Getting kids to eat their veggies can be a big chore. A lot of children won’t touch anything that they think is a vegetable. This can be a huge problem for your child’s nutritional needs, but there often isn’t a simple solution to help children desire the foods they need. A lot of parents will spend large amounts of money on supplements and other ways to give kids the nutrients they need just to avoid the hassle of feeding kids veggies. These ten options will help you give your children the food they need without forcing you to spend a lot of money. After trying a few of these methods of giving kids veggies, you might find that the battle becomes less.

1. Smoothies
Smoothies are probably the easiest way to give kids the veggies they need to be healthy. The best thing about smoothies is you can add anything to give the smoothie the nutrition your child needs. Sneaking in veggies here is a cinch. Some of the best options to work in are carrots, spinach, cucumbers, and any leafy greens. If children are able to spot the texture of the vegetables easily then juice the veggies that you’d like to put into the smoothie. This will help add them in without really making a change in the quality of the smoothie. You might have to play around with recipes, but a little trial and error can create concoctions that kids will actually ask for.

2. Veggie Pasta
Pasta is one of the easiest meal ideas for children of all ages. Most kids will eat anything from macaroni and cheese to spaghetti, which makes planning meals incredible easy. Luckily, you can find pasta made from vegetables in all shapes and sizes. So, it makes it incredibly easy to incorporate into your everyday deals. You can also make your own pasta made with vegetables, which can allow you to experiment with whatever works best for your personal needs and taste preferences. You can also add vegetables to most pasta dishes, especially as your child grows more adventurous.

3. Veggie Fries/Chips
If your child is all about junk food, then you won’t want to miss out on creating their favorite items with healthier ingredients. Veggie fries are incredibly easy to make. All you have to do is cut the veggies in your preferred way and have some fun with it. If you really want to make the veggies more appealing, then you can bread them to hide the vegetable appearance. You can also slice the veggies into thin slices and bake them to create veggie chips. Don’t forget to add flavors to these to help entice the child to eat too. There are plenty of recipes online to choose from as well.

4. Blend Ins
For really picky children you might want to consider blending in vegetables into their food. You can do this to almost any meal which will help you feel confident that your child is getting the food they need without the stress of eating something they don’t like. One of the easiest meals to add vegetables to is mashed potatoes. However, you can easily enjoy putting them in casseroles. Vegetables are easy to mask in casseroles, especially when it comes to appearance and taste. If you want to cater to your child’s love of sweets, then you can blend veggies into items like pancakes.

5. Veggie Desserts
Desserts are a great way to reward children, but it also a good way to sneak in some veggies. There are numerous recipes online that will help you choose incredible desserts that will suit your child’s sweet tooth while still offering some extra nutrition. One of the easiest options to try out is brownies made out of black beans. These are so simple to make that you will want to make the recipe often. Zucchini bread is another easy option that can be transformed into many different things. You can use chocolate, peanut butter, cinnamon, or anything else that suits your needs.

6. Try Different Cooking Methods
Getting your child to enjoy veggies can be a trial-and-error process. If you give your child a vegetable in one form that isn’t working out for them, then simply try another. For instance, if you give your child a raw carrot, then you might try steamed, boiled, or baked. You can even serve it like mashed potatoes if your child prefers that texture. This can help transform how your child experiences vegetables while allowing you to find ways to keep vegetable fun and exciting. This can also come in handy if your child grows tired of a vegetable you have often as it will allow them to try it in a totally new form.

7. Let Kids Pick
Sometimes, preparation and flavor isn’t the only thing standing in your way. Some children will respond well to picking out the vegetables they eat. So, when you go grocery shopping, let your child pick out one item to try. This can be fun because there are many options available, so your child might choose based on color, size, or even things that look a little funny to them. You might have to look up some recipes for some vegetables you’re not used to preparing, but it can be a fun adventure for the entire family. Taking part in the selection process might also help your child feel more confident about trying out the food.

8. Fun Presentation
Children tend to respond to things that look fun and appetizing, so you might consider presentation when you serve vegetables. There are many ways that you can make vegetables look fun and appetizing for children. For instance, you can cut vegetables up and form them into faces or even your child’s favorite characters if you really want to have some fun. You can also make things into other elements. For instance, bell peppers make great volcanoes. If you’re not feeling very creative, then you will find a lot of inspiration online. Some chefs have really gone all out when it comes to making food kid-friendly, which can definitely help you figure out ways that work for your family too.

9. Let Kids Cook
Bringing kids into the kitchen is another great way to inspire them to want to eat vegetables. Kids love taking part in things like cooking, so starting them out early will be advantageous for them for years to come. You can easily give children age-appropriate tasks to help them learn the basics while keeping safe. There are even knives that are designed to cut through produce while keeping skin safe, which might be a great investment for you too. Helping to cook will inspire your little one to want to try what they made, which will make introducing them to new vegetables even easier.

10. Garden
Another great thing you can do for the entire family gets outside and garden. Growing food can actually help to keep your family healthier because you won’t have to worry about where your food came from. This can also help your child to feel excited to try out the things that they grew in the garden. Seeing all the beautiful bright colors will allow children to feel like they are going to try something tasty. Plus, it will give them a sense of purpose that will encourage them to try the food. Gardening and preparing the meal are a great combination for helping to raise adults that feel confident in their ability to feed themselves, which allows for a healthier quality of life.

Serving children vegetables can be a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be something you throw money at. These ten ideas will give you fun options that can help ease the stress of eating vegetables while ensuring that children feel a connection to the food they eat and the health it brings them.