Vegetables for toddlers

[draught]

I am running out of ways to hide vegies for my nearly 3 year old to eat and am looking for new suggestions.

I have tried putting pureed veges in with bolognaise, shepherd's pie etc. She likes vegies when she doesn't know that she is eating them but won't eat them voluntarily and I am tired of battling over dinner. Bring on the suggestions please!:o

[the_queen]

On Better Homes and Gardens, they reckon you should get the kids involved in the vege garden, and as they themselves are growing the vege's, they will want to eat the end result.

That, of course, doesn't help you with tonight's dinner!!

Does she like mashed potato? Vallerie doesn't eat much vege's but she would eat mashed potato for breaky if I let her. I have put parsnip in with it, she didn't notice (plus she has tomato sauce all over everything so probably couldn't taste if it was different!)

Does she like salad? You could do the ole "face on a plate" trick with salad vege's..?

Or Pizza?? Vallerie will eat Pizza, especially if she's helped make it. We have sweetcorn, beans, broccoli, mushrooms, capsicum, tomatoes, etc etc (ie whatever is in the fridge ;) ) on Pizza, and Vally especially loves grating the cheese to go on top.

[draught]

Hmmm... I keep telling DH we need a vege garden. Could be time to get digging.

She won't eat salad - although I have got her onto cherry tomatoes recently so that is a step in the right direction.

I had forgotten pizza - shows how tired I am! Great idea - will give it a go and get her help make it. May even try for lunch.

Excellent idea queenie!

[tickle]

Lagasne (sp?)....
I hide heaps of spinach in that one. All the leafy greens!
Sorry, I'm looking for suggestions as much as you!
:)

[Nickster]

I've found that most vegies will become "chips" very easily.
Just chop into chip length portions, par boil or microwave steam and then give a light spray with oil, pop in oven for about 20 minutes and voila - chips!

Sweet potato, potato, carrot, parsnip, most "hard" vegies work well like this.
You can serve them with a dipping sauce, like a homemade salsa, or tahini, or a little grated cheese sprinkled over the top.

I wouldn't have them all the time because I don't like too much oil, but they make a nice treat.:)

[draught]

another couple of good ideas! And the chips thing might get her past the whole "I don't like vegies" thing too.

HL - will make lasagne when it isn't so hot in the kitchen - next century maybe:o

[wattle]

Last night I was thinking about corn fritters for some reason :confused: perhaps they would be popular? You could probably put other veg in too.

How about vegie muffins? Carrot muffins, or you can hide zuccini in them pretty well.

[sopolicha]

I have a recipe somewhere - (I will look around for it) for three veggie fritters. They have gone down a treat with my non-veggie eater.

Tomato sauce has also been a saviour - apparently nearly any vegetable is tolerable when dipped in tomato sauce.

When I was getting desperate, I found that grated carrot sprinkled with vinegar and a tiny bit of sugar was also tasty.

When all else fails just keep offering it over and over again - the war of attrition.

I also find that 'positive reinforcement' helps "Eat all your veggies and you can have a bit of ice-cream also works. Especially if his sister is eating ice-cream across the table.

[sopolicha]

Three Vegetable Fritters (http://www.sanitarium.com.au/row/recipe.html?rec-id=719)

There are also some good ideas here as well.

Have you tried wrapping veggies up in rice paper or pocket bread small enough for little hands. I found it also made a difference if they 'helped' to make the meal.

[Chickadee]

I took a recipe for apple & zucchini pikelets off the Heinz recipes. Use any basic pikelet recipe and mix a grated apple and grated zucchini into the batter. It doesn't end up being many veg in each pikelet, but every bit helps. I found the heinz recipe a bit bland so add cinnamon or nutmeg, or sprinkle a little sugar onto each pikelet before flipping them, or just use them as the base for other spreads (peanut butter etc).

[draught]

Vegies fritters - yum!!!
Have just printed out the recipe and will be giving them a try in the next day or so.
Thanks for the ideas - many I have heard before but had forgotten so you have all been really helpful! Martha - that rminds me that I have a recipe for vegie pikelets somewhere that I will look up too.
Alright - there is light at the end of the tunnel!

[xkwzit]

Hi Draught
Tomatoey pasta sauces can hide a lot of veges. A tip I picked up from DD daycare was to put grated zucchini in (even into creamy sauces). The kids can't see or taste it ;) , but DH hates that I'm sneaking zucchini into his food :D .

I have recipes for spag bol and meatballs in tomato sauce that have grated carrot and celery in and the kids eat both of those (sometimes :D ).

Good luck