To sneak or not to sneak?

I think sneaking is not a very good idea. If you start sneaking food into their plates at a young age, they will become picky when they grow older. Especially when they find out that there's been vegetables hiding beneath their food. It's best for parents to tell them the truth about vegetables. Once they used to eating vegetables, it won't be a problem.

hmmm...I never thought of sneaking the veges to my kids like that when they were young. I know that a lot of kids snub their nose at veges and in that case then I wouldn't think it would matter how you get them into their bodies as long as they are getting them. You could still offer them veges the honest way while sneaking them to them. When I was growing up, my parents didn't force me to eat them but I had to take a bite or two each time we had them. Eventually I grew to like most of them. With my kids, I always put a little dish of ranch dressing by their plates to dip their veges in. They even dipped their meat in it. It really helped with a lot of foods they probably wouldn't have eaten

Hi, jonnifc. I agree with some peoples statements on this matter. I still think that the child is getting their value of veggies even if it is mixed with some other type of food. As they get older, they will start to love vegetables.

I see nothing wrong with sneaking vegetables into children's diet. Sometimes it is the only way to get them to eat the foods their bodies need. You can usually get away with this while children are still young. When they get older, you have to hope you can just convince them to eat what is right for them. there will be no sneaking vegetables to them anymore.

I think if your child is not eating vegetables at all if they know they are there, then it is better to sneak them into his diet whichever way you can. The current Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine is dedicated to getting our children to eat healthier and one of her ideas was to create a garden with easy to grow veggies and get your child involved so they can think of it as an experiment. If they grow it themselves, they'll be more likely to try it.

I think it is better for kids if they learn to like vegetables in the first place. But some kids hate them, and it's fine to sneak them in, I think. In this case, the less they know about it, the better (for them and for their health). When my kids were little, they would come around the kitchen when I was chopping celery, broccoli, carrots, apples, etc., and they would grab little tastes of these things on the run. They would usually be hungry before dinner, and this was a good way to get some veggies in them. They also liked salads, I think, because of this, not that they're always so good at eating them now. Also, we bought a Magic Bullet, and you can blend spinach, bananas, frozen fruit, add a little juice, etc., and you don't even taste the spinach. It makes a good smoothie for adults and kids.

funny you should mention this because we just got some 2 bite brownies that now have fibre in them! the company seems to be doing this for us!

hi jonnifc some veggies snuck into meat loaf kids really learn to love like carrots chopped finely and celery chopped finally also. also offet pure tomatoes, and carots and celery as a lot of kids love these ate raw and they are really good for the children too.Dont nag them just put the food out there , give them time, they do not eat it, put it out a different time and a lot of kids will really enjoy some veggies. Celery and carrot sticks were favorites at my house, also cucumber pickles too.My son loved fresh washed tomatoes straight from the garden ate by hand.My son also loved cucumbers sliced and put in salty water with a touch of vinegar.

Times have sure changed. When i was growing up we ate whatever mother fixed & never commented. That included veggies every day. Your kids need them so guess i'd do whatever it took to see they got them if it meant sneaking.

As a child my mother use to make us children have all manners of different veg on our plate.My children are not that keen on any veg,apart from carrots and processed peas.I am always trying to get them to eat more veg,but it is not very easy todo,no matter how hard you try to disquise them.

Other than a good cheese sauce on my broccoli I liked veggies in my soup. I also liked carrots in my pot pie as a kid. And raw carrots with ranch, carrot salad (shredded carrots, raisins, mayo and a touch of sugar). Celery with cream cheese and ham or peanut butter and raisins on the "log". I would watch the dark crystal and eat spinach with my forks taped to my fingers. I hated Eggplant Parmesan so I assumed I hated eggplant for YEARS until someone served me a eggplant lasagna so STYLE of cooking matters alot. So just experiment. And try again in a year or two, what they hate now may not be so in a few years. There is also the incentives. Stickers or a bag of chips in the lunch bag the next day. All those cookies, chips, candy, soda, ice cream, cupcakes, and treats they get during the day before dinner, they can "pay" for them the night before. You don't have to rely on the no vegetables no dessert deal. Stop the fast foods and pizza and turn them into treats - one week of veggies or something. Yes this will cramp YOUR meal times and you will have to COOK no matter how tired you are and can't just run to the nearest burger joint or grab a phone but sacrifice is a must when you have children. After all, CHOICE isn't just made when you terminate - it is made when you give birth too.