Veggie-detecting Radar

When he was tiny, Little Guy loved peas. He also ate green beans and squash and carrots and corn. We bragged at how much vegetables our little sweetie would wolf down at each meal. Around his first birthday, things began to change. Gradually one vegetable after another fell off the “He’ll eat that” list.

It’s getting worse. Last night I caught him hiding green peas behind his booster seat. It reminded me of the classic family story my Dad tells. When he was a child, his Mom told him that before he could eat any of her home-made chocolate cake, he had to eat his Lima Beans. My Dad was not then (nor is he now) a fan of vegetables. However, he loved his Mom’s chocolate cake. So, he wedged the beans in his cheeks, ate his cake, and then went outside to spit out the beans.

For the record, I will not ever tell Little Guy that story. Hopefully his Grandpa can keep it under wraps too. We’ll see.

So, clearly Little Guy’s veggie-eating glory days are behind us. I’ve tried hiding them in other food (ala Mrs. Jerry Seinfeld). He might take one bite, but quickly his tiny lips are clamped shut like Fort Knox. He has some kind of crazy vegetable detecting radar that we can’t escape.

We’ve tried Jell-o that had shaved carrots and pineapple inside. We tried pumpkin bread. We tried meatloaf with various veggies pulverized and added in. We tried canned ravioli that boasted “one serving of vegetables” in each can. We tried tomatoes on sandwiches.

I think maybe we’ve tried it all, but I’m hoping that we haven’t. What has worked for you? What have you done to trick… er I mean CONVINCE your child(ren) to eat the stuff that’s good for them, and not hide it behind their booster seats?

I’d love to hear your tips. All ideas are welcome!