How to Get Your Kid to Eat Green Veggies And Fruits?

To get your kid to eat green veggies and fruits has never been easy.
While the importance of green veggies and fruits in our diet cannot be overemphasized, most mothers find it difficult to get their kids to LIKE the green veggies and fruits!
The findings of two latest studies conducted by Brian Wansink, The President of The Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB) has come up with some interesting findings which might help inspire moms to get “your kid to eat green veggies and fruits”.

Green vegetables and fruits

Study I

In the first experiment, a group of 500 ethnically diverse mothers and kids was studied and the researchers found that ‘the presence of vegetables and fruits on the plate’ showed that the meal preparer was “more thoughtful and attentive”.

The most common reaction….

This was primarily because the vegetables and fruits helped to make the meals more complete by supplying most of the nutrients required by the kids in adequate quantities. Further, “vegetables helped enhance the perceived taste of the entrée”.

Wansink went ahead to add, “These findings underscore the concept that vegetables and fruits make the meal. Vegetables and fruits do so much more than provide important nutrients, they’re helping to make the entire meal more appealing and even making the person serving the meal appear to be more loving and caring”.

Study II

In the second study, another panel of 500 moms with 2 kids each was studied and some interesting observations came to the fore.
Here, it was observed that most parents do not try too hard and give up too soon while trying to get their kids to eat the veggies and fruits.

The researchers also came up with suggestions on how to actually get the kids to like the veggies and fruits. Wansink suggests parents to “focus on the vegetables kids will eat, and not on the ones they won’t”.

Know your child’s favorites

It was found that 83% of the kids had a favorite vegetable which their mom knew about. (Another interesting thing that was observed during the course of a series of experiments was that in 53% of the cases, the eldest kid’s favorite vegetable was the same as his/her mother’s).
Broccoli was the overwhelmingly favorite vegetable for girls while boys seemed to like corn over it.
The six vegetables that composed 80% of the favorites were:
Corn (32.2%)
Broccoli (29.4%)
Carrots (23.2%)
Green beans (17.2%)
Potatoes (11.8%)
Tomatoes (11.4%)
The youngest male children were found to have a strong dislike for broccoli.

My personal experience

The results of the two studies notwithstanding, I would suggest parents to be good role models themselves for kids.

You cannot expect kids to eat healthily if they see you rip open a packet of chips or grab a pack of cookies/cupcakes when you feel hungry in between the meals. During the meals also, make sure you take a generous helping of green veggies and fruitsyourself before cajoling your kids into it.

Be worthy role models

An occasional treat consisting of noodles, burgers, French fries, pizza and cola, etc. is fine. To keep the number of such ‘treats’ under check, you could try fixing up how many times a week they are allowed to ‘freak out’ in a week.
My kids are allowed instant noodles every Wednesday evening. They can have French fries and a cola on Friday evenings and are allowed a pizza or a burger every Sunday. And, believe me, it has worked for me!

CONCLUSION

The bottom line, therefore, is that you don’t have to be a strict or a monstrous parent if you want to get your kid to eat green veggies and fruits.
Find out the veggies and fruits your kid likes more than others and don’t overdo the vegetable and fruits bit by allowing them to snack out once in a while.
All the same, set a good example for them by eating healthily (more so, when they are watching you!!).

Getting kids to eat green veggies and fruits happily

 

Try these simple steps and you will see how your kid will soon love his green veggies and fruits.