only fun to talk about, but are not fun for eating. So we’ll stick to what is working, and we’ll try new veggies as the months go by.
Fruit is mostly a winner
Not all fruit, but he does like clementines, apples, kiwi, bananas, frozen blueberries, and a few others – especially if the big boys are sitting at the table eating them too.
It’s important to remember that adding fruits and veggies to a kid’s diet is a process. I remember liking more and more as I got older; I bet you do too.
If your child struggles with eating many fruits or vegetables, don’t fret or give up. Keep experimenting to see what works. Find a new way to cut or serve it. Call it a milkshake instead of a smoothie. Enjoy the ride and know that any fruit or veggie nourishment is better than none at all. You’ll get there!
What are your kids’ favorite ways to eat fruits and vegetables?
I love that he will eat certain things by just changing what it’s called! Kids are so funny. This sounds like awesome successes, for a child who was probably not introduced to very many fruits or vegetables until he moved in with you. Way to go. Pat yourself on the back.
Several of our “raw broccoli only” kids have discovered that they like “burnt broccoli”. Basically raw broccoli roasted until it looks burnt. There are recipes online. It brings out a sweetness and is absolutely delicious!
I feel like we eat actual carrots rather than baby carrots so much better- much tastier. And our kids like Hidden Valley Ranch the best with them. Cukes with Hidden Valley as well. I know you don’t love the ingredient list- but might be a good gateway ranch? Lol
It’s hard. All kids raised in the same house have different preferences when it comes to veggies- wild!
Excited to try the orange fries!
Ha! Our kids love “smoothies” which is what we call kefir. When I offered them kefir they told me they didn’t want it because it would be furry. So I started calling it “smoothie” and that worked.
Mine are 4 and 5 so I feel compelled to remind you that, at this age, they LOVE stuff one day….and then all of a sudden they hate it. As is the case with cooked carrots in our house right now. But, the main rule still applies. Any fruit or veg dipped in something else is automaticlaly better. Ranch, BBQ sauce, peanut butter, flavored cream cheese, a syrup drizzle…. And if you give the dip a cool name, that’s even better. So BBQ sauce mixed with ketchup and one dash of hot sauce is “Dragon Dip”. Mayo mixed with ketchup is Ultra Sauce and so on. Oh! And fruits dipped in chocolate hummus (if you call it Chocolate Pudding Dip) is a great way to sneak in some protein with their “dessert.”
You still make everything so fun to read. I love that you are ministering to these kiddos through food and, of course, LOVE!
I often add shredded onion, carrots, and zucchini to spaghetti sauce or chili to bulk up the nutrition. Because they are shredded, kids don’t balk as they might at diced veggies.
We add veggies to pizza. I do crust, sauce, toppings, and then cheese. It glues all the toppings on better and helps camouflage veggies.
Aldi carries spinach/kale bites in their freezer section. They are shaped like dinosaurs, bears, and stars, so my kids eat them pretty well. They are a processed food, but the ingredient list isn’t too bad: the veggies, potato flakes, oil, egg whites, and salt. They also have broccoli and sweet potato varieties, but we like spinach and kale best.
How about ranch dressing for raw veggies ;) my kids like most cooked veggies with butter and salt. They like frozen peas too!
And yes I remember gratituesday!
I find that those of mine who won’t eat a particular smoothie will eat the same said smoothie if frozen into a Popsicle. Small ones, big ones, boat shaped ones and rocket shaped ones. Even ones in paper cups. As long as it’s frozen (even half-frozen!) even in the middle of February! And carrots go well into smoothies, so do cucumbers and melons and cashews and almonds and avocado (ok, that one is iffy sometimes) etc….
My daughter got my grandson to eat red bell peppers by calling them red pepper candy because they are sweet. They also like ants on a log (celery, peanut butter, raisins). Good luck!
Red pepper candy—I love that!
-Bethany (Laura’s assistant)
I know it sounds completely ridiculous, but when my bigs were littles, they turned up their noses at cooked veggies, even with butter and salt — until I put some sprinkles on them. I know, gross, right? I had a collection of sprinkles for holidays, sports teams, etc., and would put a few on the cooked veggies, and down they went. How desperate does a mom have to be to put sprinkles on veggies? :)
Another idea: I made your Cheesy Beef and Rice tonight, but I used 2 bags of frozen cauliflower rice that I steamed and then drained very well. It was delicious and my kids each are two helpings.
What a great adaptation! That’s a wonderful way to sneak more veggies into your kids diet.
-Bethany (Laura’s assistant)
That time right before dinner is ready was always hard for my kids. I would let them have a “snack” of frozen veggies. Their pick. Corn or peas are awesome. They even had special brands as favorites. The kicker: they could eat all they wanted.
What a great idea!