Getting Your Baby To Eat Vegetables

When you speak to friends and family as also health experts on what would be some of the best baby foods you would have heard them say unequivocally – fresh fruits and vegetables. These contain all the essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins necessary for proper growth of babies and it is never too early to start them on a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables.

When you first start giving your babies solid foods, you may have been advised to start with vegetables at the beginning and introduce fruits once a few vegetables have been introduced. This is because babies really enjoy the sweet taste of fruit after which they may refuse to eat vegetables. There are many such tips that may help you get your baby to start eating vegetables.

·    Many babies may find the taste of vegetables especially the boiled ones fairly bland. Instead of cooking the vegetables in water, try using some chicken stock or beef stock – the vegetables will immediately acquire a very different taste. Do not try commercial stock, as they will have salt added to them.
·    Some suggest mixing pureed vegetables with pureed fruits to give it a different taste. Try stirring some pureed veggies into pureed fish for some extra nutrients.
·    Another excellent idea is to prepare a dish of vegetables and then top it up using grated cheddar cheese. You could also serve some nice finger food vegetables with a cheese dip.
·    If your baby loves soup or even any pasta sauce, just add some extra vegetables to them. Your baby will enjoy the soup or pasta without even noticing the vegetables in them.
·    Older babies may enjoy some grated pumpkin or carrots being added to home made baked stuff like muffins.
·    The best time to offer vegetables is when you know your baby is really hungry. If your baby is not hungry, then she may tend to be fussy about food. On the other hand, if you give her some nice finger foods when she is hungry, she will not only eat it up but enjoy its taste as well.
·    Mashed potatoes is another great dish – easy to make and great to eat for little babies. By using sweet potatoes instead of regular white ones, you are adding extra nutrients and source of beta-carotene to your baby’s diet.
·    Take care and see that you do not overcook the vegetables. When the vegetables are overcooked, not only do they look weird in texture, lose most of their nutrients but also lose their taste. For your baby to start liking vegetables, they have to taste well as look good.
·    Finally, the most important step. As parents you can set a very good example to your baby by eating plenty of vegetables yourself. Whenever you serve some vegetables to your baby, take some yourself and show your baby how much you are enjoying it. Your baby will naturally want to emulate you and will start eating the veggies.

Thus by showing great patience and using some innovative methods, you can get your baby to start eating her vegetables today.