Some people like to smuggle vegies by cooking them, mashing them and re-adding them to dishes where they get cooked again and served to unwitting children. Have you heard of this method?
Unless your child is severely vegie-resistant and you’re looking for a starting point that guarantees success, I would avoid doing this. Why?…
1. By the end of this process, most of the vegie’s nutritional benefits are gone.
2. It’s too much work for time-poor parents to manage.
3. The kids don’t learn how delicious healthy eating can be.
I prefer a ‘chop chop’ method. Start with gorgeous fresh, raw produce and grate it or chop it into such small pieces that kids can’t easily identify or pick it out of their dinner.
People have complained to me, ‘but you’re not hiding the vegies – I can see them!’ to which I’ll reply, “yes, because you want your kids to realise that vegies are there, but to still eat them anyway’. If the little bits are all cooked together into a delicious and tasty whole meal, the kids will eat it (of course there are exceptions!) Mostly though, if they can’t identify exactly what vegie is what and if they’re enjoying the meal then their motivation to protest will be low.
The aim is to eventually get kids eating the way you do, so you might start off grating everything, but after a while you can move on to chopping and dicing things finely. Then the pieces can get bigger and bigger until you’re just cooking like normal. This process can take a couple of years and possibly you’ll have to backtrack if you push them too far (if you see them crying, with a huge chunk of zucchini on their fork, you’ll know that you need to go back to grating for a while).
So I recommend everyone take the time to buy a good kitchen knife and learn to use it (there’s a stack of videos online showing you how). You don’t need to be a whizz, just competent and safe. Buy yourself a good grater, too.
And also rely on gadgets to do the work for you. I use my mini-stick blender all the time. I use it to make breadcrumbs, chop vegies, whizz up homous and even make banana ice cream.
You can WIN this baby.
Luckily for one reader, today I’ve got an Avancer food processor to give away. In the larger machine you can make coleslaw, combine meatball mixtures, blend soups – all bound to give you vegie-smuggling success.
This meatball mix will be a doddle in it…
Hidden veg meatballs in an ALL VEG soup. Genius. And delicious.
Italian meatballs
Make a double batch of these meatballs and freeze. They work great in all kinds of tomato soups and pasta sauces (like this one).
500g pork/veal mince
1 slice stale bread (any type)
2 tsp Italian herbs
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 carrot, peeled, roughly chopped
1/2 red capsicum, roughly chopped
1 egg, lightly whisked
Preheat the oven to 200C. Line your largest baking tray with foil and spray well with olive oil spray.
Use your food processor to make breadcrumbs with the bread. Also add in the garlic and herbs and blitz to get heavenly, fragrant breadcrumbs.
Quickly blitz the carrot, then the capsicum. Pop in the mince; toss the egg on top and pulse to bring the mix together. Pop on some kitchen gloves and roll meatballs and place on the tray. If you have the time and patience, keep them nice and bite-sized (plus they cook faster).
Spray the meatballs with more oil spray and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the tray, carefully turn them over and return to the oven for 10 minutes more until golden outside and fully cooked through.
Makes enough for 2 adults and 2-3 kids, depending on what you add them into.
_____________________________________
WANT TO WIN THE FOOD PROCESSOR? You need to be a Vegie Smugglers subscriber, based in Australia. And since Avancer have given me the prize, you might want to check out all the Avancer products here. Simply enter by commenting below about which vegies you find the hardest to get your kids to eat. Entries close Thursday Oct 24, 8pm AEDT. ****THANKS FOR YOUR ENTRIES! AVANCER HAVE PICKED THE WINNER – CONGRATULATIONS ALISON WHITE, HOPE YOU ENJOY THE FOOD PROCESSOR!
Katie said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:44 pm
I find getting my kids to eat green vegies the hardest (eg broccoli)
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:45 pm
I sneak a cup of broccoli in here… https://vegiesmugglers.com.au/2011/06/19/meat-free-monday/
Katie said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:14 pm
Awesome 🙂
Jennifer Thompson said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:32 pm
William doesn’t like any vegs if he knows they are there. Vegetables need to be grated or disguise so that you cannot tell he is eating a veggie!!
Tanya Helyar said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:44 pm
Pumpkin-which is strange because it’s my favourite!
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:46 pm
This is how my kid’s like pumpkin! https://vegiesmugglers.com.au/2011/07/31/the-best-way-to-smuggle-red-lentils/
Carly W said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:45 pm
Cooked capsicum! My 4 year old daughter loves it raw but won’t eat it cooked.
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:47 pm
what about grilled? https://vegiesmugglers.com.au/2010/09/07/because-there%E2%80%99s-more-to-life-than-slaving-in-the-kitchen/
Lauren said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:47 pm
Any raw veggies/salad is impossible for me at the moment. Very frustrating!
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:48 pm
what about a nice dressing? I’m having success with a honey/mustard one at the moment.
Rachael said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:49 pm
I really struggle to get my twins to eat Pumpkin, Sweet potato and carrot……….something to do with orange vegies maybe 😦
It could be something to do with 3 year old boys being all green for go or red for stop with no in between speed!
Sarah said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:49 pm
Peas and Corn are the hardest for my 3 year old! No matter what they’re in he’ll often just pick them all out!
sue said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:50 pm
My 3 year old will eat almost anything – spinach, peas, carrot, eggplant & mushrooms – but will. not. eat. broccoli.
no matter how many times we tell him its a tree, or that the hulk likes broccoli (thats why he’s green!) he just will not eat it!
Amber Board said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:50 pm
My son won’t eat anything green because to him green means veges and veges equal healthy. No go for him.
Peta Kidd said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:50 pm
My 7yo daughter is picky beyond belief! Most vegies I struggle to get into her. Beans, capsicum, cauliflower, pumpkin. She’ll only have potato roasted. Carrot & zucchini I grate.
rooey5 said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:51 pm
I find pumpkin the hardest, which is a shame because I love pumpkin soup!
Kate Carr said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:52 pm
Green beans are the hardest to get my kids to eat.
Joanna said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:52 pm
Broccoli is my sons nemesis! He lets me tickle his tongue with it, even sometimes he will suck a tiny few ‘hairs’ as he calls them, but when he actually swallows it, well lets just say I end up with a massive mess to clean up! Any ideas?
Natalie Williams said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:52 pm
Green beans are not a favourite at my house! This year I’m going to grow my own and see if they like them (like I do) straight from the garden.
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:56 pm
I’m suprised how many kids don’t like beans! the one thing my kids like to munch on raw. I use them as dippers. Growing your own is a great idea. Sweeter and more fun!
Natalie Williams said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:56 pm
PS I love your meatballs – enjoyed the lamb and feta ones – in the oven so easy and no mess! Been watching for years, love your work, only just got brave enough to post!
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:57 pm
thanks for taking the time Natalie! x
Carlie said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:52 pm
For my 2 yr old who I’m very lucky to have like just about every veggie in any form- smuggled or not- she always picks out lettuce 😉 !
Hope said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:53 pm
Greens like broccoli and beans for my 3 year old. Strangely enough, Kale in smoothies is fine.
Thankfully the 6 month old is quite happy to have a chew on Broccoli or beans, as well as carrots being a favourite. Asparagus is too difficult when you only have two bottom teeth though.
(Veggies are fine, but getting legumes into the ‘kid’ in his 40’s is the tricky bit)
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:54 pm
i hear about these 40 year old kids a surprising amount, Hope!
Dena Davies said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:54 pm
Spinach! My son (with ASD) prefers hot food and I find spinach does not “do it textuturally” for him when heated but your cookbooks have been a wonderful inspiration to get all sorts of ingredients into his diet! Perhaps I need to finally try a green smoothie using this food processor…
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:55 pm
ah! yes, a green smoothie works wonders… try this one… https://vegiesmugglers.com.au/2013/03/14/how-to-smuggle-vegies-at-breakfast/
Laura Johns said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:54 pm
Pumpkin, I don’t understand it because Pumpkin is delicious! one day they will come around ….. one day!
kylieinfrance said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:55 pm
Zucchini! I can hide it if I peel it, but that takes away half the goodness…. It’s frustrating that they won’t eat it because it really has a very mild taste
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:56 pm
yep, but eventually you’ll be able to stop peeling it, stop grating it etc etc. best have it there with a lower nutritional content rather than not at all. I grate it and chuck it into nearly everything!
kararasmanis said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:56 pm
my 4yo and 2yo both eat broccoli and peas but wont eat pumpkin or sweet potato either unless its soup… and if i mix it with mashed potato they hate it even more….and i have tried raw tomato so many times and they both try it but spit it out in disgust.. I did get the 4yo to eat kale chips YAY….
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:58 pm
I started sneaking my raw tomatoes in with a bit of sugar… https://vegiesmugglers.com.au/2012/04/12/fifty-shades-of-red-the-best-way-to-smuggle-raw-tomato/
these days they eat cherry toms without any dressing although they love a bit of balsamic!
Penny Stibbards said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:58 pm
My 3rd child, 6 years old, resists most vegetables and won’t eat anything with any type of sauce on it. No spag bol, no veggie bakes, no lasagna, the list goes on! The only veggie he will eat without complaint it carrot. Green veggies are the hardest to get past his lips.
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:59 pm
meatballs might be your saviour. keep them out of the sauce, chuck a heap of different vegies in (including beans – just blitz them up first.) I’ve got a few different recipes throughout the blog.
Beck Williams said,
October 21, 2013 @ 2:59 pm
Basically anything in it’s original form!! Broccoli, lettuce.
Lynette Strudwick said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:01 pm
My children are not fond of any veggies except corn. They love fruit. My ‘fussy’ 4 year old is finally starting to enjoy dinner since cooking from your cookbooks. His favourites are Mac and Cheese, Yakitori Skewers and Beef and Lentil Fajitas. Thanks Wendy.
Carla Smith said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:03 pm
Unfortunately I struggle with all vegetables. My fussy 4 1/2 yr old boy has not eaten a vegetable since he was 18 months unless it was completely hidden (pureed or finely grated). He has finally started to at least taste and try, although he still doesn’t ‘like’ anything.
Melanie said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:04 pm
At the moment is is just about everything I struggle with my 2 year old will just not eat vegies, but broccoli is by far the worst!
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:56 pm
Start here… 🙂 https://vegiesmugglers.com.au/2013/08/13/is-your-toddler-a-fussy-eater-heres-how-to-solve-it/
Shannon Long said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:04 pm
Definitely broccoli.
Amy Gibson said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:07 pm
I struggle with getting Miss 4 to have broccoli, leafy greans, cauliflower, mushrooms…
Also out is blueberries, any citrus fruit and pears.
Doesn’t stop me from trying though!
Melanie Hunter said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:09 pm
Cooked mushrooms always cause issues with my 4 year old. She finds the texture too slimy. She still gets them given to her in various forms. Luckily she continues to try them.
Erin Nicholls said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:10 pm
Anything green! Broccoli & peas are things that my toddler refuses to eat. I grate zucchini & just say it’s cucumber & he’ll eat it!!
Tasch B-W said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:11 pm
My 3yr old son is pretty good with veggies when I chop them up small, except green beans & carrot.
Leelee said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:13 pm
Capsicum and broccoli are firm non-favourites amongst my six kids. They happily gobble up most others but these ones are a no-go.
Natalie said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:14 pm
My 3 year old son used to love broccoli, but now I find it really difficult to get him to eat even half a floret!
Claire said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:15 pm
I totally agree about grating or dicing finely to help kids learn that they are eating veggies – and sometimes enjoying them! I love the surprise on my younger boys faces (aged nearly 3 and 5) when they realise they like something new. My 5 year old recently proclaimed raw red capsicum tastes like apple! The hardest veg to get into them is raw tomato but they do both enjoy cooked tomato based sauces such as bolognese (packed with other finely chopped veg too!) and mushrooms are a challenge too! thanks for your fab blog. How do I subscribe? Thanks, Claire 🙂
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:55 pm
you pop your email address in on the right hand column…
Karlie said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:20 pm
My 2 year old won’t eat vegetables that aren’t mashed or grated into food.
Kristin McGuckin said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:22 pm
I can happily smuggle some chopped up capsicum, broccoli or mushrooms in to sauces and stews but haven’t found any successful ways to get salad vegetables into meals! Thing like lettuce and cucumber constantly baffle me, they are rejected and left when served as is, surely there is a veggie smuggler trick to it?!
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:53 pm
Dressings. And my kids got used to the whole salad concept with this one… https://vegiesmugglers.com.au/2011/12/18/thank-you-and-an-essential-summer-salad/
Vivian said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:28 pm
Parsnip. Even when I cut them up to resemble potato chips they still won’t try them.
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:52 pm
mashed in with potatoes? Cauliflower works well that way too 🙂
Tina Wilkinson said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:31 pm
My 3year old daughter will not eat green beans!
Diane said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:41 pm
Mine won’t eat broccoli, cauli and raw tomato. I bought a fantastic julienne peeler and have had more success with that presentation but it isn’t suitable for many vegies!
Claire said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:41 pm
I have so much trouble getting mine to eat spinach. Mr6 refuses carrot which he used to love (frustration much) and for Miss4 mushrooms, although she loves cutting them up for us. Unusually they both like their “baby trees”. I would be so thrilled to win this, first thing made would be these meatballs in your vegenaise sauce.
Sandra K said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:49 pm
We have had some success with the grating method but zucchini or eggplant or mushrooms in slices is still too confronting. Leafy greens are met with upturned noses. Thanks for all the great ideas.
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:51 pm
eggplant finely diced always melds nicely into lamb mince.
Tammy Baarda said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:50 pm
My kids will eat almost any vegetable cooked or raw (almost any food actually.) It is my husband I am trying to smuggle pumpkin and sweet potatoes passed.
Pauline Lavrischeff said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:52 pm
I find that my son won’t eat most veggies unless they are hidden and completely undetectable. He can’t stand potato in any form.
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:54 pm
Maybe try him with gnocci?
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:54 pm
sorry. link here! https://vegiesmugglers.com.au/2010/10/14/the-best-way-to-smuggle%E2%80%A6-potatoes/
Pauline Lavrischeff said,
October 21, 2013 @ 3:59 pm
He has had store bought gnocchi and almost made himself throw up. I will try your recipe. Thank you for that.
Nicole Zois said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:03 pm
None of my 3 kiddies will eat capsicum, cooked or raw. Such a pity because it adds such a nice flavour to so many dishes.
Emma said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:06 pm
I love snow peas and sugar snap peas, particularly in stir-fries, but am yet to convince my kids to eat them?
town84 said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:14 pm
Haven’t convinced my kids to eat snow peas or sugar peas yet!
Emma said,
October 21, 2013 @ 6:33 pm
Eep, sorry that is my reply above at 65 as well – my computer was playing silly buggers and said I hadn’t posted when clearly I had. Sorry – wasn’t trying to rort the system (though for a working food processor it may well have been worth a shot 😉 lol)
leigh Andrews-Schulz said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:21 pm
I find spinich the hardest to hide doesn’t matter how fine I chop it he will find it!
Candice said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:22 pm
Corn is the worst for my daughter. She spots that “yellow stuff” as she calls it in anything!!
Bonita Genaris said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:26 pm
Mushrooms! They can spot the most teensiest morsel at 50 paces, and carry on as if I was asking them to sacrifice their first born. Still, more for me I suppose 😉
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:37 pm
you can try this! https://vegiesmugglers.com.au/2010/06/09/the-best-way-to-smuggle%E2%80%A6-mushrooms-is-with-a-bit-of-bacon/
Bonita said,
October 21, 2013 @ 6:25 pm
Thanks Wendy, I shall try and report back!
leimaycherry said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:27 pm
Zucchini is the hardest to get my four to eat. I grate it into lots as its one of my favourites (practically lived on it during my first pregnancy)
leimaycherry said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:30 pm
Although the husband barely eats any vegetables which is sooo infuriating and doesn’t help with the kids
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:37 pm
tell him to man up! vital that he sets a good example and crucial for his own health!
Rebecca Harding said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:28 pm
All Veges. I have a fussy eater that won’t eat Veges on the plate nor hidden.
Jo said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:30 pm
Mushrooms. The three year old won’t touch them, and therefore neither will the 19 month old!
Jenny Louise Wright said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:31 pm
everything. especially green ones! my 5yo son asks me if there is food in his dinner! god bless him. if only he knew what i blended up and fed him in his smoothies! (the good green stuff!). love a good food processor and blender. mine is about to give up so this would be very useful in my house.
lokinicole said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:31 pm
My toddler only likes peas and corn! He has eaten other stuff but only smuggled. I’ve even put puree veges into banana smoothies!
Alison White said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:41 pm
My daughter doesn’t eat any veggies that she’s aware of, and I struggle to get her to eat stuff I’ve hidden them in! 😦
Katharine said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:50 pm
Any green veggies except for broccoli (cos they are dinosaur trees) 😉
Catherine said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:55 pm
I struggle to get my 3 yr old to eat any veggies although my 8 yr old has always eaten everything put in front of her! It’s very frustrating this time around and am always needing creative ideas:)
Jodie Warner said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:56 pm
Broccoli and most things green unless it’s completely pulverized in a bolognaise sauce!
Janette Jones said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:56 pm
Loves his greens but won’t eat anything orange. Pumpkin, sweet potato, carrot. He also won’t eat any fruit which drives me crazy.
Jenny said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:56 pm
I have one son that won’t touch tomatoes but will eat carrots like a rabbit and the other that eats cherry tomatoes by the punnet but baulks at carrots. And an 11 month old who will eat almost anything and everything! But all of them draw the line at brussel sprouts.
Allison said,
October 21, 2013 @ 4:59 pm
I find since following your blog the list of veggies my kids won’t eat is slowly decreasing! But the hardest ones for them to eat are probably the ones that are typically cooked veg – like broccoli, cauliflower, and definitely squash and brussels sprouts! They love salad though!!
Kristen said,
October 21, 2013 @ 5:08 pm
We have (sometimes reluctant) success with carrots, beans, brocolli, peas and corn in ‘big’ form, but most others have to be hidden to be eaten.. zucchini gets grated into lots of things, sweet potato only really gets eaten when mashed & mixed in with quesadilla mix, potato is only eaten as chips, spinach goes in smoothies/ice blocks, sausage rolls or pizza (chopped small), mushrooms and eggplant get chopped finely for pizza… My 3yo is better at eating veggies than his 5yo brother, but we are slowly getting there..
Sonia @ Natural New Age Mum said,
October 21, 2013 @ 5:08 pm
My kids are pumpkin haters…. unless of course it’s in soup….. go figure!
Alli said,
October 21, 2013 @ 5:19 pm
Peas! I swear she can smell them before the plate has even hit the table- and I do everything to hide them!
Cherie Curtis said,
October 21, 2013 @ 5:25 pm
My 5 yr old eats most vegies now except mushrooms! I can’t even disguise them in sauces! But my 2 yr old is proving difficult with anything green. Help please! 🙂
Rebecca said,
October 21, 2013 @ 5:33 pm
Each of my children ear different vegies, they all like carrot and potatoes but 1 loves brocoli, 1 loves corn, 1 loves peas which makes dinner time very trying!
Née-Née Mills said,
October 21, 2013 @ 5:44 pm
i find it hard to get them to get lettuce
Nadine said,
October 21, 2013 @ 5:50 pm
My little boys literally gags when he sees a spec of green in his food
And he shows no interest in any ‘salad’ vegies apart from maybe carrot if the mood strikes him!
Mary Preston said,
October 21, 2013 @ 6:06 pm
As toddlers my children ate everything. I thought I was so clever. Then reality hit. My daughter does not like peas because she thinks they are mushy – totally not so – & for my son it’s pretty much all the green veg.
liaburtonLia said,
October 21, 2013 @ 6:45 pm
Peas! Mind you I am a reformed peaphobe. Those glistening green jewels only get love from one of my three, and she only eats the middle leaving the skin, weird I know. Having them growing in the vegie garden has resulted in comments such as “I can’t wait to gobble these up”. Time will tell.
Angela said,
October 21, 2013 @ 6:51 pm
My 4 yr old loves his carbs of course, is finally eating meat in small amounts BUT veggies of any description are avoided at all costs- EXCEPT peas- once he works out he could swallow them without chewing it became an eating “trick”!! Hurrah! If only I can think of “tricks” for the other veggies 🙂
Robin said,
October 21, 2013 @ 7:17 pm
I find getting any vegetables that are not mashed into my daughter a struggle….Have had to get quite adept at vege smuggling!
Leah said,
October 21, 2013 @ 7:29 pm
So far my 9mo I’d pretty good with everything! Fingers crossed she stays that way!!!
susievenkat said,
October 21, 2013 @ 7:31 pm
Mushrooms – for some reason the 10yo decided, years ago, she didn’t like the taste of mushies and her little sister has decided to copy. Frustrating cause we oldies would love the occasional carbonara or stroganoff. I do put them in the bolognaise and the occasional pasta bake – but it gets picked out from the pasta bake cause its identifiable!!!
Abbe said,
October 21, 2013 @ 7:35 pm
Currently Master 2 isn’t overly impressed with carrot and pumpkin. Lately neither have tasted that great to me either so hopefully our homegrown ones will be better and therefore more enticing.
Abbe
Emma said,
October 21, 2013 @ 8:00 pm
My 5yr old will eat all her veggies – her favourite is broccoli! But my 3yr old is really fussy and even if I think I have hidden them enough, she stills manages to find the veggies and picks them out!
Wendy G said,
October 21, 2013 @ 8:23 pm
My 18 month old twins won’t eat any salad. They’ve completely gone off avocado & cucumber which they use to eat when weaning. They’ve never eaten raw tomato but eat it in cooked pasta sauce.
Pam said,
October 21, 2013 @ 8:40 pm
Broccoli… and I find it too strongly flavoured to add to things like bolognaise sauce etc. My kids will happily eat bolognaise, stews etc where the veg is all cooked up, but struggle with larger pieces. Although we recently had success with carrot & celery sticks and a cup of dip (we started with beetroot & feta) – they loved the dipping so much they actually ate some raw celery and carrot for the first time ever! (I’m ashamed to admit that this 32-yr-old kid is the pickiest of us all and it was the first time I’d ever tried beetroot, even in a dip – I liked it!)
Bec said,
October 21, 2013 @ 8:42 pm
Neither of my girls will eat squash which is frustrating because it’s my favourite! Also, one will not eat carrots cooked and the other won’t eat them raw. :p
Lizborchert said,
October 21, 2013 @ 9:13 pm
Mr 3 refuses avocado, mushrooms, leafy greens & eggplant.
Debbie said,
October 21, 2013 @ 9:27 pm
Broccoli…Mr 10 ate it for dinner at my sisters once when he was 5 and immediately threw up, he remembers it so clearly and to this day refuses to eat ‘that stuff’. Miss 7 struggles with cooked veggies, so we keep it raw, but due to aforementioned brothers broccoli experience, she too will not eat ‘that stuff’.
K Nolan said,
October 21, 2013 @ 9:37 pm
Like everything, my boys go through stages with which vegies they feel like eating and which they don’t…
That is why I am now following vegie smugglers.
Don’t all mums smuggle vegies at some point… either for their kids or for their partners !!
bectis132 said,
October 21, 2013 @ 9:48 pm
Both my kids could find a sliver of onion in a haystack! Considering I generally use onions in nearly all the main meals I cook it’s rather frustrating….
wendyblume said,
October 21, 2013 @ 10:07 pm
Do you grate it? You get a nice onion paste with a bit of flavour but no chunks. Worth trying.
Kerry said,
October 21, 2013 @ 10:50 pm
Pumpkin is always the hardest to get my two boys to eat, no matter how ‘smuggled’ it is!
jbmarigoldJennifer B. said,
October 21, 2013 @ 10:54 pm
It’s BRUSSELS SPROUTS that never get a look-in here… but that’s OK because I know we’ll survive on other greens and my two may well graduate as they age! 🙂
jbmarigold said,
October 21, 2013 @ 10:56 pm
It’s BRUSSEL SPROUTS that never get a look-in here… but that’s OK because we survive on all the other greens and my two may even graduate as they age! 🙂
Carla said,
October 21, 2013 @ 11:08 pm
Eggplant for us!
NatalieG said,
October 21, 2013 @ 11:16 pm
I can’t get my boys to eat cauliflower, not even if I make cauliflower cheese.
Angela Hargrave said,
October 21, 2013 @ 11:21 pm
One of my children, Master 3. Nothing! Wont eat anything. I am at my wits end with him, been serving him meals his whole life for him to walk away and an hour later ask for a banana or a yoghurt or some toast. The other children will eat anything and I often have to prepare extra veggies as they eat them before I even cook the meal.
We keep saying… one day he will just surprise as all
Jo said,
October 22, 2013 @ 1:35 am
Credit where it’s due – my 3yo & 5yo are pretty good in the grand scheme of things, they mostly get through most of their food, albeit at an infuriating snail’s pace sometimes! They both have their ‘everests’ of the vegie world to climb though. For my 3yo that’s potato (what kid doesn’t like spud??) & cauliflower, for the 5yo it’s broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot… you get the idea.
BUT they both LOVE your Witches Stew Soup. Even without the ‘crunchy toast’ (on a lazy mummy night), it’s guaranteed to produce empty bowls all round (& one happy mummy). Sometimes I swap the green peas for pearl barley, reduce the amount of stock & skip the blending. I poach some chicken tenderloins towards the end & serve it with rice. Yum 🙂
Sarah said,
October 22, 2013 @ 8:15 am
All of the green vegetables! Except broccoli because “they’re trees mum!”
Jilly said,
October 22, 2013 @ 8:21 am
I find for my 5 year old boy it’s broccoli, zucchini , spinach, green beans, sweet corn and asparagus, ooh, and not forgetting mushrooms and red capsicum. (So as you can see, he loves his vegetables 😉 – I blend a lot). The 3 year old boy won’t eat mushrooms or red capsicum.
I love your blog as I like the witty way that you write which keeps me entertained whilst trawling through the recipes to find a suitable one for my finicky five year old fusspot.
Thanks for the advice and yummy recipes 🙂
Christina said,
October 22, 2013 @ 9:52 am
I find it hardest to get my 4 children to eat brussel sprouts….
Joyce Watts said,
October 22, 2013 @ 11:04 am
Bitter greens and Chinese veg are pretty hard going with my kids – though recently I’ve had success putting kale into smoothies which they love!
Vanessa said,
October 22, 2013 @ 1:37 pm
For my 2.5 yr old daughter, it used to be every vegetable except broccoli that ended up on the floor. Now she will at least try other vegetables. Most of my cooking comes from your books, and i honestly think its your recipes that has widened her pallet for vegies. She still refuses to eat raw tomato, avocado and mushrooms. But if hidden, there is no real problem. Much better than she used to be 🙂
MelB said,
October 22, 2013 @ 2:09 pm
Anything green with the exception of cucumber..I’ve tried offering them green smoothies and they turned their nose up at just the colour of it whereas if the smoothie is the colour of chocolate or pink they’ll give it a try. So I sneak some spinach in their chocolate milkshake..
Jemimah said,
October 22, 2013 @ 2:10 pm
My 4 year old won’t eat any vegetable that isn’t a carrot, she is particularly resistant to vegetable and any food that is new. She used to be wonderful and eat mostly anything for me. Have been trying to expand what she eats but it isn’t going very well at all. Its a success if I can get her to try any new kind of food. My 15 month old on the other hand is wonderful and eats almost any vegetable that i give her…for now.
Annie said,
October 22, 2013 @ 2:23 pm
According to the adage,
Everything tastes better with cabbage,
To get her to eat it,
I just can’t achieve it,
Perhaps one day I will manage!
Sharon said,
October 22, 2013 @ 2:42 pm
Leafy greens. I would love a decent blender so that I can try the kids on Dinosaur juice! Unfortunately my blender is just not cut our for such fibrous veggies!
Christine Hayes said,
October 22, 2013 @ 7:43 pm
I am lucky, my two boys will eat mostly anything. Except, zucchini. I grate it into everything, but they love zucchini slice???
Lia said,
October 22, 2013 @ 8:31 pm
Peas! Oh wait, that’s me. My kids can’t cope with broccoli except when I put it into chocolate cupcakes. They know it’s in there but the love of chocolate wins out.
Megan said,
October 22, 2013 @ 8:47 pm
Zucchini is a no go for my son, which is a shame because I love it!
Elaine Goh said,
October 22, 2013 @ 8:58 pm
I find it hard to get my kids to eat carrot, sweet potato, green beans and broccoli.
Kari McCormack said,
October 22, 2013 @ 9:10 pm
It depends what day it is as to which vegies my kids will reject. One day they will eat zucchini, the next they behave as though I served up a plat of poison. Today it was mushrooms – apparently they only like the ones from the kinder centre! I need to remain highly creative with vegies so they don;t get bored.
Fiona Glen said,
October 23, 2013 @ 12:09 am
My son will eat everything except onion! So funny. He will even eat asparagus and cauliflower and broccoli. But if he tastes a sliver of onion….the mouthful comes back out! He’s a crackup. Pretty proud of him anyway. And love your blog. Thanks for your awesomeness
Marney Jefferies said,
October 23, 2013 @ 9:09 am
This is a no brainer…Brussel Sprouts! My kids with your help eat most of their veggies and lots of them are now raw! But this one is a real challenge
Bronwyn Bant said,
October 23, 2013 @ 12:28 pm
I can’t get my little man (2 1/2) to eat any raw vegetables. And veggies such as pumpkin & carrots are an issue unless there’s a fair amount of smuggling involved!
Nikki Hamalainen said,
October 23, 2013 @ 9:45 pm
Wow…how much space can I take up?! My adorable but especially fussy 4 year old will only eat mash potato, extremely finely grated carrot – I get a cup or two of v8 juice into him each day too. We are off to a dietician next month to hopefully get to the bottom of his phobias. Your blog is a real inspiration for me, thank you!
Megan Carnie said,
October 24, 2013 @ 8:05 am
Broccoli, it has a distinctive taste that one my son always detects.
Jo said,
October 24, 2013 @ 1:57 pm
Potatoes! I can’t figure out why, but neither my 18 month old or 4 yr old will touch it no matter how it is prepared or smuggled!
thesimplestpleasures said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:02 pm
Luke loves most veges as long as they’re chopped up and in the form of pasta sauce. But I struggle to encourage him to eat carrot or cucumber sticks, for example. I wish I could because they’re a great snack that’s super easy!
Danielle said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:05 pm
Pretty much anything green or orange is picked out. Even though he tells me likes peas and carrots, he practically makes himself vomit if we ask him to eat a piece. And he then scrubs his tongue clean just to make sure all possible taste is removed! Puree them up though, mix them through a sauce or mince and he eats them without a fuss.
jildou said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:05 pm
I have a challanging time getting my kids to eat green leafy vegetables. I love a foodprocessor to make more variety in the meals for the whole family!
sonya said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:09 pm
My kids won’t eat any capsicum, which I don’t understand because it’s so yummy – how can they not like it??
Melinda K said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:09 pm
Both of my children will have trouble eating pumpkin (I did as a kid), mushroom, and lettuce.
Julian said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:10 pm
Green vegies. My daughter won’t eat any green vegies, and given most vegies are green, this is a problem!
Jenni said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:19 pm
My nearly four year old won’t eat broccoli, pumpkin, sweet potato or peas but he loves olives, carrots, tomatoes and baby spinach so more often than not dinner comes with a side salad!
Janet Torrance said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:20 pm
I used to spend hours chopping and slicing all vegies to smuggle into foods. The kids would STILL find them. Struggles turned to Smuggles with the Vegie Smugglers products. I have the healthiest, happiest kids. The products saved my sanity !!! Love to cook and kids love to eat it all. A processor is something that could save me ever more time !!!
mangan said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:21 pm
It’s a strange one,
but my son hates potatoe.
Vyktoria S said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:24 pm
Any new vegetables are the hardest so we’re stuck with peas, carrots and celery at the moment while our 3 year old gets used to having a new baby in the house 😦
Charlene keefe said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:26 pm
I have one child that refuses anything orange and detests mashed potato and the other child will not touch anything green. Makes dinner time a nightmare!
Jocelyn said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:27 pm
My 2 year old dd will eat broccoli but has never liked pumpkin! Go figure! 🙂
JohnKerry Follent said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:32 pm
Brussel sprouts, cabbage and capsicum
Emily Leeming said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:36 pm
Peas and carrot are challenging but the worst is pumpkin and beans
Nadine maher said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:43 pm
It’s beyond impossible to get my little one interested in lettuce, or anything green really!
bree said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:44 pm
anything with colour for the eldest! If its there, he will find it!
Jane Wilson said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:45 pm
Eggplant and mushrooms,neither will my kids touch,they just look at me as if I’m mad for even trying to entice them with bribes
AmandaMcHale said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:48 pm
Pumpkin soup. Winner! Pumpkin on its own. Fail 😦
Anita Hancock said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:48 pm
my 10 year old won’t eat any vegetable except potato and the odd carrot. i need to get some greens into him! 🙂
Cassie said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:55 pm
Pumpkin is the worst vegie to get my kids to eat, but I make delicious choc pumpkin cupcakes that they love 😉
Katherine said,
October 24, 2013 @ 2:59 pm
my 5 year old dd loves most vegies, not mushrooms or salad though. My 15 month old ds loves meat and fruit, but not vegies at all, not even mash. I’d love him to eat just any again really, and a new food processor would really help as my one is on the way out!
kerry santillo said,
October 24, 2013 @ 3:03 pm
cauliflower and beans. Have tried being a vegie smuggler and hide them in other foods but they are to smart 😛
Debbie Dixon said,
October 24, 2013 @ 3:07 pm
My lovely 2 year won’t try any vegetables except potato. Green vegetables, especially broccoli are met with a look of horror! No fruit either, I’m tearing my hair out 😦
bubble936 said,
October 24, 2013 @ 3:10 pm
broccoli and bell peppers are the hardest ,
they never make way to my son’s tummy.
Poor mummy is constantly on google,
to find out ways to sneak them in …
Gabbi said,
October 24, 2013 @ 3:23 pm
I find it hard for my little ones to eat green veggies!
Julia Mason said,
October 24, 2013 @ 3:23 pm
Broccoli will always remain untouched in plates and bowls, much to my gentle positive persuasion, it aint happening!
Irena said,
October 24, 2013 @ 3:33 pm
My kids don’t eat any greens.
flossywizz said,
October 24, 2013 @ 3:35 pm
“But we don’t like beaaaaaaaannnnss!!!”
Miss 8 & Miss 5 as they happily eat frijoles (Mexican bean dip) hehe
Sarah said,
October 24, 2013 @ 3:44 pm
Broccoli is not a hit at the moment! She loves her vegie patties loaded with lots of goodness.
lihling said,
October 24, 2013 @ 3:45 pm
I struggle to give my LO any vegies! Especially if they are green.
Di said,
October 24, 2013 @ 3:45 pm
Mushrooms, not only are they slimy but apparently they smell like our dogs breath!
DIANA O said,
October 24, 2013 @ 3:47 pm
Peas and not because they dislike the flavour or their appearance, because their stupid father, my husband, hates them and was quite vocal about his displeasure at finding them on his plate too!
Men!! What do you do when the biggest child of them all is the one you’re legally bound to!!!
Michelle Gray said,
October 24, 2013 @ 4:11 pm
Cabbage, apparently it’s poison!!!!
Barbara Good said,
October 24, 2013 @ 4:15 pm
I agree entirely Wendy. My theory is to grate or chop finely what they find challenging to eat, and cut in chucky pieces the veggies they already enjoy. For me that started with mushrooms and capsicums, my kids love these. Everything else I cut very small or grated. Carrot is now enjoyed and one child loves broccoli, so we are making progress. Of course I still have one child that will frequently refuse a single bite of anything on her plate just because she’s feeling particularly defiant that day… not much you can do about that, she goes to bed with nothing some days as I do NOT give other options.
Katrina Tait said,
October 24, 2013 @ 4:19 pm
Capsicum is impossible because even the other half doesn’t like it so of course no one else will eat it either, it’s barely allowed in the house!
Joanne Hayden said,
October 24, 2013 @ 4:19 pm
My kids simply will not eat potato, sweet potato, pumpkin. I think it’s about the texture. They retch!!! They will happily eat raw salad vege all day long but will baulk at eating any of them cooked. Goodness knows why. Maybe a texture thing again. I would love a food processor as I am making lots of asian inspired salads and find all the chopping very time consuming. Thanks!!!
Olivia said,
October 24, 2013 @ 4:20 pm
I would absolutely love to win……my theory is, you can never has too much vegetable.
Tanya Clarke said,
October 24, 2013 @ 4:21 pm
My 18 month old struggles with broccoli and string beans.
Karen said,
October 24, 2013 @ 4:54 pm
pumpkin
Em Lawes said,
October 24, 2013 @ 5:06 pm
Eggplant and spinach. Occasionally I can get them into have a couple of mouthfuls. We have to sing a song though:
“Yummy yummy eggplant and spinach get in my belly,
If I don’t eat you mummy won’t let me watch telly!
Mix it mix it with some mash,
Now eat it all, will be gone in a flash!”
Catherine said,
October 24, 2013 @ 5:08 pm
Beans. Tried them lots of ways. Even wrapped them in bacon but they wouldn’t go near them.
Kim O'Boyle said,
October 24, 2013 @ 5:12 pm
Broccoli is the vegetable I struggle to get Miss 4 to eat and also, surprisingly, sweet potato!!!
Julia Parker said,
October 24, 2013 @ 5:14 pm
Brussel Sprouts…maybe its because I still cant quite get over my own childhood hatred of them!!
Charlotte said,
October 24, 2013 @ 5:21 pm
Cauliflower… the “weird, cloud thing”… haha.
Rach said,
October 24, 2013 @ 5:25 pm
My 7yo eats most veggies except broccoli. The 3yo will not eat ANY veggie except those smuggled into my pumpkin soup- and even then all the planets must be in alignment for him to eat it!
Roslyn Woodhouse (@RoslynWoodhouse) said,
October 24, 2013 @ 5:31 pm
My daughter will eat lots of veggies, including brocolli which most kids seem to hate , but will not, under any circumstances eat PEAS!
Madeleine said,
October 24, 2013 @ 5:46 pm
I battle with my son – It would be easier to just say he eats green beans and carrots raw and some corn on the cob cooked. Unfortunately he rarely eats anything with a sauce, but I try new things with what he does eat and every now and then he’ll try something new.
marilyn said,
October 24, 2013 @ 5:54 pm
Brussel sprouts, you can’t hide them or disguise them . I love most vegies myself including cabbage, (even like the smell of it cooking) BUT
brussel sprouts – no no no
Emma Christopoulos said,
October 24, 2013 @ 5:56 pm
Eggplant. My boy hates it. He is half Greek he is ment to love it. 🙂
Donna Dwyer said,
October 24, 2013 @ 7:06 pm
All the non-orange veggies that are the problem – his skin is bright orange from all the beta carotene from orange veggies!!
SJ Goesch said,
October 24, 2013 @ 7:09 pm
Spinach; I can’t hide the colour or the flavour from my grandkids
Pauline Stewart said,
October 24, 2013 @ 7:25 pm
Any new veggies I try & introduce is always a battle
Rachel Rofe said,
October 24, 2013 @ 8:29 pm
Pumpkin, sweet potato and mushrooms……. One out of 3 boys eats really well and will try everything but not the oldest and youngest. No.2 loves telling them after they have eaten it if I have hidden something in it that they don’t like!
norma said,
October 24, 2013 @ 8:58 pm
my daughter used to love broccoli and now doesnt like it anymore. but it’s soooo healthy.
Rebecca said,
October 25, 2013 @ 12:46 am
My son isn’t a fan of mushrooms (which I just love!) and my daughter decides at meal time which veggies she is going to eat or avoid, I often ask myself ‘will the peas and broccoli get eaten today or won’t they’!
Ying Ying TAN said,
October 25, 2013 @ 1:26 pm
I struggle to feed my daughter with anything ‘Pea-like’. You would think those cute little green peas will be a hit among kids but she picks out every single pea from the fried rice! She is missing out alright!
Jody Buhagiar said,
October 25, 2013 @ 8:19 pm
Peas and broccoli, apparently they dont eat things that look like trees and the peas are acorns!! What have they been watching 😛 lol
Jasmine said,
October 26, 2013 @ 7:05 pm
broccoli
Jean said,
November 4, 2013 @ 6:31 pm
My 3 year old can identify a single corn kernel hidden in the middle of a mouthful of scrambled egg, and have to regurgitate the entire mouthful in protest. I do agree with your philosophies though Wendy… one can only persist.
wendyblume said,
November 4, 2013 @ 7:32 pm
Mmmm. Yes, three year olds can be very tenacious! But at least you’re setting the scene and the expectation that vegies are a fact and part of her reality. Keep going! Good luck!
Mandy said,
March 7, 2014 @ 9:04 pm
My daughter will not eat peas