Helping Children Eat 

Children often prefer simple fruits and vegetables (such as carrot sticks or steamed broccoli) to complex salads and vegetable dishes.

Repeated exposure to fruits and vegetables is the key. If they don’t like it the first time wait a week and present the food again in the same form as before. Allow them to try a few bites and don’t insist that they eat a large serving. 

Children learn by example. If you eat and enjoy fruits and vegetables this will help them learn to enjoy them as well.

Allow your child to choose a new vegetable for the family to try each week. If they choose one you are not familiar with, ask the produce manager at the store how to prepare it.

Involve your children in helping to prepare and cook food. They will learn cooking skills and take a greater interest in what they eat. This is especially true if they have helped pick out and prepare a ‘special’ vegetable. It may be messy and more time consuming in the beginning but it will be worth the extra effort.

Keep fruit and vegetables cut up and ready-to-eat. Children are more likely to grab what is handy when they are hungry.