“Unless you know how to cook the stuff like a champ or have been feeding it to them since they were small, most kids aren’t going to eat the stuff.” (source)

If you can’t get your kids to eat veggies, you’ve got a serious problem. It’s not simply an excuse to feed them animal products; it’s a potential nutritional disaster.

I’m a fine cook, but I’m most certainly not a “champ.” Yet somehow, my nephew likes to eat the vegan food I prepare for him. In fact, other people have complained that he’s very picky. Yet somehow he’ll eat most of the stuff I want him to eat. How do I do it?

First, I don’t make a big deal out of it. I expect him to eat it and I’m surprised if he doesn’t like what I like. That is, I treat the kid the way I’d like to be treated. I don’t treat him like he’s a foreign alien creature with totally different tastes than mine. I treat him like an adult, albeit, with slightly more sensitive taste buds.

Moreover, I don’t say anything negative about the food. I don’t make deals with him like “eat your veggies and then you’ll get dessert” because this says something negative about vegetables. Instead, I talk about how tasty the veggies are and if that doesn’t work I just put my foot down and tell him to “eat it.”

There’s obviously a balance between respecting the child’s choices and ensuring that they receive adequate nutrition. There’s a place to be lenient and there’s a place to be strict.

Next, I get him involved in the food preparation. This makes him feel like a helper and more like an adult. And since he has some “ownership” over the food, he’s more proud of it and more willing to eat it. This works like a charm, really.

Also, we eat the same things. There’s no special “kids meal” that’s loaded with fat and sugar. We dine together and we eat the same meal. We both need plenty of veggies to stay strong, so why not? Occasionally he can eat something specifically designed for kids, but that’s as a treat, not as a regular thing.

Then, I listen to him. When he says he doesn’t like something I listen and take that into account for next time. However, there’s a rule in my house that everything must be tasted. You don’t have to clean your plate, but you do have to try it all.

Lastly, it was his choice. He decided to go vegetarian himself when he was eight. Sure, I did a little convincing by taking him to Farm Sanctuary and by suggesting that he could go vegetarian half-time. But he’s the one who made the true decision. And he’s the one who is sticking to his commitment by choosing veggie options at school, at friends’ houses, and whenever he isn’t around vegetarian adults.

Likewise, I chose to go veg at age six. I didn’t need to be cajoled into eating my veggies. I just needed to be provided with a variety of interesting vegetarian foods. And my mom, willing to accommodate me, made that possible by getting some vegetarian and vegan cookbooks. There are even cookbooks designed specifically for vegan children. They don’t require expert chefs, just regular kids.

Give kids a choice - a true choice - and you may find many willing to go vegetarian or vegan. Those who choose to go veg will often gladly eat their veggies without any prodding or pulling.

For a few more ideas on raising veg kids, check out this post >>

Sections: Vegan Food, Vegan Resources
Topics: children, getting kids to eat, healthy kids, kids, stupid things omnivores say, veg, Vegan, veggies