42 Sneaky Recipes – How to Get Kids to Eat Veggies & Fruit

How to Get Kids to Eat Veggies – 42 Sneaky recipes

Children often struggle to eat vegetables. After the airplane method stops working, parents struggle with how to get kids to eat veggies without dinner ending with someone crying at the table.

Its no wander parents get burnt out trying to serve them. Unfortunately, many vegetables are an acquired taste. Forcing them upon children usually doesn’t work.

How to Get Kids to Eat Veggies? Try Any of These 42 Recipes!

At Juicing Journal, we’ve found searched the web and reached out for suggestions. We’ve come up with 42 different recipes to get children to eat more fruits and vegetables. This list is especially curated for picky eaters.

Many of the recipes below mask the flavor and texture of common vegetables. In fact, your children may not know they are eating them!

Pro Tip

You may choose not to hide the fact that your children are eating vegetables. If so, get your kids involved in the cooking and blending process. It is a fun and exciting way to introduce them to vegetables and healthy eating.

Engaging kids in their meal prep can sometimes motivate them to eat vegetables.

Kid Friendly Air Fryer Recipes

sweet potato chips
Sweet Potato Chips

A simple and tasty vegetable treat! Sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin B, Calcium, Iron, and Magnesium.

carrot fries 3 2
Carrot Fries

If your picky eater enjoys eating sweet potato fries and chips, they are sure to love carrot fries. Carrot fries are useful if you are using the chaining method of introducing new foods.

airfryerzucchini chips
Zuchinni Chips

Air fried zucchini is a great way to introduce picky eaters to air fried veggies. Zucchini is low carb and packed with essential nutrients. Dip in ranch dressing or ketchup if necessary.

avacado fries
Avacado Fries

Convincing a picky eater to enjoy an avocado may be a tall order, but air frying crispy avocado fries may give parents an upper hand.

air fryer buffalo cauliflower
Buffalo Cauliflower

Even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy buffalo cauliflower. Many children may not even realize that they are eating vegetables, instead of chicken. Cauliflower is a great source of fiber and Vitamin C.

bloomin onion
Blooming Onion

Onions are fantastic sources of vitamins B, C, and D. Picky eaters may forget that they are enjoying a serving of vegetables if they think that they are eating a favorite treat their favorite restaurant!

cauliflower tater tots
Cauliflower Tater Tots

Cauliflower Tots are healthy, delicious, and nutritious! They even tots have the same appearance and texture as regular tater tots!

pickle chips
Air Fryer Pickles

Air frying pickles is healthier than traditional frying without losing the crispness and iconic flavor.

air fryer corn
Air Fryer Corn on the Cob

Corn is sweet, tasty, nutritious, and fun to eat! Picky eaters often enjoy picking toppings for their air fryer roasted corn. Corn cooks in approximately 10 minutes, so it is a fast and easy vegetable to prepare.

kid friendly apple chips
Air Fryer Apple Chips

Apple chips will quickly become a favorite dessert for the pickiest of eaters. Apples, with their natural sweetness, are robust sources of Vitamins A, C, and D.

air fryer edamame
Air Fryer Edamame

Edamame prepared in an air fryer may be the most fun dish on our list. Packed full of protein and essential minerals, edamame is a one stop shop for parents looking to feed their picky eater.

Air Fryer Falafel
Healthy Air Fryer Falafel

Falafel and picky eater have never been used in the same sentence before. Chickpea flour is the main ingredient in falafel. Chickpeas are full of fiber, iron, and magnesium.  Using chickpea flour is a sneaky way to get picky kids to eat their vegetables.

kid friendly sweet potato nuggets
Sweet Potato Nuggets

Mixing sweet potato with chicken is a great way to disguise vegetables. Younger children may never even notice that they are eating vegetables inside of their favorite chicken nugget recipe. 

air fryer chickpeas
Air Fryer Chickpeas

Air Fried chickpeas are a fun, crunchy snack that even the pickiest of eaters may enjoy. One serving of chickpeas can provide a child with calcium, magnesium, and fiber.

air fryer parsnip fries
Kid Friendly Parsnip Fries

Parsnips resemble carrots but taste and feel more like potatoes. Health experts refer to parsnips as a superfood, meaning that they are packed full of nutrients and vitamins. Can you look at the photo and tell they aren’t made from potatoes?

Need an air fryer?

Air fryers open up a lot of new sneaky ways to get kids to eat vegetables. Check out our post, 5 Best Ninja Air Fryers. It’s a good place to begin your search.

Sneaky Smoothie Recipes for Kids

kid smoothie
Cherry/Spinach Smoothie

This smoothie is sweetened naturally and contains almost 40% of your child’s daily Vitamin A requirement. They’ll never know it contains spinach, either!

strawberry banana smoothie bowl
Delicious Smoothie Bowl

A strawberry banana smoothie bowl that almost has the consistency of ice-cream. Top with sliced fruits if your kids will eat it. Or leave it naked. Either way, this recipe looks and tastes great!

dairy free green smoothie
Dairy-free Green Smoothie

This recipes uses coconut water instead of milk. Oranges and agave provides the sweetness. You may want to leave off the chia seeds, however, as a picky eater would probably reject them being included.

Cherry Smoothie Bowl
Cherry Smoothie Bowl

This vegan and gluten-free recipe looks like soft serve ice cream and tastes great! To make it more enticing, you can serve it with a few chocolate chips. It contains only 5 simple ingredients.

watermelon slushie
Watermelon Slushy

A refreshing slushy with just 6 ingredients. Raspberries brighten the color and add to the flavor. Stevia is used to add a little more sweetness to the recipe. Or you can use a bit of maple syrup if you prefer.

perfect fruit smoothy
Perfect Fruit Smoothie

This recipe contains delicious fruits commonly associated with the most popular candy flavors such as blueberry and strawberry. Unknowingly to them, it incorporates the good stuff from numerous other fruits.

strawberry banana yogurt smoothie
Strawberry Banana Smoothie

This recipe for banana strawberry yogurt smoothie is made with just a few ingredients. It is naturally sweetened and ready in less than 10 minutes.

green bean fries air fryer
Air Fryer Green Beans

French fries, but made with parmesan green beans. Your picky eater won’t be able to resist this very snackable dish! Plus, they are a lot healthier than similar, deep-fried dishes.

finished kale mango smoothie
Kale Mango Smoothie

The smoothie is green, but bananas, mango, honey, and orange juice mask the kale thats in this smoothie. Heck, you may want to make one for your picky eater and one for yourself!

walnut sweet potato smoothie
Walnut Sweet Potato

This desert smoothie is so delicious that your child will never know there are vegetables in it. The sweet potato blends with ginger, walnuts, and banana to make a flavor that reminds you of your grandmother’s pumpkin pie.

snickerdoodle tahini
Snickerdoodle Tahini Date

What if I told you that you could mix cauliflower and snickerdoodle together to make a delicious and nutritious treat?  Children will love to eat their vegetables when they try this recipe.

pumpkin pie smoothie
Pumpin Pie Smoothie

Pumpkin Pie in a Glass is another name for this delectable treat. Kids love pie, and if you can get them to eat a serving of vegetables while they are enjoying it, the better. Pumpkin pure is the base for this recipe and is rich in fiber, folate, and manganese.

Need a Blender?

Check out our post: 9 Best Blenders for Smoothies. We have a recommendation for almost any need.

Kid Friendly Juice Recipes

orange grapefruit juice
Orange Grapefruit Juice

This recipe is called the “Fat Blaster” on its website but there aren’t any funky substances in it. It calls for including 1 lemon with rind, but for kids, you may want to leave off out the lemon rind.

zucchini and apple juice
Zucchini & Apple Juice

With a combination of zucchini, apples and mint, this zucchini and apple juice is both refreshing and full of vitamins. Its sweetness will be appreciated by the pickiest kids.

cherry limeade
Cherry Limeaid

Nothing beats a tasty Cherry Limeade on a hot Summer day. Adding cucumber and beats adds doesn’t betray the sweet flavor. In short, this recipe is packed with nutrients!

oj citrus cooler
OJ Citrus Cooler

This refreshing juice mix is not only perfect for cooling off in the summer, but it is a great way to mask the taste and smell of eating carrots! Carrots are widely known superfoods that can boost a child’s growth and overall health.

mountain doo green juice
Mountain Doo Juice

Known for its green color, Mountain Doo Green Juice is a prefect way to get kids to eat celery and kale in one drink. Pineapple, lemon, and green apple masks the flavors of the other ingredients. This vitamin packed drink will tempt even the pickiest eaters.

dreamsickle
Dreamsicle

What kid would not like a drink that tastes like summer in a glass? For those of us who are older, this juicing recipe brings back memories of eating frozen dreamsicle treats by the pool.  The best part of this recipe is that your child will end up eating a sweet potato and 4-6 carrots without even knowing it. 

carrot orange juice 800x600 1
Carrot Orange Juice

Carrots contain essential nutrients that every growing child needs to be healthy. Beta-carotene and vitamin A are crucial to ocular development in growing children. This juice recipe disguises the carrot juice with sweet orange juice. My kids like the added ginger but you can leave it out if you must.

watermelon juice recipe
Watermelon Juice

We all know that kids love sweet treats, and watermelon juice is something that even the pickiest eater will enjoy. While the original recipe calls for watermelon and lime, some users choose to add cucumber or kale to add more nutritional value to the beverage.

Sparkling Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranate Juice

Most children love grape juice, but the sweet sugary drink may not be the best option for them. Pomegranate juice is a healthy alternative to other sugar filled options.

Need a Juicer?

Check out our post: 13 Best Juicers. If you are wanting a juicer as inexpensively as possible, check out our this article where we identify the best cheap juicers on the market.

More Sneaky Recipes

Paleo red velvet ice cream
Paleo Red Velvet Ice Cream

This kid-tested recipe contains a number of healthy ingredients. It contains no red dyes and your kids will want to devour it when they see it.

Chocolate Avocado Popsicles
Chocolate Avocado Popsicles

Here is a very sly and sneaky way to get your kids to consume avocado. Just blend the ingredients, pour into some molds, and pop them into the freezer!

Pizza Casserole with Cauliflower
Cauliflower Pizza Cassarole

Here is a healthy dish that both kids and adults will love. Cauliflower doesn’t have a strong taste, so pairing it with toppings from you kids’ favorite meal is a sure fire way to get them to some a portion of veggies.

True Made Ketchup
Use True Made Products

Simply replace your standard-issue condiments with True Made condiments. Each product they sell contains hidden veggies. In fact, their ketchup is made with butternut squash!

mickey fruit bars
Fruit & Veggie Mickey Bars

Take a look at this photo and tell me if you see blended fruits and vegetables? Neither do I. And neither will the kiddos 😉

Avocado Chocolate Mousse
Avocado Chocolate Mousse

A little chocolate goes a long way to making the strange-looking avocado more palatable to your children. Also, this recipe is vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

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