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How To Get Kids To Eat Veggies and Whole Foods

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Struggling to get your kids to eat healthier? Discover tips and tricks, kid-friendly whole foods, and creative recipes that make eating nutritious meals fun and easy. Perfect for picky eaters!

Brunette women sits on kitchen table surrounded by 3 blonde girls and 1 brunette boy holding healthy foods.

A year ago, if you had told me my kids would be munching on foods like peppers, lentils, and tofu, I wouldn’t have believed you!

Back then, our meals often included lots of refined carbs, and more processed foods than I’d like to admit.

But fast forward to today, and my kids are not only trying these nutrient-packed foods but actually enjoying them!

How did we get here? It wasn’t magic—just simple, consistent strategies that transformed the way we approached food as a family.

In this post, I’m sharing all the tips and tricks that worked for us, so you can help your kids develop a love for whole, nutritious foods too.

Tips and Tricks

Getting kids to eat more vegetables and whole foods can be a challenge, but with creativity and consistency, you can make it easier (and maybe even fun!) for them. Here are some tips and tricks:

1. Make It Fun

Owl food art made out of toasted bread, tomatoes, carrots, and slices of cheese.
  • Serve veggies in fun shapes: Use cookie cutters to make cucumber, carrot, or bell pepper slices into stars, hearts, or animals.
  • Create food art: Turn meals into scenes or faces with veggies. For example, a “broccoli tree” forest or a “pepper smiley face.”
  • Try colorful plates: Mix bright, naturally colored veggies to make meals look more exciting.

2. Sneak Veggies Into Favorite Foods

Plastic blender cup full of green smoothie with striped straw surrounded by spinach and strawberries.
  • Blend into sauces and soups: Add puréed carrots, zucchini, or spinach to spaghetti sauce, mac and cheese, or soups.
  • Bake into treats: Use shredded zucchini or carrots in muffins or brownies.
  • Add to smoothies: Blend spinach, kale, or frozen cauliflower into fruit smoothies.

3. Make Veggies Accessible

Muffin tin full of assorted foods including fresh vegetables, nuts, and raisins.
  • Offer veggies as snacks: Keep cut-up veggies like carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers in the fridge with a healthy dip (e.g., hummus or yogurt-based ranch).
  • Try a snack tray: Use a muffin tin or divided plate to serve an assortment of veggies, fruit, nuts, and cheese.

4. Involve Kids in the Process

Two blonde girls stand on stool and stir soup in a pot on the stove.
  • Take them shopping: Let them pick out a new veggie to try.
  • Get them cooking: Kids are more likely to try what they help make. Simple tasks like washing veggies or stirring can make them feel involved.
  • Grow a garden: Even a small herb or tomato plant can excite kids about eating what they grow.

5. Use Positive Reinforcement

  • Praise and encouragement: Celebrate when they try something new, even if it’s just a bite.
  • Sticker charts or rewards: Offer a non-food reward for eating their veggies regularly.

6. Be a Role Model

  • Show your kids how much you enjoy eating vegetables and whole foods. If they see you loving it, they’re more likely to try it too!

7. Experiment With Cooking Methods

Sheet pan full of cubed roasted sweet potatoes and apples with wooden spoon resting on the pan.
  • Roast or air fry: Roasting brings out the natural sweetness of veggies like carrots, broccoli, and sweet potatoes.
  • Offer variety: Serve raw, steamed, sautéed, or roasted veggies to discover what they prefer.

8. Start Small and Be Patient

  • One bite rule: Encourage them to try at least one bite, but don’t force them to eat it all.
  • Repeat exposure: It can take 10+ exposures for a child to accept a new food.

9. Pair Veggies With Foods They Already Like

Various healthy foods on white table including zucchini, pepper, carrot, and quinoa.
  • Serve broccoli with cheese sauce, carrots with peanut butter, or peas with a little butter and salt. Over time, you can reduce the add-ons.

10. Make Whole Foods Convenient

  • Limit processed snacks: Keep the focus on fresh fruits, nuts, yogurt, and whole-grain crackers.
  • Pre-prep meals: Make grab-and-go options like veggie sticks, homemade granola bars, or fruit cups.

11. Talk About the Benefits

  • Teach your kids how vegetables and whole foods help them “run faster,” “jump higher,” or “think smarter.” Connecting healthy eating to things they care about can be motivating.

Bonus Tip: Don’t offer Anything Else

In my experience, kids will eat what they’re offered if there are no other options. Of course my children didn’t like tofu or lentils when I first made them, but after time, the “one bite” rule, and not giving any other options, they started eating it. And now they’ll eat those foods without complaining!

As long as you can stay strong and not offer any other foods besides what you make, then kids will eat when they’re hungry.

Kid-Friendly Vegetables

Here’s a list of kid-friendly vegetables that are often a hit with little ones, along with tips to make them more appealing:

Mild and Crunchy Veggies

Photo collage of different vegetables including carrots and cucumbers.

These are easy to eat raw and have a mild taste that most kids enjoy:

  1. Carrots – Serve as sticks or coins with a dip like hummus or ranch.
  2. Cucumber – Slice into rounds or fun shapes; sprinkle with a little salt or lemon juice.
  3. Bell Peppers – Use red, orange, or yellow varieties for their sweet flavor. Cut into strips or dice for snacking.
  4. Snap Peas – Naturally sweet and fun to eat whole; great raw or lightly steamed.
  5. Celery – Pair with peanut butter and raisins for “Ants on a Log.”

Sweet Roasted Veggies

Photo collage of different vegetables including sweet potatoes and parsnips.

Roasting brings out the natural sweetness in these veggies, making them more palatable:

  1. Sweet Potatoes – Make fries or mash with a touch of cinnamon
  2. Butternut Squash – Roast cubes or serve as soup with a mild flavor.
  3. Carrots (again!) – Roast with a little honey or cinnamon glaze.
  4. Parsnips – Slice into thin sticks and bake as a sweeter alternative to fries.

Fun Finger Foods

Photo collage of different vegetables including tomatoes and broccoli.

These veggies are easy to pick up and eat, making them perfect for little hands:

  1. Cherry Tomatoes – Sweet and juicy; serve raw or halved for safety.
  2. Zucchini Coins – Try lightly breaded and baked into “chips.”
  3. Broccoli Florets – Steam until tender and pair with cheese sauce or butter.
  4. Cauliflower Florets – Roast with a sprinkle of Parmesan or mild spices.
  5. Green Beans – Steam or sauté lightly with a bit of garlic and butter.

Hidden Heroes (Good for Blending)

Photo collage of different vegetables including spinach and pumpkins.

For sneaky ways to add veggies to meals:

  1. Spinach – Blend into smoothies, sauces, or eggs—it’s mild and blends well.
  2. Zucchini – Shred and mix into muffins, meatballs, or pasta sauces.
  3. Cauliflower – Steam and purée to mix into mac and cheese or mashed potatoes.
  4. Pumpkin or Squash – Great for adding creaminess to soups or baked goods.

Veggies With a Sweet Kick

Photo collage of different vegetables including corn, peas, and beets.

Pairing these with natural sweeteners or familiar flavors can win over picky eaters:

  1. Corn – Serve as fresh kernels or on the cob for fun.
  2. Peas – Sweet and soft, great mixed into rice or pasta.
  3. Beets – Roast for a naturally sweet treat or blend beet powder into a pink smoothie.

Whole Foods List

Along with kid-friendly vegetables, here’s a list of kid-friendly whole foods to incorporate into your meals and snacks. These are minimally processed, nutrient-dense, and perfect for little ones:

Fruits

Bowl of fresh fruit including kiwis, strawberries, and blueberries on table.

Sweet, naturally colorful, and easy to eat:

  1. Apples (sliced or as applesauce with no added sugar)
  2. Bananas
  3. Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
  4. Grapes (halved for safety)
  5. Oranges or clementines (peeled)
  6. Watermelon
  7. Pineapple chunks
  8. Mango slices
  9. Pears
  10. Kiwis (sliced or scooped out with a spoon)

Proteins

Protein sources including hard boiled eggs, nuts, and salmon on table.

Great for snacks, meals, or adding to dishes:

21. Hard-boiled eggs
22. Chicken (grilled strips or shredded)
23. Turkey or chicken meatballs
24. Tuna or salmon (served in patties or with crackers)
25. Edamame (steamed)
26. Beans (black beans, chickpeas, kidney beans)
27. Nut butters (spread on whole-grain toast or paired with fruit; watch for allergies)
28. Greek yogurt (plain or lightly sweetened with honey and fresh fruit)
29. Cheese sticks or cubes (like mozzarella or cheddar)
30. Cottage cheese

Whole Grains

Bowl of flour on table surrounded by different dry pasta.

For energy and fiber:

31. Oatmeal (top with fruit, nuts, or cinnamon)
32. Brown rice or quinoa
33. Whole-grain bread or tortillas
34. Whole-grain crackers
35. Popcorn (plain or lightly seasoned; for older kids to avoid choking risk)
36. Whole-grain pasta

Healthy Fats

Different fat sources on table including avocados, coconut, and nuts.

Essential for growth and brain development:

37. Avocado slices or guacamole
38. Nuts (for older kids; almonds, walnuts, cashews)
39. Seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, or chia seeds)
40. Olives (pitted)

Whole Food Meal Ideas

Here are some of our favorite kid-friendly whole food recipes!

Want More?

If you liked this post, I know you’ll love these:

Your Turn

What trick are you going to try first with your kids to get them to eat more whole foods? Let us know in the comments!