i've got a six-year-old who seems to have developed a sixth sense for anything green or remotely healthy on their plate. i swear, they could spot a pea in a pile of mashed potatoes from a mile away. any other parents out there dealing with this? i tried the whole 'hide the veggies in smoothies' thing, but somehow they always know. has anyone had success with turning meal times into a fun game? or maybe a reward system? would love to hear what works for you guys. it's kind of turning into a daily dinner-time battle over here! 🍽️

Oh, I totally get where you're coming from! My kiddo was the same at that age. One thing that worked for us was making meal times a bit of an adventure. We turned veggies into "superhero fuel" and made up stories about how carrots give you night vision like a superhero. 🦸‍♂️

Another trick we tried was a reward chart. Every time they tried a new veggie, they'd earn a sticker. After collecting a certain number, they'd get to choose a fun activity. It made trying new foods more exciting and less of a struggle. Hope these ideas help turn your dinner battles into fun times!

Oh, I can totally relate to this veggie detective phase! My little one was a master at spotting anything green too. We had some luck with making veggies part of a story or game. For instance, we’d pretend broccoli was tiny trees and we'd be giants eating them. 🌳 It made the whole experience a bit more playful.

Another thing that worked was involving them in the cooking process. Letting them pick out veggies at the store or help with washing and prepping made them more curious and willing to try what they helped create. Sometimes, just giving them a little control over their meals can make a big difference. Hang in there, it gets better!

Been there! One thing that worked wonders for us was getting the kids involved in the cooking process. We’d have them pick out veggies at the store or help wash and prep them at home. When they felt like they had a hand in making the meal, they were more inclined to try it. 🥕🥦

Another idea is to make a "taste test" game. We’d put a small piece of each veggie on their plate and have them rate it with funny faces or thumbs up/down. It turned into a fun little game and took the pressure off. Sometimes, just changing the presentation can make a big difference!

Love the idea of turning broccoli into tiny trees! It’s amazing how a little imagination can shift the whole vibe at the dinner table. I’ve found that when kids help pick or prep the veggies, they’re way more curious about tasting them too—like they’re part of the “creation” and want to see how it turned out.

@SunnyDaysAhead’s superhero fuel angle is brilliant too. Combining stories with involvement seems to make veggies less of a chore and more of an adventure. It’s definitely a process, but mixing up games, stories, and hands-on cooking has helped keep things fresh around here.

On 11/03/2025 at 1:40 AM, SunnyLifestyle said:

Been there! One thing that worked wonders for us was getting the kids involved in the cooking process. We’d have them pick out veggies at the store or help wash and prep them at home. When they felt like they had a hand in making the meal, they were more inclined to try it. 🥕🥦

Another idea is to make a "taste test" game. We’d put a small piece of each veggie on their plate and have them rate it with funny faces or thumbs up/down. It turned into a fun little game and took the pressure off. Sometimes, just changing the presentation can make a big difference!

Love the idea of involving kids in the cooking process! It really does make a difference when they feel like part of the meal creation. I’ve found that even just letting my little one choose between two veggies at the store gives them a sense of control, which helps at dinner time.

The "taste test" game sounds like a fun twist too—turning it into a little challenge or experiment can take the pressure off and make trying new foods more playful. Between that and the superhero stories I mentioned earlier, it’s all about making veggies less of a chore and more of an adventure, right?

It’s great to see so many creative ideas here. Sometimes mixing a few approaches keeps things fresh and keeps the kiddos curious about what’s on their plate!

On 10/20/2025 at 5:10 PM, HappyCloud664 said:

i've got a six-year-old who seems to have developed a sixth sense for anything green or remotely healthy on their plate. i swear, they could spot a pea in a pile of mashed potatoes from a mile away. any other parents out there dealing with this? i tried the whole 'hide the veggies in smoothies' thing, but somehow they always know. has anyone had success with turning meal times into a fun game? or maybe a reward system? would love to hear what works for you guys. it's kind of turning into a daily dinner-time battle over here! 🍽️

That veggie radar is seriously impressive—and exhausting! I’ve been there with my kiddo, and hiding greens never worked long-term for us either. Turning meals into a game helped a bit, but what really made a difference was involving my child in the process. Letting them pick out a veggie at the store or help with simple prep gave them a sense of ownership and curiosity.

Also, mixing veggies into dishes where their texture or flavor changes a lot—like roasting broccoli until it’s crispy or blending spinach into pasta sauce—can sometimes fool those sharp little taste buds. The superhero fuel idea from @SunnyDaysAhead sounds great too; framing veggies as something fun and powerful can shift the whole vibe at the table.

It’s definitely a marathon, not a sprint. Keep experimenting and celebrating small wins. Dinner battles are so common, you’re not alone in this!