Getting your kids to eat healthy foods can be a real pain. Sometimes they really don’t like the taste of certain foods, but other times, it’s actually just all in the mind. Over the years I’ve come across some hilarious yet brilliant tactics mom use to get their kids to eat healthier, and I must say, making fruit and vegetables look fun on a plate is one of the easiest ways to do so. A little bit of trickery, sure, but it’s for good reason. And if they’re exposed to these food in a fun way, they may come to realize that they aren’t actually all that bad.
Egg Flowers
Add some healthy bell peppers to your little one’s breakfast to create these adorable flowers. Also try to introduce brown or whole-wheat bread from the very start so that they don’t get stuck on the unhealthier white bread all the time.
Idea Credit and Instructions: SuperHealthyKids
Veggie Skeleton
Building a skeleton from raw vegetables may just be the answer to getting your kids to enjoy these healthy snacks. And if you give them their favorite ranch sauce as a dip, they’ll probably be more inclined to give it a try.
Idea Credit and Instructions: Kraft
Banana Penguins
Bananas are insanely healthy with a variety of benefits, so they more your kids eat, the better. You can stick your little birdies in the freezer for about 20 minutes after assembling to make the perfect summertime snack. You can try some healthy banana pancakes, too!
Idea Credit and Instructions: Children’sMinistryPins and ReadingConfetti
Egg Hens
For the most part, kids seem to enjoy hard boiled eggs, so you can use these cute hens to entice them to eat the garden of spinach, lettuce or other leaves around the happy little hens.
Idea Credit and Instructions: Foodlets
Apple Owls
They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, so you should definitely try to get your kid to snack on apples regularly. How could anyone say no to this hoot? You could even treat them to an owl cake if they finish all their dinner!
Idea Credit and Instructions: KitchenFunWithMyThreeSons
Crab Apple
If your little one prefers red apples to green, then a red crab could be the perfect little edible fruit crustacean. A little bit of creative knife work is in order, but you’re not exactly carving a work of art, so don’t get intimidated.
Idea Credit and Instructions: CanadianFamily
Broccoli
I’ve always felt sorry for broccoli and could never understand why it’s so hated by kids – I’ve always loved it! A clever way to sneak it to your kids is to toss it in their favorite mac and cheese or blend it up in crispy cheesy bites. Hopefully, they’ll eventually come to love the little green trees.
Idea Credit and Instructions: TasteAndTell and SuperHealthyKids
Boat Sandwich
Most kids love classic PB&J sandwiches, so if they have to eat through the healthy celery sticks and raisins to get to their yummy prize, you may just be on to something.
Idea Credit and Instructions: CookieCutterChic
Veggie Boats
These veggie-filled zucchini boats or on an adventure, and their destination id you child’s stomach! The recipe is really easy to follow and it tastes so yummy – hopefully the kids will agree and set sail!
Idea Credit and Instructions: PequeRecetas
Turkey Peppers
Who says you can only enjoy turkey on Thanksgiving? Just look how cute and colorful this little guy is! The array of peppers make it look enticing to eat, and if you have a nice dip ready, your kids are more likely to scoop it up with the available veggies.
Idea Credit and Instructions: CBCParents
Owl Bagel
Regardless of whether or not the owl craze has died down, I’m still obsessed. This fruity decorative owl can help you to get your child to try out new fruit; feel free to experiment with other fruits, for example, I’d try mango slices for the wings instead of cheese.
Idea Credit and Instructions: FunnyFoodRecipes
Fruity Race Cars
I know we like to teach our children not to play with their food, but in the case of these grape and apple race cars, there may just be an exception. If you’re worried about the pointy toothpicks, you could try gluing on the wheels with some peanut butter instead.
Idea Credit and Instructions: eHow
Fun Oatmeal
A humble bowl of oatmeal can be a very nutritious breakfast meal, but if your kid isn’t entirely convinced, maybe a bit of prettying up can do the trick to encourage them to eat not only the oatmeal, but get the healthy fruit in, too.
Idea Credit and Instructions: LittleFoodJunction and CreativeKidSnacks
Fruit and Veggie Snails
Peanut butter was my kryptonite as a kid (it still is…), so my mom quickly learnt how to get me to eat veggies that I didn’t like. Celery and peanut butter? Hell yeah! A celery, apple and peanut butter snail? Why the hell not?
Idea Credit and Instructions: StopLookin’GetCookin’
Rainbow Fruit Skewers
For the most part, kids love vibrant colors, so getting them to ingest all those healthy vitamins and antioxidants from fruit could actually be as easy as making these rainbow skewers. A bit of honey and yogurt dip could sweeten the deal even further!
Idea Credit and Instructions: RainingHotCoupons
Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups
Everyone loves fruit roll-ups right? Make your own healthier versions without all the sugar and additives so that your kids can get all the healthy yumminess without all nasty bad stuff. You can even let them choose their own flavors since these are so easy to make!
Idea Credit and Instructions: DIYnCrafts
Fruit Popsicles
If you give a kid an ice cream or popsicle, there’s no way he or she will refuse it. The way to be clever here is to make your own popsicles from fruit and fruit only. No sugar, no syrup, just all natural fruity goodness.
Idea Credit and Instructions: TheViewFromGreatIsland and NourishingMeals
Oscar the Veggie Grouch
If Oscar the Grouch from the Muppets found his way to your child’s plate, do you think they’d want to gobble him up? This creative little arrangement is a clever way to get your kid to eat some peas and maybe even broccoli, so it’s worth a shot!
Idea Credit and Instructions: CreativeKidSnacks
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