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28th January 2025
02:25pm GMT
Trying to get little ones to try new foods - or even eat their veggies - can be a stressful task, leaving many parents searching for creative ways to sneak in some goodness.
Google searches for “kids veg” are up 29% at the moment, showing just how many of us are looking for clever ideas to keep our little ones healthy.
To help, mother and baby retailer JoJo Maman Bébé teamed up with nutritional therapy practitioner and mum Sandrine Olmi to offer expert advice on fussy eating and how to turn mealtimes into a more positive experience.
They even asked parents in the UK to share their best tricks for sneaking vegetables into their kids’ meals, from blending them into mashed potatoes to giving each veggie its own funny character voice.
According to Sandrine, there are four main reasons why kids can be fussy about food. Some children are naturally more sensitive to tastes, smells, and textures, which is common in neurodivergent kids.
Others may simply not have been exposed to a wide variety of foods if their family tends to stick to the same meals.
Then there’s the group who just aren’t interested in food yet and would rather eat what they know and move on to playtime.
Finally, some kids develop fussy eating habits after a bad or stressful experience with food.
The good news is that most children grow out of fussy eating. While some, particularly those with sensory sensitivities, may prefer their “safe” foods into adolescence, creating a positive and stress-free environment around food can help them gradually explore new things.
Sandrine spoke of the importance of avoiding pressure at mealtimes. “Food is there to be enjoyed,” she explained.
“If we create a stressful situation around food, children will be less likely to eat, as a stressed body cannot digest food as successfully. They’ll also likely remember the situation as a negative experience.”
So how can you encourage your little ones to eat their veggies without turning dinner into a battle? Sandrine suggests six simple but clever strategies.
First, offer veggies as snacks when kids are at their hungriest - like after school.
Give them vegetables in different forms, such as raw, cooked, mashed, or grated, to see what they prefer.
You can also sneak vegetables into baked goods like carrot cake or courgette muffins, or blend them into smoothies and sauces.
Getting kids involved in preparing meals is another great way to spark their interest in trying what they’ve made.
Hiding vegetables can work, too, but Sandrine said it’s all about balance. “I love making smoothies where I can add vegetables, like frozen cauliflower in a chocolate smoothie," she said.
“Beetroot and spinach pancakes are another favourite - they’re sweet, delicious, and easy to eat.”
At the end of the day, it’s all about fostering a positive and relaxed relationship with food.
