Picky Little Eaters: 10 Vegetables Every Kid Seems To Hate & 10 They Don't Mind
Picky Little Eaters: 10 Vegetables Every Kid Seems To Hate & 10 They Don't Mind
Kids And Their Taste Buds
We know, we know. Kids are hard to please, especially in the food department. And if you've got a picky little eater at the dinner table, it's all the more difficult to find dishes they'll enjoy eating. While it's your job to ensure your children enjoy healthy and well-balanced meals, it's a lot easier said than done when they dislike so many vegetables out there! To let you know what's safe and what's not, here are 10 veggies kids tend to hate and 10 they usually don't mind.
1. Broccoli
Despite looking like cute little trees, many kids grow up scared, hating, or at the very least, impartial towards broccoli. The stems are tough, the heads have a unique texture, and they don't have much flavor to them. And if you eat them raw, they might seem even more unpalatable.
2. Spinach
Having a rather bitter, earthy, and almost metallic taste, spinach is not the friend of many kids. One look at spinach on the dinner table and they might just throw a fit! While it's less noticeable when mixed into a salad, cooked spinach also has a rather slimy and soft texture some kids might not be a fan of.
3. Celery
Let's be honest - even adults struggle with enjoying celery! Not only does this vegetable have little to no flavor at all, it's tough to bite and has a stringy texture that doesn't let you fully enjoy the crunch. It often also feels like there isn't much you can do to improve it.
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4. Brussels Sprouts
Possibly America's most hated vegetable, Brussels sprouts get a bad rep for tasting bitter and having an off-putting smell. While a lot has to do with the preparation and cooking method, it's not a vegetable you'll see often thanks to both kids and adults disliking it. However, on the rare occasion it is served, you won't see many kids going for it.
5. Eggplant
Despite its cool purple color, eggplant, once cooked, tends to have a unique flavor and mushy texture. For this one, it's really the sliminess that makes kids run away - it looks nothing like it once did after it's been cooked down!
6. Mushroom
There are so many different kinds of mushroom varieties, but for the vast majority, they all have a rather earthy taste that doesn't sit well with kids. They have a complex flavor profile that young children can't appreciate yet; it might just seem a bit too woody for their liking.
7. Asparagus
Asparagus is definitely a vegetable lacking in both the looks and taste apartment when it comes to kids. A weird mix of crunchy and soft depending on how its cooked, it tends to have a strong grassy flavor that makes it taste like it came straight from the dirt onto your dinner plate.
8. Peas
When it comes to peas, most of the dislike comes from its mushy texture that's only apparent once you bite into it. Most kids tend to like crispier, crunchier textures, which can make the mushineess of this vegetable feel even worse when it's not complimented by a tasty flavor.
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9. Artichokes
Not only do artichokes look a bit scary in their natural form, they don't make up any points with the kids when it comes to their texture and flavor. Similar to asparagus, these vegetables have a slightly mild and earthy flavor with a touch of nuttiness to them that young children can't appreciate quite yet.
10. Zucchini
Kids often mistake zucchini for cucumbers, but one bite is all they need to be wildly surprised. Compared to the crisp, crunchy, and refreshing nature of cucumbers, these vegetables tend to be a bit mushy once cooked. Though they have a touch of sweetness to them, the soft texture overwhelms everything else.
1. Potatoes
Potatoes might be considered vegetables, but with all the tasty forms they come in, it can be hard to believe. Most kids associate them with fries, tater tots, or hash browns, making them immediately fond of these hearty vegetables. It's hard to mess a good potato up!
2. Carrots
Most kids like carrots because of their bright orange color and familiarity. The more you see something, the more comfortable you are with it! And carrots are eaten so often and seen everywhere in grocery stores that kids tend to enjoy them. Not to mention, when dipped in ranch, it offers up a tasty snack.
3. Corn
Reminding you of summer barbecues, corn is one of the few vegetables out there that tastes naturally sweet and is satisfying to eat. While basting it in butter certainly levels up the flavor, eating it plainly cooked is delicious enough for kids to love it.
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4. Cucumbers
As mentioned earlier, cucumbers are zucchini's more popular, beloved cousin. Tasting incredibly fresh, juicy, and crisp, these vegetables easily win over kids with their non-offensive flavor and fun crunch. They taste great in salads or even just eaten plain with ranch!
5. Tomatoes
Yes, while we know tomatoes are technically fruits, they're conventionally cooked as a vegetable so we're adding it onto our list. And for good reason because kids generally like tomatoes! Coming in many enjoyable forms like potatoes, this fruit (or vegetable in this case) can be found in pasta sauces, ketchup, burgers, and so much more.
6. Snap Peas
Compared to mushy peas, snap peas provide a much more fun crunchy texture and sweetness that makes this vegetable enjoyable to eat. While kids are taught not to play with their food, the entertaining snappiness of this vegetable simply makes them hard to resist.
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7. Lettuce
Lettuce might seem like a bland and boring vegetable, but that's exactly why kids don't mind them. There isn't anything about them to hate! And with it being a common ingredient used in salads and burgers, kids are familiar with the crispness and freshness of this vegetable.
8. Bell Peppers
Coming in bright and vibrant orange, red, and green colors, kids are already sold by the time they first lay eyes on these exciting-looking vegetables. They just look appetizing, don't they? And with some colored peppers being slightly sweeter than others, kids look forward to the fun crunch and delicious ranch pairing.
9. Onions
Onions might be a pain to cut, but kids don't know that! All they know is that this familiar vegetable, which is found in burgers or caramelized until sweet and tasty, is a lot better than say spinach or mushrooms. It's all in how you prepare onions that makes kids like them.
10. Cabbage
Similar to lettuce, cabbage has a slightly sweet flavor to it that makes this vegetable a more likable one than most. Its overall flavor is pretty mild too, meaning most kids simply either like it or don't mind it because there's nothing to nitpick at.
