How to Get Your Kids to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

If you're a parent, especially of young children or toddlers, you may already know that getting some kids to eat their recommended allowance of fruits and veggies is not always easy. While there are a few kids that seem born with a love for all things healthy, most kids aren't as excited to have their fruits and vegetables. Often when parents try to force their children to eat right, it turns into a power struggle where the child continues to resist the more he feels he is being forced or coerced into something. So what can you do as a parent to get your child to eat the foods that are good for him and form healthy habits that will last for life?

Here are some ideas:

Spice it up. If your child doesn't like plain vegetables or fruits, there are some things you can do to spice it up. Try serving raw fruits or vegetables with a healthy, low fat dip.

Blend it. You can always try mixing different combinations of fruits and vegetables in a blender. You can add some low fat milk or yogurt to create a great shake that kids love.

Hide it. If your child refuses to eat veggies, another method to try is to slip them into other foods. You can make a soup, add broccoli to pizza or peppers and zucchini to spaghetti sauce. Get creative in the ways you can mix in those fruits and vegetables so your child is still getting them in their daily diet.

Allow your children to participate in buying the foods. Take him to the produce aisle and let him pick out foods that look interesting or that he wants to try. He will feel more in control of what he's eating and this will encourage him to eat more of the good stuff.

Allow your child to help prepare the meal. Most kids will love to try something that they had a hand in making. Let him in the kitchen (with safety, of course) and allow him to help prepare what you're going to eat.

Finally, remember the importance of setting the example. You must eat your fruits and veggies, too and show your child by example the healthy way to eat. If you scoff at or express distaste in fruits and vegetables, your child will likely follow suit.