Veggie Recipes Your Kid Will Eat

By Karen Cicero
March 19, 2012
Credit: Kang Kim
Camouflaged cauliflower. Onions incognito. Secret squash. Has hiding veggies become a nutritionist-approved option for picky eaters? Experts face off -- armed with recipes and clever ideas
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Pasta Bake

Credit: Kang Kim
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When all the ingredients for this meal are mixed together, the pureed veggies are undetectable. "The kids liked this the best of all the entr?es we tested," says Dr. Rolls. "They told us it tasted like pizza."

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Snack-Cake Squares

Credit: Kang Kim
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"Vegetables make baked goods moist and delicious," says Dr. Rolls. "The kids actually preferred this version of the recipe to one that contained half the amount of zucchini."

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Mini Meatballs

Credit: Kang Kim
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Shhh! Mushrooms and onions help keep the lean meat moist, and kick in a serving of veggies per three-meatball portion.

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Berry-Good Peas

Credit: Kang Kim
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Your kid likes juicy blueberries, right? "When you pair a veggie with one of your child's favorite fruits, she'll be more likely to eat both," says Dr. Wansink.

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Kooky Kale Chips & Dip

Credit: Kang Kim
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This vitamin-packed leafy green can be a tough sell for children, so you'll want to win them over with two strategies: Turn kale into a food nearly all kids love (chips) and then up the ante with a dip. One recent study at Temple University found that 3- to 5-year-olds chowed down about 80 percent more veggies when they had something to dunk them in.

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Orange You Happy Carrots

Credit: Kang Kim
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A little bit of sugar (well, in this case OJ and honey) helps the carrots go down.

Originally published in the May 2012 issue of Parents magazine.

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