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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Lori says
I’m told, compared to a lot of children, mine do relatively well eating their veggies. However, it is always a work in progress and I’d like them to eat more on their own initiative. It seems like they only eat them because I put them on their plate! I always make sure to have carrots, cucumbers and peppers washed , cut and stored in containers in the fridge for them to just grab. They also like cherry tomatoes. The best way that my kids have learned the value of eating fruits and veggies, however, is by watching their dad and I do it!
Ann says
This looks easy enough.. Just have to remember they are in the fridge!
Heidi says
My kids enjoy eating veggies, but they each have a love/hate list. I’ve learned to put out an array of different veggies for each meal, which means each kid gets a few choices they like and, usually, by the end of the meal, ALL the veggies are gone!
Jessica says
My kids go through phases of not wanting to eat vegetables and they rarely like the same vegetables at the same time. They both like cucumbers though and I have found that my 3yr old will eat most raw vegetables and salad if he can dip in ranch dressing. He also will eat about any vegetable if it’s on pizza. My 22 month old mostly prefers cooked veggies like sweet potatoes and broccoli.
Jessica McCartney says
We have a “you must at least taste it” rule at the table. Sometimes they are surprised that they like something! I also find a sprinkle of cheese on most steamed veggies helps them go down a bit better for my 5 year old.