by Kimberly Lee

Created on: April 07, 2008   Last Updated: April 13, 2008

How do I get them to eat their vegetables?

Does dinner in your house go something like this?
"I want French fries."
"Eat your green beans"
"I don't like green beans, I want more French fries."
"You can have more fries when you eat your green beans."
"I WANT FRENCH FRIES!"
And the house erupts into an uncontrollable tantrum.

My son went through a phase where all he wanted to eat was chips and French fries. Just one day of being indulgent turned into multiple nights as depicted above. But, I managed to work through it and win. It took me a week to be the winner, but none-the-less, a winner I was.

My method was simple, don't back down.
Here's how I did it.

I made his favorite foods. A special chicken, rice and the not so loved green beans.
The trick was not in the food, but the portions he received.

I put 3-4 bites of chicken on his plate and 2 spoonfuls of rice. (Age appropriate portions, of course.) I also put 2 green beans. Yes, only two.

As you can guess, the rice and chicken were eaten up, and due to the portion size, he was still hungry and demanding more. The deal was; he could have more food if he ate the three green beans on his plate. He did not have to eat them, he could be done with dinner, but he was only getting more food if he ate them.

He cried, he yelled, he screamed. I remained calm and reminded him that he could have more food, once he finished everything on his plate. It took awhile but he ate them. I did give him more food, minus the green beans. The next night, we did the same thing. Only this time I doubled the green beans on his plate. I stuck with green beans all week. By the end of the week, he easily ate his green beans. Now as a 12 year old, he asks for more.

I cooked a different vegetable each week until we had a variety of vegetables that we could now have at dinnertime.

Now, at 12 year old, he has likes and dislikes. In order to get in more of a variety, there are times where vegetables just have to get hidden. How oddly funny those those are the times when dinner gets the most compliments.

Mushrooms and onions get chopped so tiny and then sauted that they are fairly undetectable in foods. Other vegetables get blended into the sauces. Zucchini, mushrooms and onions go perfect with spaghetti sauce. Carrots and celery blend well into gravy. Cauliflower is not noticed in mashed potatoes.

Children will eat and eventually learn to like their vegetables. Parents need to learn to be strong. They cannot cry and scream forever.

Learn more about this author, Kimberly Lee.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.