Explore the world of vegetables together with a rainbow vegetable chart
For families with younger kids, introducing new foods is about exploration and experience and when it comes to vegetables I suggest creating a ‘Rainbow Vegetable Chart’ with them.
Print a page with images of different coloured vegetables you would like your child to explore. You can easily download free ones off the internet. Start a conversation…Does your child recognise these vegetables? Are there any vegetables your child does like to eat? Which vegetables have they not tried? What is their favourite colour? Which shapes do they like? Is there a vegetable they are interested in? If there is more than one child, get them all involved.
The key is to ensure they feel part of the process, like they are also the decision makers.
Create a wall chart with the heading ‘My (or insert childs name) Rainbow Vegetable Chart’
Have your child select a new vegetable to try. Preferably one in season and of a colour of choice. Write this new vegetable on the chart. Ask them to draw a picture of the chosen vegetable.
Encourage your child to help select this new vegetable from the grocery store and ask them to help with the preparation – cutting, peeling, and cooking. Explore different ways to cook the vegetables with different flavours, shapes and textures. Eat the vegetables together and have a conversation about what they think, give them ownership of their tastebuds and empower them to decide for themselves what they like or don’t like about that vegetable. Tick it off the list and move on.
Be a veggie eating role model!
Normalise eating together. If you’re sitting at the table happily eating vegetables, you are being a role model for your child to also eat a variety of vegetables. We are our children’s greatest role models and if you have a healthy relationship with food, and show them you are happy to eat a variety of foods, then you are teaching your kids to do the same.
Remember it is about encouraging them to eat new foods, not forcing them or bribing them.
Test vegetables one at a time. If they enjoy that one, move on to another to try. If they don’t, then do the same and come back another time to try again and again. Nutrition Australia says that some children need to be offered a certain vegetable 10 times before they will decide to taste it, and then one more time before they will enjoy it. So as the saying goes…if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. And again!
And if all fails – yes you can be a little sneaky and disguise in foods they love - pasta sauces, smoothies etc.
I’ve got many other tips and hints. Contact me to find effective ways to win the veggie war.
Romy Bursztyn
An Integrative Nutritionist, Health & Wellness Coach, Nutrition Educator, freestyle cook and home kitchen garden hobbyist.