We all know how important it is to eat plenty of vegetables. They’re full of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients which are vital for good health. But convincing kids to eat their veg can be quite a challenge. Here are some strategies you can use to make things easier.
Be a good example
If you barely touch your own vegetables, your kids will be unimpressed when you order them to eat theirs. Make sure they see you eating and enjoying vegetables.
The language you use to talk about vegetables is important. If you tell your kids they can’t have dessert until they eat their broccoli, it makes eating veg sound like a chore. Try to get them excited about vegetables as well as dessert. Encourage them to notice the attractive colors of the vegetables and appreciate their flavors and textures. Carrots, for instance, are bright orange, taste sweet and have a nice crunchy texture.
Make it fun
Again, language matters, so be imaginative when you talk about vegetables. For example, referring to broccoli florets as ‘tiny treetops’ can make kids more inclined to eat them.
Make a game out of trying new vegetables. Take your kids shopping and let them pick out the veggies they want. If your child completely refuses to eat certain vegetables, make an effort to find some that he or she prefers.
Article continues below...
.
“There had to be another path” – Lisel in Utah shares her son’s success
Now, after working with Susan and the Edublox program for the last 5 months, Carsten is reading 6 and 7 letter words and the most amazing part is he is spelling them as well! AMAZING! I never would have thought he would be spelling words that large so quickly. I asked his school teacher about what she has seen and she told me she’s seen a big difference... Continue Reading
March 12, 2020
Video gallery: Parents and children sharing real stories on overcoming learning disabilities
Watch videos and listen to interviews, covering Edublox clients of all age groups and from all over the world, at various stages of implementation and for various needs: from overcoming reading difficulties to severe dyslexia, dyscalculia, low IQ, et cetera. Continue Reading
December 22, 2019
Life-changing: Dyslexic’s reading improves from the 1st to the 55th percentile!
Meet Maddie, a 10-year-old who had been diagnosed with severe dyslexia, moderate dyscalculia, ADHD and low IQ (low 80s). People who had evaluated her said that they had never seen dyslexia as severe as this before. Her parents had been told by more than one professional that Maddie would probably never read... Continue Reading
May 23, 2019
“I would not have thought it possible four years ago” – Beth in Fullerton shares her daughter’s success
As for my daughter, I thought you would like to know that she is in her first year of high school and is in honors English and geometry and AP History. Her elective reading for English was Hemingway and now Homer's Iliad. She got a very good report card this term too. Continue Reading
November 13, 2017
“Handwriting is no longer an issue” – Jennifer Gilliland
After thirty hours, I can honestly say his handwriting is no longer an issue. It has become automatic for him to write neatly and legibly, whereas before, his writing varied depending on the day and the amount of effort he was willing to put in to be neat. This has also positively affected his ability to compose a written paragraph... Continue Reading
February 26, 2017
“Now he reads with ease and confidence” – Sheri Browning
As a matter of fact, he enjoys reading so much that it isn’t unusual to see him reading for pleasure now. The first time I heard him say he was “going to bed a little early so he could read before going to sleep” was music to my ears!! Continue Reading
December 19, 2016
“I feel as if part of my daughter’s mind was trapped, and Edublox set her free” – The Adams household
She is now almost an intuitive speller. Really, it's a miracle. Six months ago, her spelling tested at a Kindergarten level, and is now at a 6th grade level. This is just still so amazing to all of us who have struggled with her. Continue Reading
December 15, 2016
Reading and Spelling Greatly Improved
Phonics just did not work. Last year they did not improve in their reading level all year. We started Edublox in June and already in the first 9 weeks of school they have increased over 2 1/2 years.... Their spelling has greatly improved and learning new words has become a game, not the dreaded chore it once was. Continue Reading
Nita Brist, Washington State, US
December 11, 2016
“He finished the school year on a real high, his reading age went up by 2 years in less than 6 months”
His spelling age improved as well and he also did really well in the end of year exams with his best results in most subjects. Continue Reading
December 6, 2016
“After six weeks the improvements were very obvious” – Cindy in Michigan
The most noticeable improvement came with Math, because we were struggling trying to do his math at grade level (3rd grade), but then around six weeks into Edublox he could do his math at grade level (with the exception of telling time on a face clock and counting money). Continue Reading
December 1, 2016
.
Get your kids involved
As well as taking them shopping, get your kids involved in the preparation of meals. Let them wash and chop the vegetables if they’re old enough. That way, they’ll feel more invested in the meal and will probably be more prepared to eat it.
If you have the space and time, you could take it a step further and grow your own veggies. Kids love helping to plant, water and harvest vegetables. And they’ll be far more interested in eating produce they’ve grown themselves.
Serve vegetables creatively
A lump of boiled greens can be unappetizing, so try adding vegetables into sauces instead. You can also experiment with other ways of cooking them, like roasting and frying. Give your kids vegetable sticks as snacks, along with a tasty dip like hummus. Make vegetables the star attraction of your meals instead of using them as boring sides. Try new recipes like stuffed peppers, vegetable lasagna, and ratatouille. It may help if you cut vegetables into small pieces to make them easier for kids to eat.
You can also try blending up one part leafy greens to two parts fruit to make a green smoothie. Don’t rely too much on this, though — it’s important that your children enjoy eating whole vegetables too.
If you implement these tips, your kids will be well on their way to enjoying vegetables. Remember to be patient, as change probably won’t happen overnight. Good luck!
.
Edublox Online Tutor offers multisensory cognitive training that enables learners to overcome reading problems and learning challenges and reach their full potential. Over the last 30+ years, the company behind the Online Tutor e-learning platform, Edublox, has helped thousands of children to read, learn and achieve through home kits and learning clinics internationally. Our programs are founded on pedagogical research and more than three decades of experience demonstrating that weak underlying cognitive skills account for the majority of learning difficulties. Specific cognitive exercises can strengthen these weaknesses leading to increased performance in reading, spelling, writing, math and learning.
