Ways to include vegetables in children’s diets

5 Minutes Reading

19 August 2026

Hana

A balanced diet is essential for mental health and physical development. For children, it is important to get the nutrients they need to function effectively, boost their immune systems, and ensure proper growth over time. Vegetables are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, all of which are essential for growing bodies.

Which vegetables are easiest to hide?

“There are so many vegetables that work well as ingredients in dishes and can boost flavor and nutrition,” says Sotiria Everett, PhD, a registered dietitian, clinical dietitian, and clinical sports nutritionist, and an assistant professor at Stony Brook Medicine in New York. “I like to add roasted and chopped red bell peppers or baby spinach to meatballs or turkey burgers. As fall approaches, butternut squash is a favorite vegetable for soups and stews. Butternut squash soup is one of my family’s favorites.”

Butternut squash is a great vegetable to add to muffins, breads, and pies. Dr. Everett suggests adding chopped broccoli to pasta sauces for a nutrient boost.

Cauliflower is another versatile vegetable that works well in a variety of dishes. It can be mashed as a potato substitute, used as a puree in soups and creamy sauces, or even grated and used as a rice substitute. The same goes for avocado, which can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. Carrots are also great for adding natural sweetness to foods and drinks without them even realizing it. Leafy greens like kale and spinach are great for smoothies, where the fruit can mask their flavor, or baked goods like pasta sauce.

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How to Get Started

To increase the chances that your toddler will eat vegetables, choose options that have a taste and texture that your child likes.

Toddlers often like foods that are slightly sweet, bland, or neutral. At the same time, they may dislike strong flavors and smells. However, this is an individual matter and your child may have different preferences. When you first introduce vegetables to your toddler, start with options like carrots, peas, bell peppers, zucchini, cauliflower, avocado, spinach, sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and butternut squash.

You may be surprised by which vegetables your child likes. If familiar vegetables do well, try incorporating more adventurous or stronger options like beets, broccoli, mushrooms, cabbage, turnips, or kale. Some toddlers may dislike the texture more than the taste of some vegetables, such as mushrooms. Try chopping or pureeing these ingredients to add to sauces, purees, or other dishes.