You could be forgiven for thinking “Best vegetables for toddlers”? “My picky eater refuses to eat vegetables full stop.” You don’t have to struggle on your own and most parents, just want to come home and put a quick nutritious dinner on the table.
Most kids love fruit, but veggies can be a tough sell. Don’t give up on offering vegetables they refuse; data suggests that offering the same vegetable may take 20 attempts before your toddler will try it.
Remember toddlers’ tastes change over time so while they may refuse broccoli today, they might decide to try it next week. Toddlers are known to be fickle like that. So, what are these best vegetables for toddlers?
Top Seven Best Vegetables For Toddlers
Carrots
Carrots are a great source of beta-carotene and vitamin A. These vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy vision as it builds a protein in the eye responsible for letting light in. Carrots are naturally sweet and full of fibre. Carrots are one of the best vegetables for toddlers to support growth and essential organ function. They can be grated on pizza, hidden in bolognese along with other pureed vegetables or given as a snack with hummus for dipping.
Avocado
Avocado is rich in vitamin C, E and B6 and is bursting with Omega 3 which is important for brain development. Avocados harbour folate essential in red and white cell growth in the bones. This little powerhouse food is great for rapid growth spurts in toddlers and children. Bury it in a small salad with carrot and cherry tomatoes in a lettuce leaf cup or blend it well with strawberries to make a superfood smoothie. Alternatively, you could make guacamole for dipping crackers, cucumber sticks, snap peas or carrots as a healthy Mexican snack.
Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes top the best vegetables for toddlers list as sweet, jewels of delight in small mouths. They are rich in lycopene which reduces the chance of some cancers and heart issues. They are a great source of fibre and it goes a long way in helping your child get their fibre intake for the day. They can eat them straight from the plate or blend them into a bolognese sauce or as a pasta sauce for spaghetti.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are popular with toddlers and little kids as they can be made into chips, falafels, or muffins. They contain a suite of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin C, B6 and copper. Copper helps little bodies absorb iron and supports the immune system. Sweet potatoes live up to their name with a sweetness that is enhanced by roasting. Vitamin C in sweet potatoes plays a role in supporting healthy skin and the immune system. Vitamin C plays a role in helping to absorb iron and may reduce the length and frequency of colds in little people. B6 supports cognitive development.
Snap Peas
Snap Peas, the little sweet mouthful that packs a flavour punch, are loaded with Vitamin C, K, folate, and fibre. They help to maintain eye, brain, and bone health in little bodies. Peas can be eaten straight from the pod fresh from the garden or if frozen they can be added to pasta, bolognese or risotto.
Cauliflower
Mark Twain, famously called a cauliflower a cabbage with a college education. In short, cauliflower packs a wallop of nutrition for your kids. Cauliflower’s benefits are endless, in addition to it being an excellent source of fibre, it is also a fantastic source of Vitamin C, provides a range of antioxidants and a punch of Vitamin K famous for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Mashed cauliflower can be used as a great alternative to mashed potato. A healthy veggie alternative to a family favorite that can pass unnoticed by even the fussiest of eaters.
Or even try cauliflower rice which is ideal for replacing white rice for a risotto or under a chicken curry.
Olives
Olives, too, are 80% water but 10-15% fat. However, they pack Vitamin E, a support against oxidization causing cell damage. Iron allows oxygen to be carried around the body by the red blood cells. Calcium is necessary for healthy bones and teeth. Just a few, about six are needed on a cauliflower pizza base to give kids a double whammy of nutrition on Pizza night.
Olives have a bitter taste but mixed with cherry tomatoes and sweet potato chips they almost won’t notice. This is an example of older children with evolved taste buds as they mature. Some parents introduce their toddlers to these bitter tastes earlier with great success. These are two of the best veggies for kids.
Best Veggies for Kids
This best vegetable for toddlers list is far from complete as there are many wonderful healthy veggies for kids to be added. Proud parents everywhere can rest assured there are ways, covert or visible methods, to get veggies into kids that they enjoy.
As a guide toddlers need three meals a day plus two snacks. Things like carrot sticks or cherry tomatoes can be packaged ready to just grab and go as Mum and Dad race off to work, dropping junior off at daycare on the way. Meals like pizza spread with veggies for kids can be made in advance so it is just heat and eat. Sweet potato, corn and pea nuggets can be made ahead and served hot with a small side salad or a cucumber stick that is easy for a toddler to hold themselves.
Babies and toddlers have an innate preference for sweet tastes. Milk is sweet, and this is a taste that most little ones become used to. As their tastes evolve through repetition and exposure, they can be introduced to more of the best vegetables for toddlers.
School-age kids are more vocal about what they do and don’t like. Foods such as cauliflower crust pizza base with olives as one topping that packs a lot of nutritional value for active growing kids.
Best Vegetables for Toddlers and Kids
So there it is, my top seven veggies for fussy eaters, but this list is just the start of healthy vegetable eating for toddlers’ and harried parents. You can be relieved you can get something nutritious into your toddler at short notice in under 30 minutes from oven or pan to table.
As tastes change with your toddler and school kids, keep introducing new tastes to extend their palate. On weekends try experimenting with different vegetables when you are not in a hurry after a busy working day.
Enjoy food tasting with your toddler. It is exciting to discover their tastes as they change and grow.
