Getting kids to eat their vegetables can feel like an uphill battle in a lot of homes. If your child pushes broccoli to the side of the plate every single time, you’re definitely not alone — and the good news is you don’t always need a battle of wills to get the nutrients in.
Here are 14 sneaky ways to get vegetables into kids’ meals, without the fuss (and without them noticing too much!).
In this article:
- Spaghetti sauce with hidden veg
- Homemade gummy snacks
- Cheese sauce with broccoli or cauliflower
- Kale chips
- Frittata
- Green smoothies
- Veggie “pasta”
- Herbs as hidden greens
- Soup
- Loaded salads
- Build-your-own pizza
- Veg sticks and dips
- Homemade veggie snacks
- Avocado chocolate pudding
How to Add Vegetables into Kids’ Meals
#1. Add Some Veggies to the Spaghetti Sauce
When making up your spaghetti sauce, reduce the amount of minced beef and add some finely chopped mushrooms to the mix. The meaty texture of mushrooms is similar to beef, and they absorb the rich flavours of the sauce so the kids won’t suspect a thing. You could also add some grated carrot or courgette, blending the sauce if needed.
For a pesto sauce, blitz in some cooked broccoli or spinach with the pesto.
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#2. Homemade Gummy Snacks
Image: Modern Parent, Messy Kids
This lovely idea for homemade gummy snacks from Modern Parent, Messy Kids is a great one to try. Combine fruits and veggies with gelatin, honey and a little vanilla extract to make fridge-ready snacks for kids.
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#3. Add Some Broccoli or Cauliflower to a Cheese Sauce
A good cheese sauce made from scratch tastes wonderful, and this lightened version from Eating Well uses flour to thicken low-fat milk with a small amount of full-flavoured sharp cheddar.
It’s then easy to stir in some steamed, pureed broccoli or cauliflower without the kids noticing.
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#4. Kale Chips
Image: Once Upon a Chef
Yes, they’re green — but kale chips are surprisingly popular with kids, thanks to their crunchy, crispy texture. Keep it simple with olive oil and salt, or add a flavour boost like these parmesan and lemon kale chips from Once Upon a Chef.
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#5. Make a Frittata
A frittata is a great way to get lots of vegetables into your kids’ meals. Chop up tomatoes, ham and onions really finely (kids tend to accept these more readily), then mix in vegetables they’re less keen on, like courgette and mushroom, and toss it all together in the egg-based frittata.
Serve with some baked beans and watch the plate get cleared.
#6. Add Some Green Veg to a Fruit Smoothie
A handful of kale or spinach blends surprisingly well into a fruit smoothie without overpowering the flavour.
Try the classic Green Monster: blend 1 cup of milk, 1 frozen banana, 2 handfuls of spinach and 1 tablespoon of almond butter. Easy and tasty.
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#7. Try Some Veggie Pasta
Swap out your usual pasta for veggie noodles. A spiral slicer or mandolin makes quick work of this, but a vegetable peeler works fine too if you want to create fun pasta shapes out of vegetables.
Try courgette (zucchini), butternut squash and aubergine (eggplant), topped with your favourite pasta sauce.
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#8. Don’t Forget the Herbs
Herbs are leafy greens too. Add fresh herbs to any rice, pasta or grain dish as a way of quietly boosting the veg content.
Another good one to try is a homemade herb pesto stirred into scrambled egg or used as a sandwich spread. This kale pesto recipe is tried and tested on kids, and it’s vegan too.
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#9. Make Soup
Boost your favourite soups, fresh or canned, with extra veggies. Simply add raw or frozen vegetables while heating or cooking.
If your kids are picky eaters, try steaming a big batch of vegetables — leaning on the ones they already like, such as carrots — then liquidising the whole lot so they blend seamlessly into the soup.
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#10. Load Veggies into Salads
Sneak a few extra vegetables into a tossed salad, especially in the summer months.
Try adding petit pois or baby corn to a side salad — as well as adding colour, kids generally like their natural sweetness. Sprouts or cress work well too, giving a crunchy, interesting texture.
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#11. Create Your Own Pizza
Kids genuinely enjoy this one. Start with pizza bases (try this quick pizza dough recipe) and a tomato sauce. Then lay out a whole range of colourful chopped vegetables — peppers, corn, peas, mushrooms — alongside cheese, ham and pepperoni.
Turn it into a competition for the most colourful, inventive pizza. Great fun for everyone.
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#12. Have Fun with Dips
Chop vegetables into sticks and place them in individual cups — carrots, cucumber, celery and green beans all work well — paired with a favourite dip like hummus, salsa or guacamole. This makes a great after-school snack.
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#13. Make Your Own Veggie Snacks
Potato chips (crisps) are hard for kids to resist, so why not make your own healthier version by oven-baking thinly sliced potato in a little olive oil?
Even better — try sweet potato wedges. Just as tasty, and packed with extra nutrition.
#14. Make an Avocado Chocolate Pudding
Image: Donal Skehan
We saved the best for last. You can even sneak vegetables into dessert with this chocolate avocado pudding from Donal Skehan — a sweet, surprisingly delicious little vegan pudding that will have everyone guessing the secret ingredient.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do these tricks actually work with really fussy eaters?
They work best when the vegetables are chopped, grated or blended finely so the texture doesn’t stand out, and when they’re paired with flavours or dishes your child already loves — like pasta sauce, pizza or a smoothie. Start small and build up gradually rather than overhauling a whole meal at once.
Is it okay to “hide” vegetables instead of just serving them plainly?
Both approaches have their place. Hiding vegetables in familiar meals is a helpful bridge while your child’s palate develops, but it’s still worth offering vegetables on their own too, so they get used to seeing and trying them in their natural form over time.
Which of these ideas work well for young kids just starting on solids or family meals?
Frittatas, soups and smoothies tend to be easiest to adapt for younger children since the vegetables can be blended in completely smooth. Dips with soft veg sticks are a good next step as they get older and want to feed themselves.
Can I prepare any of these in advance for busy weekdays?
Yes — sauces, soups and homemade gummy snacks all freeze or fridge well and can be made in batches. Veg sticks and dips are quick to prep the night before too.
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If you enjoyed these ideas, you might like these related reads too:
- Easy Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe
- 10 Easy Healthy Snacks for Preschoolers
- 16 Splendid Soup Recipes That the Kids Will Love
- 12 Quick Ideas for After School Snacks
Save These Ideas for Later
Bookmark this page or save it to your favourite recipe folder so you’ve got these ideas ready the next time you’re stuck for a way to get more veg onto the plate.
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