Let’s talk veggies. Yep, those mean green things that most of our kids seem to magically avoid at all costs. If your household is anything like mine, sometimes getting the little ones to eat their veggies feels like trying to herd cats. But don't worry, I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve that will make veggie time fun and sneaky (in a good way).
Veggie-Infused Fun
First up, let’s talk about the art of sneaking veggies into favorite dishes. Have you heard of Jessica Seinfeld’s cookbook "Deceptively Delicious"? It’s a game-changer! She’s got all these clever ways to hide veggies in foods kids already love. Think spinach brownies and cauliflower mac 'n' cheese. May sound crazy, but you gotta just give it a try. Kids´ll never know all the Vitamin super energy that’s coming their way! Imagine: Delicious (dessert?) veggie recipes. Seriously, who knew?
Check out Jessica Seinfeld’s book here.

Veggie Art
For the truly creative types, especially the artists among us parental units, why not turn mealtime into art time?! Let your kids channel their inner DaVinci by creating their own veggie masterpieces on their plates (“art supplies” courtesy of a farmer's garden, of course). Think cucumber flowers, carrot stick trees, and bell pepper butterflies. Instead of paint, clay, and markers, give them a variety of colorful veggies and let their imaginations run wild. Trust me, they’ll be munching on those veggies before they know it.
Dippity-Do-Da
Kids love to dip, right? Try whipping up some fun and healthy dips to pair with raw veggies. Hummus, yogurt-based ranch (for a healthier version), or even a sweet beet dip can all make veggies a whole lot more appealing, not to mention more fun to eat. As you get creative with the dips — maybe even letting your kids suggest new dips and veggie pairings to try — just watch those veggies disappear!
Just for kicks — or dips? — here’s a fun beet dip recipe to try out:
Ingredients:
- 1 medium beet, cooked and peeled
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Blend all the ingredients together until smooth and vibrant pink! (The color alone will wow them and spark their curiosity!) Keep the rainbow theme flowing by serving the dip with an array of equally colorful veggie sticks. Taste the rainbow just got a whole new (healthy) vibe.

Smoothie Magic
Try throwing some spinach, kale, or even cauliflower into your kid's morning or after-school classic fruit smoothie. The sweetness of the fruit masks the taste of the veggies, and your kids will never know they’re sipping on something super healthy. Bonus points if you let them help make it – odds are they’ll be so proud of their creation, they’ll drink it right up. You can even start to make it a game between you: Hide the veggies!
Here’s a simple green smoothie recipe to get you started:
Ingredients:
- 1 banana
- 1 cup frozen mango chunks
- 1 handful of raw spinach
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp honey (optional)
Blend until smooth and enjoy!
Veggie Taste Tests
I love games and sharing that love with my kids and family. That’s why the idea of making trying new veggies a fun game is an immediate yes for me. Try setting up a veggie taste test with a variety of raw, steamed, and roasted veggies. Maybe even give each veggie a fun name (like “X-ray Vision Carrots” or “Power-Up Broccoli”) and let your kids be the judges. They’ll feel like veggie connoisseurs, and you — and they— might be really surprised by what they end up liking! Zucchini for the win? I have heard wilder things…

Veggie-Packed Pizza
Pizza night is a favorite night in many a household, but let’s think out of the box and imagine how even pizza night can be veggie night, too! Why not load up your kids´ favorite homemade pizzas with colorful veggies? Let your kids be part of the process by enlisting them to decorate their own mini pizzas with colorful and fun, hand-friendly veggies like peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and more. They’re more likely to eat their creations when they’ve had a hand in making them, and imagine all the fun and laughs you will have — and quality time shared — in the process.
Grow Your Own Veggies
No matter whether you’ve got a bit of outdoor space (or even just a windowsill), growing your own veggies is something kids really seem to love, and they’ll be all the more excited to eat something they’ve nurtured from seed to plate.
The great news is you don’t have to be a farmer with a magical green thumb: Just start with something simple like cherry tomatoes or snap peas. And if that is too overwhelming (do not fret!), even taking kids to a local farmers market where they can actually meet the local vendors who have grown and picked their veggies can be a super cool experience that opens their eyes to how things work outside the big grocery stores, and if you’re lucky, put the rad in radishes.
Fun Veggie Facts
Now hear me out: Veggies are actually pretty fascinating. You can shine a light on what makes veggies so special by teaching your kids some cool facts about crudités, some fun info about iceberg lettuce, and some little-known stats about steamed broccoli. For instance, did you know that carrots were originally purple? Or that broccoli has more protein than steak? Get outta town, right? Fun facts can make veggies seem a lot more interesting and might even spark some curiosity from your kids, and even a willingness to eat them!
Storytime Veggies
You can even incorporate veggies into your regular storytime. Books like "The Vegetables We Eat" by Gail Gibbons and "Eating the Alphabet" by Lois Ehlert can make veggies fun and educational for your littles. Really get wily by pairing storytime with a veggie snack that matches the book, and you’ve got a win-win!
Check out "The Vegetables We Eat" here and "Eating the Alphabet" here.
Genie to the Rescue
While on your quest to get your kids to adopt more veggies into their diet, just remember you are not trudging this territory alone. Genie is a trusty sidekick you can rely on as you valiantly forge a path to make veggies fun. Our app can help you find easy, kid-friendly recipes that sneak in those veggies without a fuss. Plus, Genie can even brainstorm with you and your kiddos to come up with many more creative ways to include veggies in your meals than we have listed here. Think of Genie as you and your kids´ digital brainstorming buddy, turning what used to be mealtime battles into fun culinary adventures.
You can explore new recipes together, set up veggie-themed challenges, and even share your successes with other parents. Genie and our team is here to help you make sure that eating veggies is not just healthy, but also a fun and bonding experience for your family.
Until next time,
I´ll Just Be Here… Veggin´ Out