How do you get your 3 year old to eat veggies?

Question

My InLaws have my 3 year old step daughter addicted to candy and fast food... she spends a lot of time with them and they have the worst eating habits I have ever witnessed. It's gotten to the point where she won't even eat home cooked dinners bc she prefers junk over real food. How do we get her to start eating her veggies again? Am I going to have to ask the inlaws to cut out all candy and fast food?
I have a baby on the way (due 4/11) and I do not plan on introducing junk to her until (maybe) she's old enough to know the difference between junk food and real food. I was lucky enough to be raised that way and I love my parents for it. But it's hard with a step child bc I don't have as much control over things the way I will with my own daughter.

Answer

This might sound mean, but it taught me at an early age that my parents were in charge. When we were kids, my mom used to make fish patties. We hated fish patties, so we wouldn't eat them. So my mom would take up our plates, wrap them up, and put them in the fridge. The next morning, she would sit down to a nice breakfast, and when we looked at our plates, it was the same fish patties from the night before that she had reheated. If we didn't eat them for breakfast, she would do the same thing do lunch. We learned quickly that if we didn't eat it what mom made, we didn't eat. It might sound mean, but it worked. Now we eat whatever is in front of us with no complaint.

Answer

I always loved veggies with ranch dressing. Even as a kid. But I think you're definitely going to have to dress her eating at the in-laws. Junk food and sugar is legitimately addicting, and having that regularly will ruin her taste for healthy food. Your husband may be a softy but he won't want her having lifelong health problems because of poor eating, I definitely think you can both put your feet down!

Answer

Get them to help make healthy food with you. If they washed the vegetables or measured out the spices, they will be much more invested in the meal. Also, when you eat healthy foods, have a discussion about the tastes, textures, and sounds they are experiencing. Asking if they were surprised to find beets were sweet, or if they thought something would be crunchy is a great way to get them interested in the possibilities of healthy food.

Answer

My kids eat pretty healthy but to eat veggies right off the bat, especially if they are used to junk, isn't easy. I'd start with general nutrition elsewhere like fruit, eggs, whole cheeses and roasted meats. My 4 year old is just starting to eat veggies. My 3 year old will not, he just won't,  but his dr said if he's eating a good variety of fruits then it's okay, I do buy those fruit veggie blend pouches. I do not let my kids eat junk food but I also don't force them to eat what I've made, if they don't like what I made for dinner I let them eat healthy snacks like fruit, yogurt, whole grain bread, nuts. I'd rather them have healthy food in their bellies. Because I don't push it on them, there is no power struggle and my 4 year old eats several veggies.

Answer

Yes, I had the same issue with my ex husband. He was a stay at home dad and my daughters had the worst diets! Now they have no problems eating healthy food and I limit sugar to Friday. Try making it fun for your child to eat healthier foods.

Answer

Yummy smoothies??? Also when I use to cook for girls in a group home i would hide extra veggies in sloppy Joe's..

Answer

Tell her to eat them.

How do you get your 3 year old to eat veggies?

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