7 Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat More Greens

Kids Need Their Greens

🌱🍴 When my siblings and I were young, our mom was always trying to get us to eat more greens and would go to great lengths to accomplish this task. i

She was not opposed to bribery, threats, or outright lies– like the time she told us we were having hotdogs for our super bowl party (yeah, right!), which turned out to be made of carrots.

Secret to Getting Kids to Eat Their Greens

With a little creativity (and maybe a tiny bit of bribery—shhh 🤫), you can get your little ones to eat their greens. Here’s a few of my mom's secret weapons:

1. Hide Veggies Like a Secret Agent

If they can’t see it, they can’t fight it. Blend, chop, or shred those greens into dishes they already love!

🍝 Mix spinach into pasta sauce

🥞 Sneak zucchini into muffins

🍔 Add pureed carrots to meatballs

🥔 Mash cauliflower into mashed potatoes

2. Cut Them Up Like a Spice 🔪

Ever notice how kids will devour food loaded with tiny seasoning flakes but throw a fit over a chunk of bell pepper? Cut those veggies tiny and mix them in so they blend seamlessly into meals. 🫛🥕

3. Make Them Taste Good (Duh!)

Let’s be real—plain steamed kale tastes like sadness to a kid.

But with a little seasoning magic, you can make anything taste good

🧂 Spice it Up! Salt, pepper, turmeric, ginger, red pepper, etc.

🧄 Roast with garlic and olive oil

🍯 Drizzle with honey for a touch of sweetness

Here's a great recipe that kids love.

KALE SALAD.pdf

Download PDF • 102KB

4. Incorporate Into Foods Kids Already Love

Disguise veggies in meals your kids already gobble up:

🍕 Spinach can be hidden in most anything (smoothies, yogurt, pancakes, pizza)

🌮 Lettuce and tomatoes in tacos

🍔 Mushrooms in burger patties

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5. Make it Cute

Presentation is everything! Kids are way more likely to eat something if it looks fun.

• 🍎 Make smiley faces with fruit

• 🥕 Arrange veggies into animal shapes

• 🍽️ Serve meals on colorful plates

  
  

6. Make It an Educational Game

🥦 Challenge them to eat a “rainbow” of colors

🏆 Have a “who can eat the most greens?” contest

🎭 Educate your kids about the benefits of greens, so they'll want to eat them.

7. Bribe Them (When All Else Fails)

Look, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. If promising extra playtime, or a sleepover gets a few bites of broccoli down, we call that a win. 🍪🥦

🏆 The Benefits (Aka, Why We’re Doing This)

Greens are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber that help:

• 💪 Boost immunity and prevent disease

• 🤓 Support brain function

• 🏃‍♂️ Improve energy levels

• 🚽 Keep digestion moving smoothly (bye-bye, constipation!)

• 🌱 We are creating eating patterns for adulthood

  
  

The Bottom Line

Getting kids to eat their greens doesn’t have to be a war. With a little creativity, some sneaky tactics, and the occasional bribe, you can win them over. 💚

How do get your kids to eat their greens?

💬 Drop a comment below!👇