Does anyone have any ideas on how to get a 9yr old picky eater to enjoy vegetables/salads? While I think he is perfect, my son has started to become quite conscious of his weight and is keen to eat healthier but is having a hard time with it. (He is a big eater and loves stuff like pasta and processed meats even though he knows they are not the healthiest options.) I already add hidden vegies to sauces etc, but want him to be able to eat them without having to mush and overcook them. He has a few favourite vegetables and I am sick of only eating those ones over and over. I need some healthy food or preparation ideas to help please! (Side not. Please don't talk about increasing exercise. He is a competitive sportsperson who trains for at least 7 hours intensely each week as well as recreational sports in the rest of his spare time).
4 Replies
My kids love vegetable frittata. We just grate anything we have, add cheese, 6 eggs and a little flour and cook in the pan like a pie. I serve with fish or sausages or wings.
My kids will eat just about any vegie raw with a little bit of low fat dressing or dip (hummus or tzatziki is our fav).
Stir frys are also good because you can add as much veg as you like (and broccoli, carrots, capsicum and zucchini taste much better mixed in with terriaki lol) and stir frys are satisfying for young lads with big appetites.
You could always try zucchini or carrot noodles too, get yourself one of those weird gadgets that shreds vege into 'noodles' and serve with his favourite pasta sauce.
I always steam veg as well, I just feel like it makes veggies taste better than boiled, so not sure if that's something you already do but it may help.
My kids love just plain steamed vegetables. But there is a fine line between mush over cooked and too crunchy, lol it's a fine art.
I also add spinach to just about ANYTHING and everything. We go through a jumbo pack every week. Its one of the best veggies and its tasteless majority of the time. So I'm talking every smoothie, sauce, omelette, stir fry, everything. I just cut up fine..
Cut back on potato and maybe look up plate portions and have your green veg the majority of the meal.
Switch his pasta for wholemeal/whole grain. Go grained bread, brown rice ect as it's lower GI then white and will keep him fuller longer.
Chow mein is our kids fav and I pack it when veg, grated and cut up fine. Other favourites is zucchini slice, quiche, Ommlette, stir fry, spay bol, sausage rolls,
All the above has spinach and grated carrot. Can add every other veggie that he likes too
I’m a lazy mum, you know those little satchels of white sauce, 40 seconds in the microwave and my son loves his veggies, the adults like it too. Not sure if it is fattening or not, you don’t put a lot on, my son is a skinny rake so I have the opposite problem.