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Getting kids to eat their greens is never easy. But it turns out that parents have more options available than they would think.

Do you want your kids to eat more greens? Read on to find out more. 

Include Greens In Your Cooking

We don’t usually think of putting greens into lasagna or shepherd’s pie directly, but there’s nothing stopping you from taking this approach. In fact, incorporating it into the main body of a meal can be a great way to give your kids the nutrition they need, without them really realising what’s going on. 

Think about it: there’s a big psychological difference between eating greens that are part of a sauce along with other ingredients, and eating them separately on the side of the plate. In the first case, the child will hardly notice that they are there. But in the second, they’ll have to confront the greens directly (and put up with the bad taste). 

Model Healthy Eating

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Another thing that parents can do is model healthy eating for their child. Every mealtime, just sit down to a big bowl of salad. When kids see what you do, they will become naturally inclined to copy. It’s just instinct for them. Over time, their reluctance to eat veggies will diminish and they will eventually start to enjoy the taste. Their palate will become more refined - which is a good thing. 

Make Healthy Versions Of Junk Food

Junk food tastes okay. But it is nothing compared to the healthy, whole-food equivalent. That’s because fresh food has a quality all of its own that completely out-does anything fast-food joints might try to whip up. 

For instance, you could try serving a low carb Big Mac salad. These have all the taste sensations of a regular Big Mac, but without any of the other parts, such as the burger and the bun. 

You can also try making your own pizza and topping them with various greens. For instance, spinach goes especially well with ricotta cheese on pizzas. 

You can also make milkshakes that contain greens. Adding neutral-tasting veggies like pak choi or spinach to milky fruit smoothies can be an excellent way to give your kids more nutrition. 

Keep Junk Food Out Of Sight

Perhaps the best way to get your child to eat better is to keep all your junk food out of sight. Eating high-fat, high-sugar foods every day trains your child’s palate to only accept these flavors. So when they move onto greens, they dislike the taste because it is nothing like anything else in their diets. 

Instead, try to keep processed food to a minimum and encourage the consumption of whole foods elsewhere in the diet. Things like preparing oatmeal for your child in the morning can have a massive impact on their tolerance of healthier foods. 

In summary, getting kids away from screens and eating their greens is a challenge, but it can be done. Using these methods should make mealtimes much easier and help to make your family healthier overall.