Ever have a kid who acts like every meal is a culinary challenge? My youngest has been on a 'no vegetables' strike for weeks now. Last night, I tried sneaking some spinach into her pasta sauce, and let's just say, it didn't go unnoticed. 🚨 The look she gave me was priceless. I've read that getting kids involved in cooking can help, but I can't imagine her willingly chopping up broccoli anytime soon. Anyone else have any sneaky tactics or success stories? Or maybe just a 'been there, done that' moment to share? 🤔 I found this article that talks about creative ways to introduce veggies, might give it a try: [link to article]. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts or funny dinner table battles! 🍽️

Oh, I've definitely been there! My little one used to be a veggie detective too. 😂 One thing that worked for us was making smoothies together. We'd toss in some spinach or kale with lots of fruits, and the sweetness usually masked the greens. It became a fun game to see how "green" we could make the smoothie without tasting it.

Another trick is to make veggies part of a fun activity, like building "veggie faces" on pizzas or creating colorful salads. Kids often love the creativity and might be more willing to taste their creations. Good luck, and may the veggie force be with you! 🥦🍕

Oh, the veggie battle is a classic! 😂 I remember when my son went through a similar phase. We turned it into a game by having a "taste test challenge" where he'd try a tiny piece of a new veggie and rate it. Sometimes, he'd surprise himself and actually like it! Another thing that worked was making homemade veggie chips. We’d slice up carrots or zucchini, season them, and bake until crispy. He thought they were a treat, not a veggie.

Getting them involved can be fun, but I totally get your hesitation. Maybe start small, like letting her pick out veggies at the store or wash them at home. It might spark some curiosity! Good luck, and may the veggie force be with you! 🥦🥕

On 10/19/2025 at 5:25 PM, PetPawsLover said:

Ever have a kid who acts like every meal is a culinary challenge? My youngest has been on a 'no vegetables' strike for weeks now. Last night, I tried sneaking some spinach into her pasta sauce, and let's just say, it didn't go unnoticed. 🚨...

Oh, that "I see what you did there" look is all too familiar! It’s like they have a built-in radar for anything veggie-related. I found that sometimes, instead of sneaking veggies in, making them the “star” of a dish can flip the script. Like roasting carrots or sweet potatoes with a little honey or cinnamon—turns them into a treat rather than a chore.

Also, I totally get the hesitation about getting them to chop broccoli, but even just letting them wash or arrange veggies on a plate can build some curiosity and ownership. It’s a slow game, but those little wins add up. Definitely loving the smoothie idea someone else mentioned here—my kiddo’s a fan of blending up “green monsters” too!

On 11/10/2025 at 4:10 AM, lsmith said:

Oh, the veggie battle is a classic! 😂 I remember when my son went through a similar phase. We turned it into a game by having a "taste test challenge" where he'd try a tiny piece of a new veggie and rate it. Sometimes, he'd surprise himself and actually like it! Another thing that worked was making homemade veggie chips. We’d slice up carrots or zucchini, season them, and bake until crispy. He thought they were a treat, not a veggie.

Getting them involved can be fun, but I totally get your hesitation. Maybe start small, like letting her pick out veggies at the store or wash them at home. It might spark some curiosity! Good luck, and may the veggie force be with you! 🥦🥕

Love the taste test challenge idea, @lsmith! Turning it into a game really takes the pressure off and makes trying new veggies feel like an adventure rather than a chore. Homemade veggie chips are a total winner too—my kids went nuts for baked sweet potato chips once I added a little cinnamon and sugar. It’s amazing how a simple twist can change their minds.

@ThriftyGuru23’s smoothie suggestion also reminds me how blending veggies with fruit can be a sneaky win. I tried that with spinach and frozen berries, and even my picky eater couldn’t tell the difference. It’s all about mixing fun and flavor, right? Definitely bookmarking these ideas for the next veggie strike at my house!

On 10/19/2025 at 5:25 PM, PetPawsLover said:

Ever have a kid who acts like every meal is a culinary challenge? My youngest has been on a 'no vegetables' strike for weeks now. Last night, I tried sneaking some spinach into her pasta sauce, and let's just say, it didn't go unnoticed. 🚨 The look she gave me was priceless. I've read that getting kids involved in cooking can help, but I can't imagine her willingly chopping up broccoli anytime soon. Anyone else have any sneaky tactics or success stories? Or maybe just a 'been there, done that' moment to share? 🤔 I found this article that talks about creative ways to introduce veggies, might give it a try: [link to article]. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts or funny dinner table battles! 🍽️

Oh, the veggie battles are real, aren’t they? That “I see what you did there” look from your youngest sounds all too familiar in my house. I’ve found that sometimes just giving them a tiny bit of control helps—like letting them pick one veggie at the store or choosing how it’s cooked (roasted, steamed, raw). It’s not always a win, but it can turn the tables from “veggies are the enemy” to “I helped make this.”

Also, I love what @ThriftyGuru23 said about turning it into a game or fun activity. My kiddo once got really into making “veggie art” on their plate, which made dinner way less stressful. It’s a slow process, but mixing a little creativity with patience can make those sneaky spinach moves feel less like a covert operation and more like teamwork.

That "no vegetables" phase sounds all too familiar! Kids really do have a radar for anything green, don’t they? I love the idea of sneaking spinach into pasta sauce, though—bold move! When my kid was in a similar veggie strike, I found that giving them some control helped a lot. Like, letting them pick one veggie to add to dinner or choose how it’s cooked (roasted, steamed, raw). It’s not foolproof, but it makes them feel involved and less like they’re being tricked.

@ThriftyGuru23’s smoothie idea is great too—turning it into a game can take the pressure off mealtime battles. Sometimes just making veggies fun and low-key, rather than a “must eat,” helps break the cycle. Hang in there; those priceless looks are part of the adventure, right?