What is your favorite strategy or tip for feeding your toddler(s) vegetables? Do you camouflage them in sauce? Dice them up small or puree them and add to spaghetti sauce?
For our family, we capitalize on the veggies they DO like: broccoli, sweet potatoes, cucumbers. They'll eat cukes and carrots if Ranch dressing is provided. They also love stir-fry, so if I'm crafty in my cutting and presenting of the stir-fried veggies, I've even had success getting cabbage down. I am sort of opposed to pureeing a bunch of stuff just for the sake of nutrition. I want my kids to know that they're eating vegetables (even if they don't know cabbage is mixed in with the stir-fried carrots) and to gain an appreciation for them. We make them try everything, so one son even likes bok choy. Another loves cherry tomatoes. They all like spinach when it's cooked with eggs/cheese, so we can do ricotta/spinach filling in a calzone with success. I'm not worried about them liking/not liking eggplant, bell peppers, brussels sprouts, celery, etc. As long as they know they're eating vegetables and really like some of them, I'm sure they'll eventually learn to like some of the more exotic tastes/textures.
What about you? How do you feed your toddlers?
1 comment:
We historically just go with what he likes. Ethan currently loves steamed broccoli, so I try to serve it at least once a week. No sauce, just a little Tony's and he is happy!
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