Helping Picky Eaters Eat More Veggies

Sometimes my son Josiah can be a picky eater.

For example, if I use rye bread to make his peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch, he won’t eat it. “It has to be wheat, Mommy.”

If I put a piece of delicious beef roast on his plate, and it has “too much fat” on it… he won’t eat it.

If my winter squash has any vestigial seed or pulp left behind, he won’t touch it.

Don’t even try to serve eggplant, cabbage, or green beans.

And fried eggs?… well let’s just say that if the runny yolk touches anything, it becomes inedible.

Handling picky eaters is a reality not only for our CSA members but for every family out there!

Some of your pickiest eaters may actually be adults! (So many of our CSA customers say their husbands are the worst offenders!)

We know that veggies are good for us. We know that diets rich in veggies can reduce the risk of many chronic health conditions, including cardiovascular disease and cancer — our top two leading causes of death here in the United States.

Why do we still struggle to get the recommended 5-10 servings a day, even when we love our vegetables!?

I asked Cadie Jardin, our CSA Coach, who also serves as a registered dietitian, to share her tried and true hacks for smuggling in more veggies into our diet. She asked our CSA Facebook members for their tips and tricks as well, and today’s blogpost has some great suggestions for converting the picky eater into a veggie lover.

Cadie shared two great options with me in a Google Doc this week. Here was her advice to me:

OPTION 1: Hide your vegetables in your food.

I don’t think this is a bad thing. As someone who LOVES to eat a big bowl of roasted vegetables, I still love knowing that there’s even more “hiding” in my chili or bowl of soup. It’s a great way to make the dishes your family loves even more nutrient dense, getting a bigger bang with each bite.

I know that some people worry about hiding these powerful foods, thinking that their picky eaters may stay picky because they don’t realize that they are eating the good stuff.

I understand.

So here is my rule: for every vegetable that you hide, you still have to offer one that they can “see” on their plate.

They may not eat it, but hopefully they at least try it. (That’s the other rule in my house).

While we wait for them to become a vegetable lover they can still getting some of those important nutrients in!

OPTION 2: Find vegetable recipes that they enjoy.

This one can take a little bit more time and creativity. Oftentimes getting others involved in meal prep, especially children, is a large piece of this.

Did you know? On average a young child has to be offered a new food 6 times before they even try it!

So be patient, just keep offering. The more you’re eating vegetables, the more they will be offered to your family, and hopefully the sooner they will be willing to eat some!

Here are some of the ways I like to get vegetables into my families diet, using both the tactics above!

1. Puree and hide them!

This method seems to be SO popular among our CSA members.

When asked how they sneak veggies into their meals, most people said they blend them and mix them into already loved dishes.

I prefer to puree vegetables ahead of time, freeze them and pull them out of the freezer as I need them. You could also blend them up as you need them, but I find that can take additional time… and I’m always trying to cut back on time.

I also use this as an exit strategy when I have excess carrots, sweet potatoes, squashes and greens that I don’t know what to do with and want to use up. I simply cook them (steam, boil or roast) and blend them with a little water or broth. I then add them to a silicone tray and freeze.

You could also use a standard ice cube tray, although it may stick a little, or even a zip lock bag. You want to freeze them in the quantities you plan on using them in your dishes, if you’re not sure I would start with a variety. Once the purees are frozen into “cubes,” I then store in a large bag for easy storage and access.

Here are some dishes that our CSA members love to add their veggie purees to:

• Soup and stews
• Pureed carrots in tomato based sauces (spaghetti, chili, lasagna)
• Pureed carrots or sweet potatoes in homemade macaroni and cheese
• Pureed winter squash in chili and other tomato based sauces/casseroles
• Pureed greens (blanched first) into soups, casseroles and tomato based sauces

2. Rice them!

Cauliflower rice is becoming more popular. You can buy it frozen at most grocery stores! You can also “rice” other vegetables, like broccoli, but cauliflower is the best place to start.

Wash and cut your cauliflower into large pieces, put the florets into the food processor and pulse until they become a “rice” like consistency.

Some people tend to forget about cauliflower because it’s not as colorful as other vegetables, but it shouldn’t be left behind! It’s actually loaded in vitamin C and other immune supporting nutrients!

If you don’t think your family is ready to completely leave their regular rice behind for cauli-rice, mix half and half! I bet they won’t even notice!

3. Find some fun recipes for those kiddos!

This one can really depend on the children, but I have found Monster Muffins to be a big hit at my house.

They are bright green, spinach loaded muffins that my toddler has a blast eating. They actually taste good! I’ve read that you can swap beets in for the spinach for a pink muffin, although I’ve never tried it myself.

You can check out the recipe here, along with some other kid-friendly recipes. I used gluten-free flour instead of whole wheat and they turned out perfect, for those of you that need a GF option.

4. Get picky eaters involved!

The more control and involvement children have over their food, the more they tend to enjoy eating it. Even having them help wash and tear lettuce can be successful!

Smoothie bags are one of my go-to items. They are nutritious snack or breakfast and also a time saver during those rushed mornings.

You will need a couple fruits (bananas, frozen berries, etc.), a couple vegetables (I like spinach, kale and beets), some almonds or nuts of your choice and anything other non-liquid items you like to add to a smoothie. My rule for smoothie bags is you always have to choose a fruit AND a vegetable to add.

You take a zip-lock bag and add your ingredients. Everyone can choose their own combinations. Label them and store them in the freezer. They will keep for 2-3 weeks.

When you’re using fresh (non-blanched) greens, they can start to lose their nutrients over time in the freezer. Making just a few at time is a good idea to see how quickly you end up using them. When you’re ready to use one, simply pull the baggie out of the freezer, empty the contents into the blender and add the liquid of your choice (milk, almond milk, water, etc). Blend and enjoy! It’s a fast, convenient snack or breakfast for anyone in the family!

5. Set a good example. Get out of your comfort zone!

We can’t expect others to get out of their comfort zone without doing the same thing ourselves. Setting a good example by eating vegetables is important, but trying new things with your family can be a game changer.

Joining a CSA was a huge step for me. It pushed me to try new vegetables, something I was already asking of my family, but also helped me to get more comfortable in the kitchen.

If you’re wondering if a CSA program is right for you, we’ve created 6 questions you should ask yourself to find out.

We are not only a group of people that picks up veggies from Farmer Kurt each week, we are a community that is changing the way people eat. We are learning from one another, sharing our successes and tips to help each other.

I hope that some of these tips help your family get those nutrient rich goodies in this year! It’s never too late to work on healthier eating habits. Make sure you’re following us on Facebook for live videos and tutorials on preparing, storing and eating those vegetables!

Contributors: Cadie Jardin RDN, LD — Shared Legacy Farms CSA Coach & Corinna Bench (farmer)