Does Hiding Vegetable in Your Child’s Food Really Work?

Does Hiding Vegetables in Your Child’s Food Really Work? The pros and cons and what really matters long term!

We have all been there. Our kid refuses to touch the vegetables on their plate. We are left feeling frustrated and feeling like we must come up with a solution. We find a link on Pinterest named ‘Sneaky Hidden Vegetable Recipes” and we are sold! These recipes will surely get them to eat their vegetables. And guess what it often works! They drink the fruit smoothie loaded with kale, the sloppy Joe’s with veggies or zucchini muffins and they don’t even realize they just ate a vegetable they refused the other night. Win! Right?…

Unfortunately, this is only a short-term solution. Yes, your child eats their vegetables and gets in some nutrients but in the long run it doesn’t help your children build  healthy eating habits. Truth is most young children don’t love vegetables and that’s ok! Other plant based foods like fruits, starchy vegetables, grains, cereal, lentils and beans also have the same nutrients found in vegetables.  If they are eating a variety of these foods they are most likely getting the nutrients their body needs to grow and develop. Moral of this story is.. don’t worry too much if they don’t always eat their vegetables!

Getting kids to eat vegetables isn’t easy, but over time with consistent exposure to vegetables prepared in a variety of ways and seeing us adults eat them they will eventually eat some vegetables. The goal in exposing young children to vegetables is to get them to eat a variety of vegetables on their own when they are older and able to make healthy choices on their own.

So does hiding vegetables in your child’s food really work? The answer is yes it often gets children to eat the vegetables in the short term but it does not help build your child’s healthy eating habits in the long term. There is nothing wrong with adding vegetables into smoothies, baked goods or meat dishes but let your child know what is in the food they are eating and maybe have them help your prepare it. One way I do this is having my son help add the spinach into his smoothie or add and mix the carrots or zucchini into the muffin batter. Also, let adding vegetables into dishes be just one of the many ways you are offering and exposing your child to vegetables!