Need a way to help your family eat more vegetables? These veggie cups are a fun option for kids and make getting your daily dose of vegetables easy!
Pack them with your favorite dipping sauce and watch them disappear from the fridge.
A little backstory on this snack recipe: at the age of 2, my daughter decided that all things veggies were no longer an option. No matter how hard I tried to make veggies appealing, she refused to eat them.
A few years later, these veggie cups made an appearance at a birthday party, and with some encouragement from her friend, Casey, she grabbed a veggie, took a bite, and liked ‘colorful’ foods again.
For a while, she called these snack cups “Casey’s cups” and asked for them frequently.
Veggie Snack Cups
Veggie cups are a great snack that’s fun and convenient to eat. You can prep them with an assortment of vegetables and stash them in the fridge for school lunches or veggie snacks to munch on while at the office.
If your kids (or you) aren’t a fan of raw vegetables, try giving them a quick steam in the microwave before assembling the cups. This works great with carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower and can even enhance their flavor with the dip.
What to Put in a Veggie Cup
Usually, I prep this snack with ranch dressing, baby carrots, and celery, but you can customize these veggie cups with any of your favorite dips and vegetables. Grab a few ideas in the list below:
- homemade ranch dressing
- homemade hummus
- red pepper hummus
- baby carrots
- celery sticks
- cherry/grape tomatoes
- broccoli
- sliced bell peppers
- sugar snap peas
- asparagus
Want more delicious recipes to include in your snack routine? Check out the Best Homemade Kids’ Snacks on the Planet.
It’s filled with creative and tasty snacks you’ll want to make again and again!
How to Assemble Veggie Cups
Here’s how to assemble your own veggie cups step-by-step:
- Add the dip
Add your choice of dip or sauce to the bottom of a 6 to 8-ounce storage cup; 2 tablespoons should do the trick. - Add the veggies
Place the veggies, standing up, into the dip. - Seal
Top with lid and seal. - Save for later
Once prepped, these veggie cups will stay good for up to 3 days.
You can also watch how to put these snack cups together in the video below:
More Ways to Get Kids to Eat Veggies
I have plenty of healthy meals ideas your picky eater will eat and ask you to make on repeat! Each recipe is a kid-favorite option recreated with better ingredients and hidden veggies to bump up the nutrition.
- Blueberry Smoothie – with invisible spinach!
- Hidden Veggie Pasta Sauce
- Zucchini Pizzas
- All Meat & Veggie Chili
- Broccoli Nuggets
Easy Veggie Cups with Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 ribs celery, sliced into sticks
- 4 ribs carrots, peeled and sliced into sticks
- ½ – 1 cup ranch dressing
Instructions
- Place 1-2 tablespoons of ranch dressing at the bottom of each cup, and fill each container with 1 cup of sliced veggies.
- Close the lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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mari says
i don’t actually struggle to get my kids to eat their veggies. one reason i think is because i never really gave them any other options (!). another is getting fresh, pretty vegetables, having them help me shop at the farmers market, and having them help in the garden.
Becky says
I find that when my daughter helps me wash and cut up veggies she’ll eat them more willingly. While we are prepping, I’ll see her popping them in her mouth before they make it into the storage container. I think involving your children in the prepping and preparing process helps encourage healthy eating habits. Smoothies, dip, make your own pizzas and making them into designs also always helps the veggies go down! 😉
Tricia says
I have had a very difficult time getting my children to enjoy veggies. I usually steam and puree veggies and add them to muffins. My kids also enjoy veggies with creamy soups and pastas. Occasionally they will eat them grilled but it depends on the way they are seasoned. I add veggies to smoothies and juice as well. Daily I am searching for new ways to get my kids to enjoy eating veggies. My biggest challenge with 4 children is trying to make something that is appealing to all of their pallets, but I recently purchased the “best homemade kids snacks on the planet” and I am finding the recipes satisfy everyone, so I plan on purchasing “the best homemade kids lunches on the planet” to assist with more appealing school lunch ideas.
Nini says
Will try the veggies dip. My son loves doing dipping. Usually I’ll cut small pieces and mix any veggies in his meals then he’ll eat them.
Joyce An says
While I may not have kids yet………….. I do have to make it a habit to get more veggies into my diet! But the way I’ve really grown to love veggies and have them more appealing to me is by figuring out what kinds of different dips and sauces I can use with the different veggies. Mastering some stir fry dishes have been a good way to eat the many vegetables that go into the dishes and using oyster sauce has been a great way!