June 18, 2015
updated
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Sometimes it seems like no matter how hard I try to make “green foods” appealing, my kids reject them. But fries? Who could resist fries, right?
Green bean French fries are one of the few recipes that when I begged them with the usual “just try it, you might like these!” they did!
While Sofia loves green beans steamed, sautéed, baked…you name it; my boys are a bit tougher to crack. It takes a lot more effort and creativity on my part to make veggies appealing at all.
I decided to turn boring green beans into fun French fries, with the help of a little cheese. Because Parmesan cheese, my friends, is like magic fairy dust when it comes to making some foods appealing to my kids. Watch this quick video and see how easy this recipe is to make.
Well, most of the time. My middle son held his ground and did not eat them. “They look funny,” he said. So of course, I did what many parents do, add a little encouragement. I served about a tablespoon of Hidden Valley’s new Roasted Garlic Ranch on the side to help him at least try the green fries.
Let’s talk real life parenting for a minute. Kids will be kids. They get hung up on the color of a particular food and often refuse to try something that might taste amazing, like these Parmesan French fries for example.
My goal is to get my son to eat more veggies and if adding a tablespoon of Hidden Valley® Roasted Garlic Ranch helps him eat beans, then I celebrate it. I want him to learn how to eat more foods, and eventually, he will (and has already) open up to trying new foods.
If you have picky eaters, you know exactly how hard this can be. I’ve tried everything to get my kids, especially my sons, to at least try some veggies. I’ve gotten so frustrated, to the point where I didn’t know what else to do!
I’ve shed many tears of guilt and shame in private, because clearly, I must be doing something wrong, right? Wrong. I just want my kids to learn to eat the things that are good for them, that provide nutrition, and are wholesome and fresh.
This is easier said than done, of course, and sometimes, we need a little assistance at mealtime. That’s when I remind myself of the big picture and end-goal.
If you’ve followed this blog or MOMables for a while, you know that nearly all the foods we eat are made fresh at home. Sometimes we need an assist so I add one thing that helps my son try new veggies: Hidden Valley Ranch.
For me, it’s like having an ace up my sleeve. On occasion, when I introduce a new recipe or make something that isn’t his favorite, I will place a tablespoon or so of ranch on the side to assist with the whole process.
So why should you make these cheesy, crispy, and delicious green bean French fries? Because steamed green beans will soon get a little bland; especially in the summer, when they are so affordable and abundant.
Turning green beans into French fries is a win-win. Besides the fact that their cheesy crunch is hard to resist, they’ll be on your plate in 20 minutes or less!
You can shorten the prep time even more by having the green beans washed and cut in advance, or by using frozen (and thawed) green beans. Then, all you have to do is mix them with the seasoning, bake, and viola! You’ve got an easy side for dinner.
Remember that our job as parents is to offer our family nutritious foods, it’s their job to choose to eat them or not. And sometimes, when we need a little assistance, it’s ok to say yes, to the things that make the process easier.
For me, with my picky son, Hidden Valley Ranch dressings give me a little assistance in the kitchen when I am introducing something new or it’s not a favorite vegetable. For this recipe, the Roasted Garlic Ranch was the perfect flavor combination.
What’s your great assist at mealtime?
Parmesan Green Bean Fries
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 lb fresh green beans, washed, ends trimmed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and salt.
- Place green beans on lined pan, tightly grouped together but not laying on top of each other. Generously sprinkle seasoned parmesan on top of green beans.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the Parmesan has browned and the green beans are crispy.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
From time to time, I work with awesome companies to develop recipes for this website. Today’s post was brought to you by Hidden Valley Ranch. All opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that encourage my creativity.
Mona
These green beans look fantastic! I’m a big fan of roasted green beans but have never tried anything like this. It would probably work with asparagus too which is another of my favorite vegetables to roast. Thanks!
Sarah
We have a garden and grow our own vegetables. We all take care of our garden as a family. Our son loves to plant, care and then pick the food and help to prepare it. I think it helps that he can see our food just doesn’t come from the grocery. That seeing how it grows and changes and then helping to prepare that item, he is willing to eat and even try new veggies more.
grace
we try to juice as much we can .. mix plenty variety of fruits and veggies — so we all can have both in our diets everyday. occasionally i mix spinach in spaghetti sauce 🙂
Melanie
dressing
Laura Fuentes
I’m sending you some grill mats Wendy so you can make awesome tacos with grilled and roasted veggies!
Anne F.
Roasting the veggies brings out the full flavors. Plus, a little cheese on top never hurt!
Laura Fuentes
Yum!
Kelly
My kids will eat fresh veggies with ranch dressing.
Angela Boyle
Most of my family enjoys Braggs liquid aminos on all types of steamed vegetables.
Allie
My husband likes veggies all cooked and mushy (ewww!) while I like to eat them either raw or cooked with a crunch left over. My two year old son is all the more picky and it is a daily struggle to get him to eat any veggies unless I sneak them into a casserole or blended into our spaghetti sauce. Sooo, usually we compromise on steaming them until soft and put some unsalted butter on and cheese. I for sure need help in learning different ways of fixing veggies that my whole family will enjoy. I can’t wait to try this recipe out!
Ruby M.
So glad I am not in the picky stage of life. These green beans look fabulous to me!
Marla
Melted cheese!
Marion
My kids love homemade ranch dip or hummus with veggies.
Hilda Crowe
one thing that helped making veggies more appealing in our house is saute them in some bacon grease (sometimes bacon pieces in there too) and garlic. It gives just a little smokey, garlicky flavor to the veggies (favorite is green beans) and the kids gobble it up.
Tiffany
My family loves spice and flavor! If I add smoked paprika to veggies, it’s always a hit.
Laura Fuentes
I use smoked paprika a lot too Tiffany!
Talia B.
My daughter is my picky one. There is no one way to get her to try a new vegetable, but if she asked to help cook it, which is rare, then she will usually try it. She actually likes raw veggies better. My son loves to dip so if it has a dip he will try.
Nina
Growing ourselves or helping to buy them at the farmers market.
Melissa
We included veggies in everything that we make – soups, casseroles, spaghettis – the kiddos have just grown to expect it in everything.
Stacy
Ketchup, they will try most anything if they can dip it into ketchup. It’s the only “dip” they’ll eat.
Adrienne
Growing a garden has helped get the kids to try new foods. They have more interest in something they have grown themselves from a seed. My kids elementary school has a snack program where three days a week they are given fresh fruits and vegetables. They are more willing to try new foods at school than they seem to be at home. This program has helped them be more open to new foods.
Amy
Butter and dips help my children to eat vegetables. I just wish they’d eat more of a variety…
Nicole
Butter!!! It makes everything better 🙂 Can’t wait to try this recipe. I bought green beans just to try this.
Julie Biljardt
Offering a platter of a variety of veggie sticks along with some sort of dip has helped. For cooked veggies, new green leafy ones go down much better if they’re sautéed with bacon!
Jessica
We’ve made these before and they are tasty! i find with my kids that different types of cheese toppings, olive oil drizzle and salt and pepper seasonings work best to help get the veggies down.
Caren W.
The only way I can get my son to eat veggies is to puree them in soups/stews or smoothies. He loves how they taste, but because of sensory issues, he can’t get past the texture of most veggies. What ever it takes, I guess.
Elizabeth
We cook most vegetables by roasting in the oven with olive oil and salt and pepper. We are trying a small container garden this year, to see if that increases the appeal of vegetables for my one picky eater.
Mary
Sunbutter + veggies (carrots, celery, …)
In smoothies, especially beets and the red stems of chard, as they add red to the smoothies and the kids forget about the veggies!
Kale chips, eggplant jerky
celena
ranch helps. Also, butter, salt, and pepper
Jane
To make veggies more appealing in our household, we grow a garden (like many others) and we love to make stir fry! My kids eat tons of it and we can put so many different veggies in it. Any vegetable can taste good when you turn it into stir fry!
Jeanene
I roast and liberally salt/oil our veggies and our kids will eat (at least try) most anything. I would love to try and grill them!
Sarah
A little garlic salt goes a long way on my kids cooked veggies.
Janel
One thing added…grass fed butter. Delish!
Nakia
Vegetables go over better at our house when they are mixed with other foods.
paula
fresh grated asiago cheese makes every veggie better
Sue F.
I know you all are going to “hate” me, but I am so fortunate that my daughter LOVES many different types of veggies and she has since she started eating solid food! She loves broccoli, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives (is that technically a fruit??), peppers, and salad greens! She also likes the “conventional” green beans, corn, peas, and has just discovered that she loves lima beans as well! One day, she chose to have a salad for a snack rather than something sweeter! I would love to win a grilling mat to give her another way to love them even more! 🙂
Rachel
Slicing raw veggies really thinly and putting them on the counter with dip while I cook dinner. For some reason, the kids think that getting to eat a before-dinner snack is so cool that they don’t notice that they’re eating healthy food!
Cindy
Cheese!
Kim
Roasting with olive oil and seasonings is a favorite at our house!
Tara kidd
If I put Montreal steak seasoning on any veggie and roast it, my family loves it! It’s magic! 🙂
Deja
One of the things that makes veggies of almost any kind more appealing is roasting. Roasting veggies caramelizes the sugars in the vegetables and takes the flavor to a whole new level.
Jessica
My son loves roasted veggies tossed first with olive oil, salt, pepper, and sometimes garlic powder. It really gives the veggies a different flavor, and he loves it.
Teal Lockard
We love roasted vegetables of all kinds at our house!
Kim
Sometimes I can get my kids to eat vegetables if they are covered in cheddar cheese or Ranch dressing.
Mary Lou
One thing that has made veggies more appealing in my household is to cook (grill, roast, steam) several different veggies together. It’s not so terrible to taste a new one (beets, kohlrabi, turnips) if you can eat just a piece along with some of your family’s stand-by favorites (green beans, potatoes, etc.). The different colors and textures also add to the appeal.
Jennifer
The one thing that has made veggie eating easier in my household has been to cut the veggies into fun shapes and also to have a yummy dipping sauce to add to the plate.
Stephanie
I roast veggies in the oven – broccoli for example. Then the kids can dip them in paremsan – like little green trees 🙂
Jessica
I have not found the golden ticket to making veggies more appealing for my 3! Sometimes a sauce will work, sometimes some cheese but then sometimes they don’t even need salt or pepper before they dive in and devour what’s on their plate. I just keep serving it to them and never give up 🙂
Ann
I have found that if I put veggies out family style so the kids can choose what they want, they are more inclined to try new things. They feel empowered since they are making the decision for themselves, I guess!
Kellie
What a great, easy way to prepare veggies!
Shel Olrich
a pinch or 2 of Alaska Pure Lemon/Lime Salt always does the trick. My kids love veggies anyway but they go crazy with that hint of lemon and lime.
Erin
My kids, especially my middle child, eat a lot of veggies. I will give dip options like peanut butter (especially with carrots!) or hummus. I also process and sauté into meat mixtures like for spaghetti, tacos or meatloaf. They like to help me cook and seeing how I add them in dishes helps them too.
Allyson
We love veggies and I think the reasons my kids eat them is just because they are what we have on the table. They eat are more appealing to all of us when we can pick them fresh from out garden. I also like to put fresh veggies out on the table while i’m making lunch, they end up filling up on veggies before they get the rest of lunch which is ok by me.
Lauren K
I hide the veggies in smoothies!
Susan
Hidden Valley Ranch dressing when I CAN get my girl’s to eat veggies is the only thing they like. I am definitely going to try out the ideas mentioned here! Thanks!
Faith M
My kids love any veggie you can dip in ranch. And I am up to try anything new and different with veggies.
Andrea
My daughter is more likely to eat veggies if she has helped me make them
Brandy
My kids will try most everything unless they can tell it’s a veggie. We usually put them in a sauce over pasta or dice them up in soups!
Abigail S
My son loves to pick veggies from the vine or straight out of the garden, so I know that having a garden in the backyard has helped him see where some of his food is coming from. We’ve never had an issue with vegetable pickiness, but two of his (and our!) favorites are roasted cauliflower (with olive oil, garlic powder, parm cheese and breadcrumbs) and grilled asparagus. They are always a winner and cheese always “makes the medicine go down”!
Patti
Chinese barbecue sauce (homemade with hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce) usually does the trick–especially if grill the vegetables (green beans are a favorite) so they get a little caramelized.
Aubrey
A few different things work in my house – lemons, yogurt, or ketchup. It’s a sure way to get food in the kiddos tummies!
Claudia B
Butter, salt & pepper on everything!
Abbey
Garlic & grass-fed butter make veggies IRRESISTIBLE in our house!
Laura Fuentes
Gras-fed butter makes a HUGE difference!!!
Verenise D
It’s easy to give my girls a SIMPLE salad with their favorite dressing. However, I have one daughter (6) who loves vegetables and is willing to eat or at least try them all. Broccoli no problem, carrots, cucumbers, ONIONS she loves them. Then there’s my older daughter (7) who will make faces, reluctantly put the smallest piece in her mouth, chomp on it without swallowing for what seems to be hours while saying the whole time how terrible it is. So in her case I have to blend and hide. mac and cheese w/carrot or some sort of other puree, smoothies, cauliflower crust pizza (amazing eats it as if it was bread). Maybe covering it in Nutella would do the trick.
Madeline
Nothing fancy to make them more appealing – just olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast!
Susan H
My kids love anything with a Dip, of course! But it has really helped the last few years that we have our own garden and they see the whole process!!!!!
Sharon Perks
I have 6 grandchildren and 5 will eat their veggies without any problem. However, there my youngest is very picky. I have used Hidden Valley as a dip which works great because they all like it. We are growing a garden which they all helped to plant. They also like eating foods that are cut into smaller pieces and then served in a cupcake pan.
Kim Smith
Grilling them with some olive oil!!!
Lisa D
Having a garden had certainly encouraged my kids to eat more veggies. Picking and eating right in the garden is the best!
Nicole U.
The one thing that helps make veggies more appealing in my household ?…. I don’t know if there is any magic wand I can wave to consistently get my twin toddler boys to chow down on their veggies. With that said however, I can say that my oven roasted brussels sprouts are 95% of the time a sure-fire win. My husband and I love them too – so even if the kids don’t eat them on any given night; more for us !
Meghan Daniels
My kids are pretty good about eating their veggies but dip definitely helps. My step-son on the other hand will not touch veggies. There is not one veggie he likes. It is kind of frustrating!
Tia Brown
Ironically enough, grill marks are the one thing my kids want to see! They think the grill marks ‘add lots of flavor’ versus being cooked in the oven or on the stove.
Kirsten Day
One thing that has make veggies more appealing is peanut butter. We use natural peanut butter on carrots, broccoli, celery, and cucumbers. This is an at home fix only as we cannot take peanut butter to school or out to play with friends due to allergies.
Laura Fuentes
I’m going to have to try it Kirsten!
Polly Goodwin
Butter! or cheese, depending on the veggie. They also love veggies in a tempura batter deep fried
Pam Purnell
One things that make veggies very popular in our house is using a spiral cutter to turn them into noodles!
Joanna Manning
My children love just butter and salt on veggies. I don’t allow them to “dip” them and will soon throw away the ketchup in my frig. Ketchup is not better than ranch and why ask kids to eat veggies if they are going to drown them in dressings and dips!
Laura B
One thing that’s made veggies more appealing in my household has been to get the kids involved with preparing and cooking them, and we also have the kids help with selecting and buying new fruits/veggies at the grocery store.
Jill
The easiest way to get my kids to eat veggies is to have them help me prepare them and putting parmesan cheese on the veggies. Grilled asparagus is a favorite in my house.
Kari
A little butter and salt goes a long way in helping my kids eat their veggies.
JennaG
For me, a squeeze of lemon, dash of salt…for my kiddos, nothing works 🙁
Polly
My picky eater son goes through phases of liking certain vegetables. Lately, I’ve gotten him to like wraps and am sneaking spinach in which he doesn’t complain about, but raw veg. only goes down with ranch dressing!! This green bean recipe looks good, but I really don’t know how you keep the cheese on those beans!!
Michelle Spott
A few things help my kids eat veggies – something to dip them in – hummus or ranch dressing. My youngest likes to make her own salad – so keeping her involved really helps – and she’s the pickiest of the bunch.
Lauren
Ranch dressing gets my daughter to try any raw vegetable! Broccoli is her favorite.
Rebecca
For me, I love adding coconut oil drizzled on top of cooked/roasted veggies! Thankfully it hasn’t been too hard getting my husband to try new selections. I would have to say adding a touch of garlic/onion salt with olive oil seems to please the both of us when we are trying new things.
Tami H
One thing that helps make veggies more appealing in my household is roasting them w/olive oil. My oldest will only eat asparagus & kale if they’ve been roasted in the oven.
Gillian
My kids love veggies, so keeping it simple usually goes a long way in their eyes. We use salt and pepper, but if we are feeling adventurous we use a squeeze of lemon.
Lisa
Mayo works best for my daughter. She loves that stuff. I’ve ever caught her dipping a spoon into the jar! If there’s mayo to dip it into, she’ll eat it.
Erika L
My oldest fights me when its time to eat his veggies, so I usually add a dollop of sour cream to entice him to eat them. With the younger two, planting my own garden has really helped to get them to eat more veggies.
Penney
To change it up and get everyone eating again sometimes I just blanche the veg then saute with garlic and olive oil. Othertimes I roast them in the oven.
Melissa
Parmesan Cheese often does the trick for my picky eaters 🙂 One of the stranger things that have worked for us was when my older daughter would only eat cooked broccoli with yellow mustard. Whatever works!!
Melissa
Each week I let my daughter pick one new item in the produce section at the grocery or from the farmer’s market. Some weeks it’s fruit and some weeks it’s veggies but having some choices has made her more adventurous. She also will try things sometimes if we sing the Try New Things Song from Daniel Tiger. What ever it takes, right?
Jessica
That looks delicious!
Courtney
If my kids don’t like a vegetable one way I find new recipes to prepare them with. A new favorite of ours is to bake spaghetti squash and top it with a tomato meat sauce.
Maricruz Castillo Merlo
What works for my son is a dressing with olive oil and honey, and then I top the veggies with parmiggiano!
keri
I think in our house of boys there are two key things that make veggies ….yummy.
1. grow them – the boys have such pride picking beans off the plant they’ve planted.
2. hummus – it’s more like ” would you like veggies with all that hummus?”
Koreen Piper
A little ranch for dipping always makes veggies a little more appealing for my son.
Yvonne
When I want my eight year old to try something new, especially a veggie, I try to get her involved in the preparation somehow. I pick the veggie but she gets to pick how to cook it or what spices/sauce goes into the dish.
Melissa
We love roasting veggies in my house (especially with garlic!). Grilling them with a little salt and garlic powder is also a favorite.
Laura N.
My daughter prefers her veggies cold and plain, but my son loves steamed veggies – crisp but hot! For some veggies, he likes ranch dip (salads, carrots) but for others (beans, peas, peppers) he likes them tossed in a sesame soy sauce. We have a small garden and they both are more excited about eating the vegetables that they grew themselves. I love these bbq mats – thanks for sharing!
sarah ramos
How funny! I read your email, and came here to leave my comment. My first thought was parmesan cheese!! My family gobbles up veggies that have been ‘parmesaned’!!
Jen Clark
My family loves roasted veggies. They love them tossed in a little olive oil and some salt and pepper, the veggies usually don’t need more than that!
Anne Brown
This choice “cold or hot” helps my kids eat frozen peas. They get to choose. Our avid eater of frozen peas frozen has recently switched to “hot.” I think the choice really helps them feel like they have a say.
Tamara
Veggies can be more appealing in our house if I give them cool names, (ie broccoli = dinosaur green trees, carrots = x-ray vision carrots) can’t remember when I initially saw that idea, but the kids love it!
Sarah
Kid 1 lots of ranch. Kid 2 butter. I think we might try these green beans though. At least kid 2 will take a bite.
Jamie
We have some tried and true favorites around here (steamed Broccoli with a little season salt and parmesan panko crusted zucchini fries). Usually if I prepare them in a way that everyone is familiar with everyone will at least try it, cheese helps too.
Jennie Keen
My Tastefully Simple seasonings help make veggies more appealing in our house – sprinkled on with some EVOO if cooking them, or making them into dips with yogurt and sour cream if eating raw!
Mary Lynn
For my kids dip helps make veggies more appetizing. For me roasting is my recent favorite (but I don’t have a mat, I’m excited for this opportunity!). Also, Parmesan & garlic salt are amazing, I haven’t tried it with green beans, so I’m excited your giveaway led me to this recipe!
Jessica Graham
My kids love roasted veggies, but would love to try it on the grill too!!!!
Jenny Rew
Unless it’s canned green beans, peas, or a steam-able bag of mixed veggies, I have to finely chop and hide veggies for my family to “like” them. I love all of them and I can usually get my 2 year old to eat anything, but my husband and 9 year old are the most challenging. They don’t like veggies! 🙁
Sarah Troxel
I’m lucky in that both my kids seem to actually like most veggies! If it’s a new one or one that’s not a favorite, cheese always helps or making it “fun” with cut out shapes and dip. Plus there’s always the lure of dessert!
Debbie Hausher
My grandaughter used to try every veggie but at almost 3 years old, she has gotten to be a little picky. So like Laura, a little bit of ranch dressing seems to do the trick some of the time. I’ll have to try the recipe for green bean fries – they appeal to me as well.
Cass
I try to display the vegetables in a inviting way and always have some ranch ready for the fresh vegetables, grilling is always a good option for vegetables too!
Kathy
From the time our granddaughter started eating we introduced vegetables first. She loves plain yogurt and enjoys dipping raw vegetables in it. We grow our own vegetables and have had her in the garden since before she could walk. She loves beans, peas, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn and onions fresh from the garden (we take a bucket of water to wash them). Although she prefers them raw, she also likes her vegetables sauteed in olive oil just till crisp tender.
Lharris
Oven roasted w a little olive oil works every time!
Molly
Honestly, nothing 🙁 I haven’t found anything yet that appeals to my littles (7, 4, 2) but I keep trying.andtrying.andtrying. Growing our own, visiting our farmers’ market, where the farmers offer tastings to the kiddos, plain, with cheese, with dip, roasted, steamed, raw. It’s just rejection after rejection. But veggies are offered (read on the plate) at both lunch and dinner, regardless.
Laura Fuentes
Good for you for continuing to offer them Molly! The same thing happens over here often, but I continue to offer them anyway too. Rarely it happens, but they surprise me.
Kathy C
Keeping fresh veggies cleaned and cut reading to go in the fridge in see-through glass containers.
Jessica K
Any kind of dip! Hummus, ranch dressing, salsa, they are all a great compliment to veggies!
Erica
There are a couple things that make veggies more interesting for my kids. 1 – They spend a lot of time at the farmers market and get to know the farmers and new veggies. 2 – Roasting veggies is definitely the way to go!! It brings out the natural sweetness and my kids love them.
Brooke
I mostly steam or roast my veggies, but I always use butter and salt when seasoning! Serving them with most every dinner gets everyone used to eating them.
Tracy
Since we have a dairy allergy in our house, adding cheese and several types of (store bought) dips are not an option.
We roast our veggies, make fun shapes and use hummus when snacking.
Erin
i can’t wait to try all these ideas!! For my little ones, adding cheese of some sort usually helps the veggie process. 🙂
Amy
Fresh veggies and parmesan cheese makes everything better in our house!
Lindsey
My daughter loves parm cheese and ranch dressing on her veggies.
Karla jessie
In my house everything tastes better with cheese or butter. We are just starting on this vegetable journey and it’s tough. But if we melt a tiny bit of cheese and butter, or a little ranch, we can sometimes make it thru dinner without “eeeewwww” or “cauliflower makes me gag”! It just depends on the day, the mood, and the moon!!
rita robinson
Cheese makes everything better in my home.
Kim
Ranch dressing is a big hit to help with the intake of veggies! I heard it once from a pediatrician that the kids can afford a little extra calories, so offer them the dips (ranch, ketchup, bbq sauce, whatever) if it helps them eat their veggies. I’ve made a version of these before, it seems I liked them the best though. This idea also works with asparagus – very yummy as well.
Meg
My son is a very picky eater, but will eat most veggies if I shred them and make them in to a fritter of some kind. My goal is to get him to eat more raw veggies, but I’m happy he’ll at least at them in some form. A dip of some kind — ketchup, mustard, dressing — helps a lot too!
Kristina
Serving veggies fresh had made them more appealing for my children. And yes, a dip helps – we often has salsa, hummus or guacamole on the side 🙂
JoAnna
We love our veggies roasted. I always use a little olive oil, red salt and pepper. I learned from my cousin that a bit of lemon on top makes everyone come back for thirds and it really works. For dips, we like a yogurt, dill and cucumber blended one, fresh and goes with everything!
My daughter loves parm, so I’m excited to try this.
Jacqueline
Believe it or not the dip that is big in my house ketchup. Will try ranch dip sounds delicious. Will try this recipe looks great!!
Sandra
Growing our veggies, letting the children pick which to eat and what herb to use, helping to prepare the meal and eating all together to talk and visit is our favorite! And if the garden harvest will be a little thin, a trip to the farmer’s market is always an adventure as we always try something new!
Kristi
Spiralizing veggies definitely makes them more appealing to eat in my house 🙂
Cristela
My youngest only tried some veggies because his friends at preschool were trying them. He is now excited to try the tomatoes growing in our garden. Hoping his willingness to try will make it easier for him to get some fiber in his diet.
Christy
For meat dishes, my kids respond to BBQ sauce, but for veggies, it’s ranch dressing — hands down! I’ve tried other dressings, but none work as well as ranch. Nobody believes me when I tell them my (preschool aged) kids love salad, but as soon as I offer up the ranch, our friends start picking their jaws up off the floor. My kids lick the salad bowl clean!
LILI YEN
any veggies with lime/lemon juice or ranch dressing tastes yummy!
Amanda
The one thing that makes veggies more appealing at our house is ketchup!!! We love ketchup on everything
Amanda
Amanda moede
Julie
My son, husband and I love raw veggies with hummus and my daughter will eat veggies with lemon juice. She loves salad with just plain lemon juice on it. Steamed broccoli is really yummy with a little coconut oil, some nutritional yeast flakes, smoked paprika and salt. Sounds weird but it’s good (to us).
Tobi
My family enjoys vegetables, but my 4-year-old daughter does like to sprinkle shredded cheese on her veggies to make them more appealing.
Jolene
For me, just simply being willing to get out of my old rut and try new veggies, has really helped. Now I know that I like asparagus and zucchini!!
Stephanie
Veggies are a real power struggle for us. My daughter is much more likely to eat them if we grocery shop with her and let her pick some veggies to take home. As long we cook them with minimal sauce and spices, she’ll eat the veggies she chose.
Christine
We also like ranch dressing or some similar sour cream based dip to help out.
Miranda
I’ve found that my two year old is more likely to eat veggies when using imaginative play. We pretend that edamame are ‘bugs’ or that we are dinosaurs eating broccoli trees.
Jessabelle Valle
The one item that helps is a sprinkle of thyme.
Melissa
Bacon! Kidding. Kind of. The kids will eat anything they grew in the garden.
Dana Sandstrom
I make veggies more appealing for my reluctant eaters by topping then with sliced almonds or bread crumbs both sautéed in butter. We also enjoy many pasta dishes topped with sautéed almonds and bread crumbs.
Jennifer
I like to keep it simple with my Veges some good Quality olive oil lemon juice &a sprinkle of vegetta my husband has had treatment for cancer so iv had to be very careful what I can use as far as herbs & spices but a little goes a long way &we still have flavour which is very important as a lot of my husbands tastes have changed so flavour is very important.
Tara Littrell
To get my kids interested in their veggies I have them help me: pick them out at the store or farmers market, wash them, and chop them. It gives them ownership over what they are eating.
Kentuckylady717
A lot of people I know hide vegs. in foods they make and their kids eat it, they don’t even know it’s in there…for instance, add carrots, to meatloaf…..you can chop them real fine and add them to the meatloaf mixture, add celery, etc. things you know your kids would not eat otherwise….and if they like meatloaf, they don’t know it’s in there and they eat it…..you could add zucchini, also…..
Always just give your kids a few of whatever they don’t like and maybe they will eat it, would be better to eat 4 greenbeans, than eat 10 and then they will learn to like them….they need to try different vegs. not just French fries……that is my solution….:)
Jamie
The thing that make veggies more appealing is not over cooking them, then using salt and butter.
Nina
I have a very picky eater who just started eating green vegetables recently. He loves them roasted in the oven with oil and lots of garlic. His favorite is broccoli. I never thought he’d eat green veggies but time and persistence (mine!) eventually triumphed.
Trish Davis
To make my veggies more appealing I use several vegetables with different colors.
Katie
Homemade ranch dip!
Alexandra
Grow interesting varieties of veggies in your garden. Purple and yellow pole beans, yellow cherry tomatoes, and mini peppers are big hits.
Stephanie H
“Just a spoonful of” mayonnaise with a little lemon juice and a little sugar makes the broccoli go down!
Nicole Raquel Alefaio
What makes veggies fun in my house is both, how they’re cooked AND how they’re presented. The most important thing that makes veggies attractive though if I am eating them often and can show the kids how yummy they actually are. We have a huge household with lots of kids… so if one is curious than they’re all, most of the time, willing to try!
Dee Schwark
Lately, I’ve been roasting or grilling most veggies tossed with either EVO or Coconut oil, sprinkled with sea salt and pepper or Italian seasoning and sometimes with Parmesan. Who knew this would be so flavorful and delicious…. Yum!
Christie
Roasting veggies or just serving them fresh makes them delicious to us!
Terri
Garlic! We love garlic on all our veggies. My kids are super picky but I think the green bean fries will be a hit. I can’t wait to try them, thx!
Susanne
Sauté in lemon & lime juice & sea salt.
Cristina L
Growing our own veggies has made my toddler now preschooler happier about eating his veggies! He prefers them raw and fresh. If he picks them himself he will happily eat all of them! Having him watch and help with food prep also makes him eat veggies I never thought he would. Raw zucchini, really? I’ll take it!
Melissa
While cooking dinner I put an assortment of veggies on a plate with a side of ranch and my kids just gobble it up!
Sue
My family eats more veggies when I do different recipes I find. Then they aren’t boring.
Leah
Love this recipe, will try it as soon as the beans in our garden are ready….they’re taking sooooo long.
Around here, we do a lot of veggie dipping into hummus. The kids also like roasted veggies.
Susan
I have found my kids prefer roasted or grilled veggies versus steamed. The flavor profiles are very different. I even have my kids fighting over who gets to eat the leftover roasted brussel sprouts!!! It’s the roasting that makes all the difference…plus with the sprouts…BACON!!! Yum!
Joyce An
One of the best ways to make veggie dishes in our Korean household is Oyster Sauce! Hoisin sauce is an alternative but oyster sauce for the win. Baby bok choy with oyster sauce is one of my favorite dishes! 🙂
Jodi
Our Farm Fresh to You box has helped with the appeal of veggies in our house. The kids always seem eager to try what new things the farm has sent us
Erica
My family loves veggies grilled in hobo packets with butter and garlic.
Sandra
I try to look for new recipes to serve our standby veggies. Roasting them is a winner!
thuy n.
Butter and salt does wonders!
Anna
Butter! Butter makes everything better – veggies included!
Elizabeth Diaz
Veggie subs, hot or cold, with some cheese, is the easiest way to get my kids to eat a lot of vegetables at once without complaining.
Jaime Reichelt
Cheese of any kind helps the veggies go down in our house!
Rachael Barish
We grow our own tomatoes and my son loves them. Otherwise we have salads most nights. Adding cheese, Chinese noodles and dressing help.
Lisa Flanagan
What makes vegetables more appealing for my family is definitely cooking them on the grill! I just brush them with olive oil and sprinkle a little garlic salt. Our current favorite is eggplant and zucchini. Yummy!
Sarah
Roasting veggies is the best way to go! Dips are also a big help.
Tara
Dip! Any kind of dip. My kids think dip is so cool and fun.
Szkent
Neither of my girls will eat sauces so getting them to try new veggies is tough. I am happy that they will eat plain steamed broccoli and raw carrots. In the past I have tried a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to entice them. Now I start off with just plain steamed veggie and if they show some interest then I move up to roasting for the next time. I also sometimes mix the veg into Mac and cheese or toss with pasta, Olive oil and cheese. This definitely works with peas. It is certainly a struggle.
Kelli
What works best for me is mixing veggies in with a casserole or skillet type of dish, soups, roasts. Kale chips are always loved! A good dressing and some fruit added makes a big difference for salads.
Deena O
I would say having dip for raw vegetables is key for my kids to try. I try to serve cooked vegetables in creative ways but my kids seem to like them tossed with garlic and olive oil the best. I keep trying though!
Marie
Putting them in muffins always goes over well 🙂
Jennifer
Parmasean cheese and olive oil. Or olive oil and garlic salt. My go to for oven baked anything.
Kristy
One way we love our veggies is to use spice. Makes all the difference!!!
Sandra B.
Roasting veggies makes them all taste great!
Dawn
I try to make veggies more interesting by playing with different spices (paprika,oregano,etc). Changes the flavor without adding fat/calories. 🙂
Becky
I try to make veggies more appealing by mixing it up. Sometimes we steam, sometimes we roast, sometimes grill, and sometimes we eat raw. I always try and season well to make the veggies taste good!
LeeAnn
We grow our own veggies, so that helps tremendously getting the kids to want to eat them. We also LOVE roasted veggies! I drizzle olive oil and add some seasoning… Always a hit in our house!
Tami D
My son has become quite the salad eater. We’ll do a salad bar where they have a lot of choices and that helps. My daughter likes a deconstructed salad without the lettuce.
Shannon
I love Chinese food, so I like to sauté veggies in a little olive oil, soy sauce, and garlic powder. My daughter loves broccoli “with the juice”.
Theresa O
My daughter will eat anything-especially veggies. My son is more picky, but he has his favorites-raw carrots and cucumbers with ranch dip. Any kind of “dip” will at least get him to try something. He’ll probably go for these green beans-with dip, of course!
Meghan Edwards
We love sautéing or roasting veggies then adding a fed balsamic vinegar. Adds just the right tang and sweetness.
Janet Wright
Grilling helps, also mixing them in with other ingredients, like peas mixed in mashed potatoes.
Cassie
We buy Hidden Valley Ranch in bulk at my house! My kids and I love dipping our veggies! They’ll try new vegetablesas long as you give them ranch.
Stephanie
Roasting vegetables really brings out their sweetness, and grilling gives a great flavor to them (try grilled okra! ) if my girls really turn up their noses, I’ll make cheese sauce to put on top.
Jerie
My son is so picky. Haven’t found what works for veggies yet. Although I’m glad I can get him to eat some raw veggies with dip.
Dawn
Ranch, ranch and more ranch and occasionally ketchup and even a combo of the two is how I get my kids to eat carrots and broccoli. Unfortunately those are about the only veggies I get them to eat. They all love Parmesan so hopefully green beans will be added to the list!
Catherine
I like to saute or roast veggies with olive oil and a little salt. Honestly, my kids prefer their veggies raw and won’t touch any dips.
Abi Oses
I’m happy to say I have 3 young kids that love veggies and are USUALLY open to try new things. I attribute it to growing our garden. They are hands on from seed to plate and it is great. My 2 year old does like to chew up some and spit them on the floor, but work in progress.
Stephanie
Ranch dip is so good with vegetables! My grill is falling apart inside and the BBQ grilling mats would be awesome!
Chika
A good pinch of Maldon sea salt always seems to help make veggies taste better!
cara
I have never liked raw vegetables so in order for my family to get any vegetables in they have to be cooked. My go to and my family’s favorite way to eat vegetables is roasted with a little bit of olive oil and salt. The olive oil gives it a little bit of a crisp taste and the salt brings out the flavor of the vegetable. It’s simple, quick and easy and the only way I eat vegetables!
Stefanie
It’s always a battle to get my kids to eat veggies, but sometimes they’ll be convinced to eat “Pirate Treasure” (carrots sliced into thin coins), frozen peas (refreshing on a hot day and melt quickly in their mouth so not a choking hazard), and “Cauliflower Clouds” (cauliflower heads arranged on their plate over their main meal). When all else fails I usually have homemade hummus on standby and let the kids dip fish sticks or chicken in hummus to ensure they get some veggie intake:)
Lori
Cheese makes everything better in my house! Especially veggies.
Alison
The thing that makes veggies more appealing in our home is serving them a variety of ways…..I love roasted veggies and asparagus on the bbq is da bomb!!!!!!
catherine
The trio of salt, pepper and butter sauteed with the veggies. You could also use olive oil, parmesan cheese and balsamic vinaigrette baked veggies. And lastly bacon, any shredded cheese and olives all cooked together with the veggies is a hit.
mari
i think year over year the single most important thing that makes veggies get eaten in my household is that we have at least one veggie and a huge salad every night and they watch me and my husband fight over them. in other words, repeated exposure to delicious vegetables and watching their parents devour them.
but roasting vegetables is a close second. and growing them third (have you ever seen a kid eat raw broccoli out of the fridge? no. but out of my garden? yes!).
Hally
If I just cut them up and put them out on the counter for a walk by and grab snack without having to ask it helps a lot. Sometimes I’ll put out a new one or one they haven’t tried in awhile and just having them all prepped and sitting there for the taking seems to encourage them to eat more. I also find it helps keep me out of the pantry which is an added bonus 😉
Susan Smith
I try to make a recipe that we already like. I need to branch out more to find other ways to cook/serve veggies.
Candice
In my house also, parmesan cheese is the biggest help.
Nancy Ryan
My youngest daughter LOVES veggies, mostly raw. The other two girls like them best in soups or pureed and added to recipes.
Paula
A variety of bright colors make my family very interested in veggies. We use a simple dressing (maybe a balsamic vinaigrette) to add spark!
Megan
Good old fashioned salt, olive oil and garlic and roast away. This is what I love. I’m sad to say I’m still working on the kiddos. 🙂
Jennifer C
My 5 yr old son says “nothing makes vegetables taste better” haha. But he will eat them if they’re roasted with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
Megan
A little cheese dip will make any broccoli or cauliflower taste way better! My son likes anything that can be dipped.
Christina
Eating veggies that are fresh and in season has made a world of difference when getting our kids to try them. Bonus points when they can hand-pick them from our garden!
Hristina
Our favourite dip for raw veggies is a cup of Creme Fraishe mixed with dry herbs seasoning and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Both adults and kids love it and it is healthy at the same time.
Audrey F
Steamed veggies and sometimes for a treat we add a little butter.
Dee-Anne Shillinglaw
The thing that made veggies more appealing for us was making them into finger foods. As long as we could put little bits of veggies into a small bowl for the littles, they would eat them!
Tammy Bush
With 4 teenagers in our house I try to serve 4 different vegetables at supper. Ranch dressing is usually a hit on both raw and cooked veggies.
I also dice veggies very small or grate them into spagetti sauce or meatloaf 🙂
Amy
I cut up fresh vegetables and keep them in a bowl in the fridge that my boys can get to. It’s really easy to just set on the table at meals or throw some in a bag to go. This has helped all of us eat more veggies!
Paula M
My daughter loves veggies roasted with olive oil and salt/pepper (a little bit of cheese doesn’t hurt either) but I find my boys prefer them breaded and baked.
Lynn
We love to use adobo seasoning to spice up our veggies.
Lori
Some things that have helped make veggies more appealing to my boys are adding them to smoothies or juicing them. Even my pickiest eater, who refuses to eat all things green, begs me to buy spinach now!
Tracie M
Most of the time a little butter is all it takes, but on new veggies it is just a lot of trying them again and again. Roasting also is a big favorite.
Hilary
I just roast veggies simply with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. Roast at a high temp. Makes veggies caramelize and yummy. #GreatAssist #Sweeps
Melissa
Cheese! Kids also love using the pink salt grinder.
Val
Pares an cheese is a favorite on veggies!
Rieza Johnston
How I made veggies more appealing in our house was by participating in a local Community Share Agriculture program (“Farm share”) last year. My family always looked forward to seeing what the farm would deliver to us each week.
Lisa Marz
Sautéing them. And maybe adding some bacon. 😉
Holley
One thing that makes veggies more appealing in our house is just a little dab of butter.
Gisella Santiago-Gronka
Our children prefer their veggies roasted in the oven, drizzled with olive oil and always a sprinkle of cheese (typically Parmesan). I’ve never tried them grilled and really like that idea! We’re giving that a try tonight. Thank you for the idea!
Rehana khan
One item that helps veggies more appealing in my household is just a squirt of lemon/lime. The refreshing taste gives the children a kick of it.
Sarah
Grilling the veggies has made everyone go crazy for them ! It also makes it easier to save them because unlike steamed they don’t get soggy
Mariah W
A little sweetness is what I use to make veggies appealing. A lil butter & brown sugar = Candied carrots! Or honey if you prefer.
Lisa
I find that if my 3 yr old gets involved he loves to eat more of what was made. We also have a mini garden so fresh produce with a dash of salt and squeeze of lemon goes a long way.
Jill
Picking veggies straight from the garden!
Megan Parker
Offering a variety of options on a “veggie tray” and having them choose made them more appealing, along with reducing portion size. A huge pile of peas seems insurmountable to them, but offering a spoonful seems do-able to them!
Deidre
Butter is the most important ingredient here…and salt. We are having to limit salt for hubby, though.
Michelle
The one thing that has really helped me to get my kids to try new veggies is for them to help make the veggies-either by growing them, choosing them at the store or cooking them
Denise
I have recently been able to get my 2 picky boys to eat cooked veggies by adding a bit of margarine, and then sprinkling seasoning salt on top! It’s a hit! I even had a picky Nephew eat green beans this way! His mom couldn’t believe I got him to eat any veggie but corn!!!
Heather
Keeping them crispy and not soggy helps. Also we keep ranch and ketchup on standby!
Melissa Kling
The thing that makes veggies more appealing at my house is roasting them! My kids love roasted veggies, much more than steamed!
Nancy
Getting my kids to eat veggies has never been difficult for me, I know how lucky that makes me. I think my trick has been to involve them in the selection of what veggies to eat. We shop at the weekly famer’s market and have come to know the farmers by name. Having this connection to the person who grew our food has been really helpful.
Ruth
Butter seems to be the secret ingredient that makes my son like his veggies
Kyna
My boys are pretty good about eating their vegetables. Letting them help grow some help. Along with some seasoning. 🙂
Evangelina Gomez
Veggies are appealing to our kiddos when they are steamed with pepper, salt, and butter. I know it’s not an over the top idea but they like the simplicity of it. We also like to add cheese to some of our veggies to give it more flavor!
Amanda P
Cheese! My kiddos will eat anything with melted cheese. Cheese makes everything better, right? Lol
Cristina
The one thing that makes veggies more appealing in my house is when I spiralize them. My daughter gets a kick out of veggie noodles and especially enjoys the ones that I don’t cut down.
Amanda Sours
Roasting vegetables is the one thing that helps my children eat them. They love it when I roast up a batch of carrots!! The way they caramelize makes them so delicious!!
Sue
My daughter loved to eat broccoli if I melted cheese on top.
Molly
I have three veggie monsters! They love them with roasted garlic grapeseed oil or raw!
Laurie
A little salt on veggies helps my kids. We don’t salt much else, and they don’t eat processed foods, so a little salt is fine!
Cathleen M
Growing them ourselves then having the kids be able to go out and pick them and eat them
kathleen kiley
When the neighbor kids come over and eat the veggies I cook, then my son wants them as well.
Michelle
My boys are all so different when it comes to veggies. Each has their own preference depending on the veggies! They like them steamed, sautéed, baked, & raw. But all 3 love to pick & eat the peas, beans, carrots, & tomatoes fresh from the garden. One way I sneak them in, for my picky ones, is throw them in smoothies!!
Nancy
We find that our weekly trips to the farmer’s market where we pick out the freshest and most affordable veggies makes them more appealing to the family.
Jenn miller
I have tried several things to get my kids to eat veggies. No success : ( I will try the green bean fry recipe , because it looks super yummy! Now if my kids eat them I will do cartwheels in my kitchen !!
Sue
My family loves veggies and really anything with a dip.
Elizabeth
I mix my veggies with fresh herbs (Rosemary, basil, etc) and olive oil and they are delicious!! I, also, don’t serve a starch so that my family is not tempted to only eat that and not the veggies. 😉
Nicole C
For my kids, they are usually looking for butter & salt on their veggies. I try to avoid these for myself, so I like to use olive oil & Mrs. Dash no-salt seasoning.
This recipe looks delicious!!
Ana
We love a Peruvian dip/sauve called Tari and also Huancaina sauce (also Peruvian). My little one adores dipping her veggies in it. She also takes a second little container to school so she can share with her clasdmates, we’re converting them to Peruvian food 🙂
Desiree Fawn
I find that trying the same veggies over and over in different ways is more appealing to my kiddo. She’s always been a good eater, but sometimes there are veggies she’s less keen on — I just don’t give up! 😀
Sarah F
Having a race! My son was leery of asparagus for a long time. He would pick at the tops and sometimes take a bite of the bottom. One day I said my husband, him and I were going to have a race to see who could finish the stalk first and they would be the winner. Asparagus is now the first thing he eats off his plate and always asks for more.
Kate
My daughter will only eat asparagus if I roast it in olive oil, salt & pepper, orange zest, and the juice from the zested orange.
jennifer
Growing our own veggies has made my daughter want to eat more and try new things and honey mustard dips always help! Lol
Mindy
We love roasted veggies sprinkled with Parmesan and seasoned salt. The way the oven carmelizes cauliflower and broccoli makes them crunchy and delicious!
Julia A
The one thing that has helped make veggies more appealing in my household has been to grow our own garden. My son loves to go outside and pick fresh veggies and eat them right on the spot! Green beans, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers – he loves them all raw from the garden.
Rehana khan
One item that helps veggies more appealing in my household is just a squirt of lemon/lime. The refreshing taste gives the children a kick of it.
Dawn T.
That really helps my kids, too. My youngest eats tomatoes right off the plant, as if they were apples! I planted a decent sized garden this year and very little has actually made it to the dinner table because they eat it right away. (We’re Primal, so there weren’t any beans or peas)
Another thing I’ve found to work very well is some philly with onion and fresh chives. I make “creamed” just about any kind of green with a that and some garlic, salt, and pepper. (That’s the only way I can get my kids to eat kale)
Vicky
My kids like to dip vegetables in ranch dressing.
Lori Calhoun
My family likes it when I jazz them up with seasonings like garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and etc. They also like them in casseroles, salads, pasta salads, and with dips.
Lori
misti
Yum! I love these. My kids tried but did not which surprises me. Usually all I need to convince them is garlic, cheese, or ranch! With any of those, they are game for just about anything.
Bonnie
We make them as natural as we can. Steam or roast with little to no seasoning. If we saute, we use coconut oil that enhances the flavors. Yum!
Amy
Ranch dressing & salt. My four kids really like vegetables. I am one of the lucky ones I guess.