It can be a battle to get your kids to eat healthy foods. They snub broccoli, yell if they get cauliflower, and cry over carrots. They may even be of the opinion that anything that’s good for them must taste bad.

Fortunately, you don’t have to fight over vegetables and fruits every day at mealtime. There are easy and creative ways you can get your kids to eat their veggies, and like it!

Try these easy fixes to forego the arguments while serving healthy, nutritious foods to your children:

1. Learn to puree foods. If you can puree vegetables and fruits, then it’s easier to add them to any meal without your kids even noticing.

•  You can use a blender to puree foods. Another option is to cook the vegetables and fruits, then mash them with a fork or other utensil until they’re soft.
•  Once you’ve pureed the healthy foods, add them to dishes like soups, sauces, or salad dressings. It’s also easy to add them to meatballs or similar foods.

2. Add more fresh herbs. Fresh herbs can really enhance the taste and flavor of your meals. Your kids may actually learn to love fresh herbs if you present them as a fun way to dress up their meals instead of a requirement to eat healthy.

• Have a variety of fresh herbs available at mealtime such as thyme, basil, rosemary, and others. You can also use dry herbs if they’re more convenient and inexpensive.

3. Change cooking oils. Your kids probably won’t notice if you change the cooking oil. By changing cooking oils, you can get healthier fats into your daily dishes.

• Use olive oil or coconut oil. They’re both delicious, and your kids will enjoy eating them. Avocado oil is another option that has healthy fats that are good for your heart.

4. Sneak greens into pasta dishes. You can add spinach or other green leafy vegetables to noodles and pasta after they’re cooked. Chop them into very small pieces.

• Another option is to add green leaves such as spinach to lasagna before you bake it.
• Casserole dishes that you bake with noodles are also a good place to hide greens and vegetables.

5. Make more smoothies and juices. It’s easy to add a variety of vegetables and fruits to smoothies and juices. As long as the final product has some sweetness, your kids may actually beg you to make these more often.

•  You can add spinach, lettuce, carrots, peppers, and other veggies to the mix. Balance the flavors by including sweet fruits like strawberries, bananas, or blueberries.
•  You can even add healthy spices like turmeric that your kids won’t notice.
•  Another option is to add protein from protein powder, whey, or even scoop peanut butter into the mix.

Your breakfast, lunch, or dinner doesn’t have to turn into a battle over healthy food. Try creative ways to sneak more fruits and vegetables into your kids’ diets. They may never know your techniques, but they’ll certainly reap the health benefits.

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