LunchBots

Short of hiding veggies or sneaking greens into recipes, making sure kids get their daily nutritional intake can feel like a constant struggle. The hard part isn’t getting them to eat vegetables (usually a “no dessert till the broccoli’s gone” will do the trick). The hard part is getting them to actually enjoy it.

It’s one thing for kids to eat their spinach and broccoli at home when they have to, but the only way to ensure they won’t toss them during lunchtime at school is to make veggies fun and delicious.

Not an easy task, I know. But not impossible either. Here are three (and a half!) easy ways to get started.

1. Try some newbies. Aside from being fun to say, veggies like bok choy, jicama, and beets are unique alternatives to the more common celery, cherry tomatoes, and carrots line-up kids might grow bored with. Best of all, no time-consuming prep time is required because they’re delicious when served raw. However, if your kids beg to differ, roast a tray full of choices on Sunday and offer them up in lunches during the week. Or get really creative and try making Brussel Sprout Chips and Curried Cauliflower—each of these recipes takes less than 15 minutes in the oven. You may be surprised when your kids discover they love these exotic new choices.

2. Explain why it’s good for them. For generations kids have been told that vegetables are good for them, but take it a step further and explain why. Keep it to simple terms that young children will understand and be interested in. Do they want more energy, so they can play like their favorite sports star? Or better vision, like certain comic book heroes? Bring out what’s in it for them to shine vegetables in a positive new light. High fiber foods like cabbage, peas and artichokes are great for the intestines and keep kids regular, so tell them these foods will help keep tummy aches away. The Vitamin A in sweet potatoes, collard greens and carrots keeps eyes healthy and helps protect against infection—that means less sick days in bed and better views of their favorite sights. When I was growing up, we were always told to eat our spinach to be as strong as Popeye!

( The spinach growers credited Popeye with a 33 percent increase in U.S. spinach consumption and saving the spinach industry in the 1930s.)

3. Get Saucy. While we can’t change how vegetables taste, we can always spruce the flavors up a bit. Dips like all-natural almond butter, applesauce, hummus, and yogurt-based sauces can help boost the appeal of veggies. And of course, more variety is better, so think beyond dips and try homemade guacamole, salsa, mashed beans, cream cheese, and mustard for added taste. In my house we’ve even used BBQ sauce in a pinch (for a little sweetness with the salty).

One last half tip: Make veggies look good. Presentation can change perception, so get creative with how vegetables look to make eating them a fun experience for your children. Need a few ideas to get started? Browse our gallery, which is full of customer-submitted pictures of their best food art, and send us your photos!

Your turn to share: What are some of the vegetables your child enjoys eating?