Veggie-packed meals & snacks for kids - 8 easy ideas!

Getting children to eat vegetables is not always an easy task. The "green stuff" on the plate usually doesn't look as appetizing to children as their favorite foods. However, the nutrients contained in vegetables are essential for children, too. In this blog post we will show you eight ideas how to integrate vegetables into dishes in such a way that your children may not even notice what they’re eating!

1. Pasta sauces with vegetables

Spaghetti with marinara sauce is a popular children's dish that you can make even healthier in one extra step! Simply chop carrots, peppers and onions finely and add them to the sauce. Alternatively, you can also puree them and mix them with the tomato sauce. The vegetable-rich tomato sauce is ready!

2. Zoodles: Zucchini instead of noodles

While we are on the subject of pasta: Regular pasta can be perfectly replaced by zucchini spaghetti, otherwise called zoodles. Sure, your child will notice – but when it comes to flavour, the dish will taste just as good, because zucchini are rather neutral in taste. You can start with a 50/50 mixture of pasta and zoodles and see if your child likes it. A plus point for you: a low-carb dish that you can enjoy lots of!

3. Mini pizzas with vegetable base

Another popular dish you can easily make healthier with veggies! Zucchini and eggplant are excellent as base for mini pizzas. Simply cut them into slices, bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes and then top them with your favourite toppings such as tomato sauce, mushrooms and lots of cheese. Bake again briefly until the cheese melts and voila - the delicious and healthy dinner is ready!

4. Veggie nuggets or veggie fingers

Fried finger food tastes good to children - but it doesn't always have to be unhealthy! For the vegetable version, simply chop as many vegetables as you like, such as broccoli, carrots, cauliflower or peas, add eggs to bind them and bring the finished mixture into the desired shape. Then roll each in a mixture of breadcrumbs and spices and bake or fry. Tip: Use an air fryer for a low-fat and easy preparation!

5. Cream soup with vegetables

Especially during the cold months, soups are often on the menu. With cream soups, you can sneak in as many types of veggies as you like! Plus, if you add a few potatoes, your child won‘t even notice that there are vegetables in the soup!

6. Veggie chips

Every now and then we all crave some junk food - so why not offer veggie chips as a snack? Beetroot, parsnip, carrots and sweet potatoes all work well as chips. Simply slice the vegetables into very thin slices with a V-slicer and let them dry crispy in the oven at 100 degrees Celsius for about 1 hour. Then just season to taste and enjoy your healthy snack!

7. Add veggies to juices and smoothies

Certain vegetables can be integrated into juices and smoothies. Carrots, beetroot, cucumbers and celery can all be combined with fruits and have natural colors that look completely unsuspicious to children's eyes!

8. Brownies with grated zucchini

Time for dessert! What sounds strange at first is actually a popular combination – grated zucchini mixed into the brownie dough make the end result incredibly moist and delicious! Because zucchini are neutral in taste, they don’t make themselves noticeable in brownies or any type of baked goods for that matter. A healthy addition to a tasty dessert!

Teaching children to eat vegetables as early as possible is very important. Leading by example, shopping for veggies together, asking to help in the kitchen - all this can help your kids to accept vegetables faster. Don’t worry if it doesn't work right away though - with a few tricks and a little creativity you can encourage even the pickiest of kids to eat more vegetables!

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