1535
uhc_video
Ask the Expert: Maggie Gilbert
My son is a picky eater. – UHC TV
I got a question that reads, “My son is a very picky eater. Can you tell me some ways to get him to eat fruits and vegetables without putting up a fuss?”
Okay. Very common question and lots of interesting ways to think about this one. First thing is, there’s a lot of talk about trying to sneak vegetables into things, like hide them in sauces and things like that.
I have mixed feelings about that. I think there are some reasons. If you have a kid who won’t eat any vegetables and you really want to get them into him, I’d say go for it. Put them in there and at least he or she will get some vegetables.
Generally, a better way is just to introduce them and make them seem fun. When my son was little, we talked about crunchy and we tried using dips. I’m a fan of grilling vegetables. I think that gives them a really good barbecue-y taste that kids might like. That’s a way – introduce them one at a time. Make it fun. Make sure other family members are eating them in front of the child. That’s a good way, rather than pretending the vegetables are not there. Ideally, if you can do it.
I mentioned dips. Kids love dips. Everybody loves dips. Maybe something like ranch dressing. Salsa is a great dip. Kids eat it with chips and don’t even know it’s a vegetable. That’s a good one. Maybe you start introducing it with some carrot sticks or something to just kind of mix it up a little, and make it a little bit healthier.
Fruit – if the child isn’t a big fruit eater, try smoothies. Those are so good, and you can get bananas, mangoes, raspberries and strawberries. You can get those in with something that’s maybe creamy at the base and helps them get used to the flavor. That’s a good idea too.
Another one I love is, if your child likes mashed potatoes, you can add some other vegetables into mashed potatoes. This may qualify as sneaking, but we won’t worry about it.
Parsnips are amazing. If you haven’t tried parsnips, they’re really sweet and delicious. They really need to be eaten cooked. Peel them, chunk them up, and cook them right with your potatoes. Mash them with whatever you’re adding to your mashed potatoes, and serve them.
You can do the same with sweet potatoes. You can either mash them with regular white potatoes or just do them by themselves. Again, there might be something about the texture that kids either love or don’t. If there’s a kid that will eat that creamy texture, they’re going to like those vegetables, I promise.
My biggest tip, and you’ve probably heard this before. If your child helps you cook, and you can find something for them to do, whether it’s taking a little plastic knife that they can handle and cut something. Stirring and whisking is really fun for little kids.
Have them help you in some way with preparation of a meal or snack. Almost always, if they help make it, they’re going to try it, because they’re really proud and excited that they did it. That would be a really big tip for getting kids to eat fruits and vegetables, or anything else they don’t like. Have them actually prepare it. Have them see how you cut it, how it goes into things, how you cook it, whether you eat it raw, and so forth.
Those are my tips. Give them a try and good luck!
Ask the Expert
Tempting Picky Eaters
Question: My son is a picky eater. How can I get him to eat fruits and vegetables without a fuss?
Answer from: Maggie Gilbert, cooking expert
Maggie Gilbert helps a viewer with new ideas on how to expand her child's diet without the mealtime battles.
The content of these videos is for information only and is not intended to be medical advice. Refer to your health plan benefit guide for coverage details, and consult with your doctor to determine what is best for you.
Please enter a valid email address
