We all know that vegetables contain vitamins and minerals essential for our bodies. Though we get vast amounts of nutrients from vegetables, many teenagers don’t like them as food.
Most parents are tired of trying to feed their children vegetables. Despite their efforts, they fail because they don’t apply their effort correctly.
Here are some interesting ways to feed teenagers vegetables.
Don’t force them
Many parents force their children to eat veggies rather than convincing them. The urge to eat may negatively affect their minds, making them feel bad about this food.
The habit of eating healthy food for a teenager is a long-term process, so parents should wait and try the natural way again and again until they agree to eat.
If they want to eat once, we should appreciate them so that they agree to eat more vegetables.
Serve raw vegetables
Some teenagers like raw vegetables more than cooked ones. My teenage daughter likes raw veggies more than cooked recipes. You can also experiment with it.
First, you must know what vegetables can be eaten without cooking. Then, you can list those veggies and offer them.
Don’t forget to wash them properly. You will find that they will eat some of the vegetables in these items. Here are some veggies that can be served raw:
- Papaya
- Carrots
- Green banana
- Tomato
Can be served through regular salad
Vegetables can be served by making different salads. You can offer salad to your teenager at meal and dinner times.
Some teens like salad, and some do not, but parents should try to get their teens to eat salad continuously.
You can prepare salad with cucumber, tomato, carrot, cilantro, chili, onion, lettuce, radish, cabbage, etc.
These vegetables contain high-quality nutrients that are essential for our health.
Add vegetables to other recipes
Here are some examples of recipes where you can add various vegetables:
- Pizza: Add different types of veggies, such as tomato, capsicum, lettuce, mushrooms, broccoli, onion, chilli, fresh spinach, and others.
- Burger: Add cucumber, lettuce, tomato, chili, and onion.
- Chicken or vegetable roll: Add cabbage, carrot, onion, chili, and other vegetables with chicken.
- Fried rice: Add onion, chili, onion leaves, capsicum, carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and tomato sauce.
- Noodles and pasta: You can add all types of vegetables to noodles and pasta recipes.
- Meatball: You can add any vegetables, such as carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes, onion, sweet potatoes, chili, spinach, and many others.
Add vegetables secretly
You can apply this trick if your teens don’t eat vegetables at all.
For example, if you have to cook chicken, you can add tiny amounts of vegetables like tomato, raw papaya, carrot, pumpkin, or other suitable vegetables.
Use mashed vegetables rather than pieces so they look invisible, and use a small amount to avoid changing the flavor and taste of the chicken.
Through this process, you will be able to feed your teens a minimum amount of vegetables.
Cook using different methods
Try to cook one vegetable using various techniques to change its texture and flavor.
Cooking methods can be applied individually, such as grilling, broiling, roasting, braising, frying, boiling, steaming, blanching, etc.
My teenage daughter always likes to fry vegetables. You can also see that your adolescent daughter or son will pick at least one of these cooking methods.
So, let’s start a new experiment for your teenager.
Let them choose
We should explore what type of vegetables our teens like. For this, we have to go to the market with our teens and let them select some vegetables they want.
Another task is to cook two or three items regularly and let them choose what they like among these.
You can try this for fifteen days or more, and after that, you will be able to know what types of vegetables they like.
Teach them about vegetables
Most young people don’t have basic knowledge about healthy foods. Without nutrients, it is not possible to boost our immune system.
They don’t know that maximum nutrition comes from vegetables, which are essential for our bodies.
To reduce illness, we need to build a strong immune system. So, as parents, we must teach them about vitamins and minerals and where they come from.
We should familiarise them with different types of vegetables and the vitamins they contain. We should also encourage them to read various books about healthy eating habits.
Eat together and be a role model
If you want your teens to love vegetables, you must change your eating habits. You must always try to eat your meal and dinner with them.
Then, serve two or three items of vegetables on the dining table and take as much as you can.
Finally, you must complete your vegetable portion in front of your teens. If you can do it, they will start to follow you.
Conclusion
As parents, we should always teach our children about healthy eating habits. There is no need to emphasize; always try to convince them with normal behavior to eat vegetables.
Finally, if teenagers want to switch to better food habits, parents should praise them so that they can always be inspired by veggie recipes.
