Do your kids eat their veggies on their own or do you have to bribe them?

1. 81

   milleramanda53posted 13 years ago

   Do your kids eat their veggies on their own or do you have to bribe them?

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2. 78

   Blond Logicposted 13 years ago

   My kids are grown now but I used to leave it up to them. I think bribing them isn't a good option. If they see other members of the family enjoying then they are more likely to try it.
   I see a lot of adults with 'issues' regarding food. They all blame their parents.
   
   If you let kids help prepare the food I think that has a positive impact as well and makes them more likely to eat it.
   
   I believe my kids had a well balanced approach to food growing up and now they can evaluate what they choose to eat as adults without some 'emotional baggage' to deal with.

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3. 80

   jennshealthstoreposted 13 years ago

   I am lucky. My child will eat her veggies. I think that the best way to let children explore trying veggies is to let them know that they do not have to eat them, but they should at least try them. I do this with all food. I tell her that we cannot help what we like and do not like, and I would never force her to eat, but she should at least try it. If she does not like something she is allowed to spit it out. This makes it very easy and comforting to her knowing that she is not required to like something.

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4. 90

   Diane Lockridgeposted 13 years ago

   My kids LOVE veggies- green beans, carrots, even broccoli (although they don't really like cauliflower).

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5. 72

   JoanCAposted 13 years ago

   My kids will eat them in soup, so I give them a lot of it. They also eat corn.  Hopefully that will give them a taste for vegetables and they'll eat more as they get older.

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6. 62

   win-winresourcesposted 13 years ago

   Hello again Miller-
   
   There is nothing magically good or bad about vegetables (meats, eggs, dairy, fruits, air, water...).  They shouldn't be specifically singled out for special treatment (kids can detect a con job) that draws unnecessary attention.
   
   If the preparation is enticing, looks good, smells good and TASTES good, why would a child (or anyone else) fight against it?
   With you setting the example of eating just about everything ,why wouldn't they? Sure, some things seem to catch a childs tastebuds faster (think, sugar) but that doesn't then exclude other foods.
   
   In the end, people (kids are people too) will eat what they enjoy.  Don't you?
   
   By the way, I (and my wife) raised children who developed a very broad palate very early in life - and enjoy that today.  It was a kick to see a 5 year old knocking back artichokes like a pro and showing the teenagers (and older) how it's done.
   
   -DW

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7. 62

   MickSposted 13 years ago

   I never had to bribe them, we were to poor for them to leave food, if they didn't eat what was put in front of them, it was given at the next meal.  It didn't take them long to get out of being picky and precious

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8. 59

   LacretiaHardyposted 13 years ago

   For me, it depends on the child.  I have a couple of kids that will only eat the fruit and veggies and others that I have to make to eat them.  I don't bribe my kids to do anything because I am the parent and what I say is not negotiable.  It does help to tell them why they need to eat healthy though.  I give them little lessons on nutrition to show them how eating the right foods helps their bodies function properly.  Also, I don't use junk food as a reward any more because it sends the message that junk food is a good gift and healthy food is a bad punishment.

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9. 73

   JT Waltersposted 13 years ago

   You can bribe a child to eat vegetables?  My son eats salad, ketchup and potatoes. I occassinally sneak vegetables in his shepherd's pie but it isn't really sneaking.  If he doesn't eat them I don't make a big deal about it.

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10. 75

    flacoinohioposted 13 years ago

    No bribing, just have to cook them with the right flavoring or trick them and put it in the main dish.  Spinach in spaghetti sauce, peas in the tuna and noodles, garlic, salt, and butter in the green beans, and brown sugar and butter on the carrots. Fresh vegetables easier to feed to children, carrots with ranch dip, broccoli with cheese, fresh broccoli with ranch dressing, fresh cauliflower with western dressing.

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11. 81

    JenJen0703posted 13 years ago

    I introduced my children to vegetables before they were old enough to not like them. My children eat most vegetables with little trouble. I do not have to bribe them, as the rule in our house is to eat everything on your plate and not to waste their food. I do this to teach them not to waste money.
    
    I also know the are a few veggies my children don't like, so we try to stick with what we all like and work with that.

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12. 66

    nasus loopsposted 13 years ago

    My child eats veg on his own.  I think the main reason for this is that he has been brought up on fresh veg right from when I weaned him at 4 months.
    
    I do not believe in the baby jar food as the flavours in these are not like the real thing, so if a child is being weaned on these you then have to reintroduce the flavours of fresh veg later on when their taste buds have already started to be set in stone.
    
    Bribing a child to do anything is never a good idea!

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13. 61

    duffsmomposted 13 years ago

    Neither.  We had two children, one would eat or try anything, the other fought it.  So we relaxed, made sure they had a well-balanced meal in front of them and except for asking them to take one bite of veggies, we let it go.
    
    They are healthy, well-nourished adults now so it didn't affect the one who didn't really like veggies.  She eventually grew to like them as she got older.
    
    No, I would never bribe a child to eat, that is trouble waiting to happen.

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14. 74

    prektjr.dcposted 13 years ago

    I had boys who would eat spinach and brussel sprouts like crazy, but their sister was of the mind that the only safe vegetable is pumpkin pie!  On the other hand, she LOVED salad!  I would slip fresh peas, shaved carrots, slivers of raw sweet potatoes, and even bits of turnips (raw of course) into salads and she would gobble them up!  I never bribed her, but always required the one good serving spoon full to be eaten before she had dessert.  If she wasn't hungry enough for veggies, she surely was too full for dessert!  I later found that when she helped with the cooking, she had "ownership" and would gladly eat some!  It's a great way to get them involved and eating.

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15. 61

    mumofteensposted 13 years ago

    Mine tend to eat them on their own, I believe in a lot of exposure to each individual veg gradually does the trick. But sometimes a little bribery can go along way, so long as it's not used as a constant parenting method.

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