My 19 mth old refuses to eat veggies. It's not that he dislikes the taste of them...he wouldn't know, they never even make it to his mouth. As soon as he sees them he shakes his head and says "No, please". Very cute, but annoying at the same time.

He'll eat peas in the tuna casserole, carrots & broccoli mixed in rice (all stuff that he doesn't know is there). Anyone have any ideas as how to work more veggies in without his knowledge?

I personally would just keep offering them...and let him refuse, that's fine. I've found that they do eventually try them. I'm not big on 'hiding' things in foods like that, but that's me.

Yeah, I didn't want to really hide them either. I guess I'm just concerned that he isn't going to get enough vitamins, minerals, blah blah blah. He does like applesauce though, so he usually gets a bowl of that with dinner, and sometimes breakfast.

I don't hide too much. My 21 mo old will eat peas, carrots, and broccoli mixed in, as long as there is a sauce too, or at least some butter. He also will eat pasta sauce, so that's a good serving of veggies. I actually mix steamed and mashed butternut squash into his mac n' cheese, it's the natural white cheddar kind so the squash makes it orange and a little sweet. In the last couple of months, I have been mashing steamed cauliflower (frozen)and scrambling it into an egg everyday. I cook it in the butter a little fist and then add the egg, he doesn't mind, I think he likes the butter.
He isn't too big on winter fruits, takes one bite of an apple slice and is done, so I've been buying him the canned light fruit cocktail. He likes the peaches, pears and grapes, it's a nice change from applesauce.
Also, when I bake, like pumpkin or banana muffins, I grate a zucchini into the batter. He doesn't seem to notice or care, just loves muffins. I do the same thing if I make potato patties with mashed potatoes, I finely grate carrot and zucchini into the mix, once they're fried up with applesauce and sour cream, it all tastes the same. You can also do that with pancake mix, just grate some veggies in and cook as usual, with syrup you don't notice.
I'm not a fan of the whole puree method. Too much work and way too hidden. I may grate zucchini into a dish, but you can still see it. Someday ds will ask and we'll deal with it then, I have nothing to hide and don't want to deceive him.

I have the hidden vegetable cookbook by Jerry Seinfeld's wife and it does have some good ideas about putting purees into even brownies. Some kids just have such a bad time with the texture of veggies. I am also lucky enough not to have picky kids, but I have friends who deal with some severe food issues. I don't think it's really deceptive when they are too young to understand how much their bodies need the veggies. Then, when they are old enough to understand, you can tell them. A lot of parents (like me!) have a hard time getting 5 servings in too, so it's pretty healthy for the entire family - not just the kiddos.

One mom I know makes her own spaghetti/pizza sauce and packs it full of greens, like spinach. Sweet tomatoes cover the taste and most kids will eat pizza or spaghetti. For the super-desperate, I would recommend one of those super-duper blenders that you see on tv that puree the veggies right into the fruit smoothies. They are pricey, but you can make smoothies and sauces in them - they look really neat. I guess you wouldn't want the kids to watch you make the smoothies though!

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Stephanie

[quote][I don't think it's really deceptive when they are too young to understand how much their bodies need the veggies. Then, when they are old enough to understand, you can tell them. A lot of parents (like me!) have a hard time getting 5 servings in too, so it's pretty healthy for the entire family - not just the kiddos.

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I totally Agree! I have been mixing in the healthy stuff for yrs. and just thought of it as My mommy duty to make their meals more healthy. I do it to My Dh's food too!


I always Grate a zuchinni and/or carrot into Spaghetti sauce, meatloaf and hamburgers.

I know its not a Veggie but I am also a Huge wheat germ user too! anything sweet, from cereal to yogurt to cakes and cookie mix - I put in wheat germ.

I do not really hide veggies from the kids, but for the most part they will eat them. I do know that they like some veggies raw instead of cooked; carrots, broccoli and caulflower. Yes the dip them in ranch, but at least they are eating them. I have put carrots into the processor and chopped them up for spagetti sauce. I do not think there is anything wrong with hiding veggies in food. It is doing them way more good than harm. I have not and will not go to the extreme of pureeing veggies, mainly because of time. I have a mini food processer that works at getting veggies pretty darn tiny so that works for me.

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I've been known to take baby food carrots, squash, and peas and mix them together and add them to spaghetti sauce and serve it to the Whole family and no one noticed!!!

Other than that, I can recommend a good book by the American Association of Pediatrics: "Guide to your child's nutrition" It lists different vegetables and what their 'fruit' equivalent would be. I.e. if your child won't eat broccoli, you can feed them strawberries and that is the nutritional equivalent. You can probably look it up on line as well, it might be on their website as well.

I'd continue offering, do the spaghetti thing to make *you* feel better and also offer a multi-vitamin and continue doing what you are doing. The "No, please" phrase is adorable by the way!! I have to add I could never 'get away' with hiding veggies, even cut up or grated very small. Ds always knew something was in there! I've also been known to say broccoli was 'parsley' when asked but then I'd feel guilty because I don't lie to ds!!

pureed cauliflower added to any pasta sauces. It works REALLY well in the pizza sauce too!

Make Quesadillas and put little bits of peas and green beans throughout and smother it with shredded cheese!