It is almost like a universal truth that children hate vegetables in every country. The primary factor behind this disliking may be the taste of the vegetables. Because of rich calcium content and other beneficial compounds such as phenols, flavonoids, terpenes, etc., some vegetables taste slightly bitter, pungent, and acrid. Another scientific reason behind this dislike may be that in comparison to adults children need lots of energy and they instinctively turn towards sweet glucose-rich foods which give them instant energy. For this reason, children are so fond of chocolates, candy, ice-lolly, etc. Vegetables are not very calorically dense and so they do not provide much energy. Besides, some vegetables use up energy from your body to digest it. Children find it meaningless to eat something which does not give them energy. Moreover, love for vegetables can be regarded as mature taste or acquired taste which a mature person acquires with time.

But, pediatricians advise that parents, as well as preschool caregivers, should encourage children to eat vegetables as much as possible. Vegetables provide vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, and water, rich in different minerals. When children eat plenty of vegetables, they also give them energy when the vegetables get digested in the body. Encourage your children towards a healthy diet, which means plenty of vegetables along with a wide variety of foods from the other food groups. Eating balanced food daily helps in the proper mental as well as physical growth of the children. They protect your child from simple cough and cold, some critical problems like heart disease, some types of cancers, and boost the immunity system. Eating a good serving of vegetables and fruits regularly makes your children’s skin and hair more glowing and healthy.Day school caregivers at a Montessori school at Whittier CA give parents a few tips on how to encourage their children to eat more vegetables.

The most effective is to set an example according to preschool teachers. Children try to copy their parents. The best way to encourage your children to eat vegetables is to let your children watch that you are eating a good amount of vegetables every day with a smiling face. Cook 2-3 items with vegetables in your daily lunch and dinner and eat all family members together. When your kids see that parents, siblings, and other family members fill their plates with vegetables and are enjoying them, they probably will do the same. Gradually they will get adjusted to the taste of the vegetables.

Do not force your children to eat green salads and herbs. Forcing may create lifelong repulsion, hatred, phobia of vegetables. When they dislike a certain type of vegetables, help them with a small serving with other favorite foods. This will help him to be habituated with the vegetables slowly.

Consult your children, which vegetable they would like to have in their lunch and dinner. Let them have a say. Accompany them to grocery shop when you go there for weekly shopping. After buying vegetables from there ask your kids which preparation they would like to have in their lunch or dinner. Tell them to help you in cutting vegetables or cooking. Involvement in cooking may motivate them to eat the vegetables happily. Give vegetables funny names like “power punch pumpkin”, “bold broccoli”, “x-ray carrot”, etc. Praise them when they eat vegetables.