8 fun and creative ways to get your kids excited about eating veggies, according to pediatricians

• Pairing vegetables with a fun dip, like hummus or ranch, can make them taste better to kids.
• You can also ask them what their favorite veggie is and build a meal around it with their input.

Eating a well-rounded diet is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages.

This is especially true for children, since a balanced diet helps ensure they get all the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients needed for their growth and development, says Dr. Lisa Hoang, a pediatrician at Providence Mission Hospital.

But getting kids to eat certain foods, like vegetables, is easier said than done. There can be many reasons why your child may refuse vegetables, from sensory issues to personal preference to trying to assert their independence, Hoang says.

But there are ways to take the pressure off yourself, and your child, and help encourage them to expand their palate.

Here are eight tips for getting kids to eat their veggies.

1. Add a fun dip

If it seems all your child wants to eat is dessert, you might be right. And the reason is biological. Babies are born with a preference for sweet tastes, which draws them to their mother's breast milk.

This preference sticks with children until adolescence when their taste buds become more mature. Given children's heightened preference for sweets, it's no wonder many parents struggle with encouraging their children to eat vegetables.

But sometimes all it takes to entice a picky eater is to spice up the vegetables they're skeptical about. Try offering a dip like ranch, hummus, or a cheesy sauce to encourage your child to try the vegetables on their plate.

Just make sure to look at the serving size for these dips as some of them are very high in fat and calories and should be served in small amounts.

Some of the best raw vegetables to dip include carrot sticks, sliced bell peppers, or pieces of celery. You could even provide several different dips for everyone in the family and then vote on which one was the best.

2. Get your child involved

Children like to exert their independence and practice new skills. Getting your child involved in the kitchen can get them excited about the meal they helped create.

They can help out with things like:

• Peeling vegetables
• Kneading dough
• Using a salad spinner
• Measuring out ingredients

Besides having them help out with making dinner, you can also get them to help with meal planning. Let your child choose the vegetables they'd like to help prepare and then take them shopping with you to pick out the produce.

3. Be consistent

Continue offering vegetables at every meal even if your child refuses them. Children often need to see a food several times, possibly close to 15 times, before they are open to trying it, says Dr. Norma Perez, a pediatrician with AltaMed Health Services.

And then once they try it, it may take several more times of your child taking small bites before they grow to like it, Hoang says.

Try to remain patient and give your child plenty of opportunities to become familiar with the vegetables you're encouraging them to eat.

4. Try a different preparation

It isn't just the taste of vegetables that may cause your child to turn up their nose, but the texture can also be off-putting.

Foods that are mushy, chewy, or slippery — like roasted carrots or sauteed mushrooms — — may be more difficult for your child to enjoy, particularly if they are used to foods with different textures, like crunchy.

Try experimenting with different ways of preparing vegetables to expose your child to different textures and hopefully find one they like, Hoang says. You can try:

• Offering vegetables raw
• Roasting them in the oven
• Air frying them
• Adding them to a sauce or stew.

5. Sneak vegetables into meals

The best way to help kids develop healthy habits around food is to expose them to different types of food in different forms.

But you can occasionally try to sneak vegetables into foods you know they like to make sure they are getting the nutrients they need.

Smoothies are a great way to sneak in some leafy greens like spinach. Try blending:

• One cup of frozen fruit
• One cup milk or juice
• One cup of spinach
• Two tablespoons of nut butter

This can help mask the taste of spinach with sweet fruits.

6. Avoid battles at mealtimes

Young children, and toddlers in particular, are notoriously picky eaters for a few reasons, including their budding independence, Hoang says.

For example, establishing strong likes and dislikes and wanting to do tasks on their own are common developmental milestones for toddlers ages two to three.

Toddlers don't have a lot of control over their lives, but they can and do decide when and how much to eat. This can be frustrating for parents trying to instill healthy eating habits, but try to avoid power struggles over meals.

"It's important to keep meal time stress free" Perez says. That way, your child is less likely to develop anxiety or stress around mealtime.

As difficult as it might be, try to think of meal time as a give and take — you choose what goes on your child's plate and they choose what and how much to eat.

[let's include some more actionable advice in this section on how to avoid battles at mealtimes … this explains the why well but it's lacking a solid how-to component]

7. Resist the urge to bribe your child

Try to avoid punishing, bribing, or rewarding during meal time as this can prolong the picky eating phase, Perez says.

It's natural to want to reward your child for trying a green bean with the promise of dessert, but this doesn't help establish healthy habits in the long run.

Research shows that food rewards can teach children to ignore their natural hunger and fullness cues. This may lead to a reliance on sweets or processed foods in the future because a child associates those foods with positive feelings and parental approval.

Focus instead on preparing and serving healthy meals with a variety of vegetables and let your child choose when to try new foods and how much to eat.

8. Be a good role model

Children look up to the adults in their families to show them how to behave, including how to nourish their bodies, Hoang says.

Fill your plate with the same vegetables you want your child to try and make a point to enjoy meals together as a family at least a few times a week.

Kids who regularly take part in family meals are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables, and watching you enjoy brussel sprouts or roasted broccoli just might help convince your kids to give it a try themselves.

What if my child still won't eat vegetables?

Many children experience a temporary period of picky eating that usually gets better with time, Perez says. But for some kids, picking eating is a phase they don't grow out of.

Kids with sensory processing disorder (SPD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have a harder time overcoming sensitivities to the taste, smell, and texture of some foods, including vegetables. Due to sensory sensitivities, children with autism are more likely to develop limited food preferences and show extreme resistance to trying new foods.

If you've tried offering vegetables many times with different preparations and in different settings but your child still refuses, talk with your pediatrician about your concerns.

In many cases working with an occupational therapist can help overcome sensory difficulties associated with foods and provide parents with the tools and support to expand their children's food preferences.

Insider's takeaway

Picky eating is a normal developmental phase many children eventually grow out of with the help and support of their parents.

You can encourage your child to eat a balanced diet by consistently offering vegetables prepared in different ways at every meal, getting kids involved in meal planning and preparation, and eating plenty of vegetables yourself.

If you have tried consistently offering vegetables and your child still resists your efforts, talk with your child's doctor about ways to help encourage them to eat a well-rounded diet.

Kids with sensory processing disorder (SPD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to have a harder time trying new foods and may need additional support.