Making sure your children are getting enough vegetables is tough, especially if they’re picky eaters. Fortunately, there are a few clever ways to sneak more greens into their diet to ensure they’re getting the nutrients they need for their growing bodies.

1. Not-So-Green, Green Smoothies

Who doesn’t love a creamy, refreshing smoothie? Not only are they delicious, but they’re also loaded with nutrients and easy to make the veggies undetectable. Since it can be difficult to make our kids drink things that look like vegetables, you’ll want to make a not-so green, green smoothie

One of the easiest things to disguise in a smoothie is spinach. Throw in a handful of spinach mixed with blueberries and banana for a purple berry banana green smoothie. It’s nutrient-dense and kid-friendly, so even your pickiest eater will love it.

To make smoothies creamier while offering healthy fat, add a little avocado. Another creative idea for disguising vegetables in your child’s diet is a smoothie bowl. Top with fiber-rich foods such as nuts, seeds, and fruit.

2. Mashed Cauliflower

The cauliflower craze isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. This versatile vegetable has a mild taste and can take on whatever spices, herbs, and sauces you throw on it. Plus, its texture is capable of transforming into almost anything, including mashed potatoes. Try starting with 50% cooked potatoes with 50% cooked cauliflower. Add a bit of butter, garlic, salt and pepper, sour cream, and cheese to jazz it up a bit. With the help of your Blendtec FourSide or WildSide+ jar, this is a breeze to make. 

If you want to continue to explore cauliflower’s true culinary potential, whip up some rice, pizza, and soup. Kids and adults alike will enjoy these guilt-free creations.

3. Zucchini Desserts

You'd never expect vegetables and dessert to go together, but we’re here to prove that fact wrong. Zucchini is the ultimate master of disguise, capable of fusing itself into mouth watering sweets and treats that fool even the fussiest of eaters. Plus, zucchini is packed with a variety of minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. They also offer lots of vitamins including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K.

To have your child reap the benefits of these nutrients, toss zucchini into your next batch of brownies. These zucchini brownies are moist, decadent, and rich. We promise they’ll taste so good that your kiddo won’t believe you when you tell them you made them with zucchini. You can also add them to muffins, bread, and pancakes.

4. Avocado Pudding

The creamy texture, earthy flavor, and versatility of avocado makes it a delicious ingredient for a variety of recipes. To get your child in on the avocado action, try hiding it into a divine dessert. Chances are, your kid will scarf it down - even after they learn that it’s made with avocado.

For a more savory dish, add avocado to your favorite dip or sandwich spread. This delicious herbed avocado dip is one of the quickest dips you'll make if you have a blender. All of the ingredients get thrown into the jar together and then blended.

5. Sauce

Next time you make a batch of pasta sauce, add some pureed spinach and fresh herbs. This small addition quickly increases nutrition value and taste. Once your child gets used to your new sauce recipe, try experimenting with other leafy greens, such as kale or Swiss chard.

Making an alfredo sauce? Make it even smoother and more velvety by making it with cauliflower.

Unleash Your Creativity With Blendtec

Blendtec makes it easy to use your imagination to help your child eat (and love) vegetables. Shop the entire collection of Blendtec blenders and accessories today!