The Veggie Battle

A couple of weeks ago at J's 4 year well child check-up, the pediatrician was asking about his eating habits.  She was asking him about the things he liked to eat and if he ate anything healthy.

Doctor: Do you like vegetables? Do you eat any vegetables?

J: Popcorn.

Needless to say, this did not go over well with the doctor.  She chuckled but told him he would need to start eating his veggies to grow big and strong.

Honestly, trying to get my kids to eat the things they like is a battle, let alone trying to get them to eat something they don't like.

Here's the deal. My kids are picky eaters.  Like super picky.  They only eat about ten things. Nine of which are starches. (Oh to be young again...)

The stuff they like, I mean really like, you only have about a 50% chance of them eating it. Most of their food sits on their plates. Or on my floor.

Seriously, I think they can surivive on about 80 calories a day. I should split a Triscuit, give it to the boys and call it a day.

Now, they do like fruit.  Not all fruit (because that would be way to easy.) But they do like a lot of fruit. So, we try and give them fruit at every meal.  We will occasionally put a vegetable in front of them but the results are never pretty.

For example, I placed a green bean in front of Baby L (2) the other day. He shrieked and promptly threw it on the floor. You'd think I wanted him to eat a raw octopus or something.

And yesterday, Hubby tried to get J (4) to eat mashed potatoes.  Mashed potatoes that had a little cream cheese in them, I might add.

Hubby: J, want a bite of potatoes? *Takes out money from wallet.* I'll give you this dollar to buy toys with if you take a bite of potato.

J: *Screams. Cries.* Noooooo! *Runs upstairs to his room and slams the door. Still crying.*

Cheese and biscuits! I guess if we'd have asked him to try a green veggie he would have gone upstairs and packed a bag. 

The pediatrician suggested I put noodles on his plate (which he likes) and a few veggies (which he doesn't). She suggested that if he wants more noodles, then he has to eat his veggies first.

Um, good idea in theory...

Or my crazy Dad suggested that I do what he did when I was little. He put green beans baby food on my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Yeah. And you wonder why I have issues.

So, it's a challenge. I want my kids to eat healthy but they aren't into that.

Don't get me wrong. I will keep trying.  I will keep introducing veggies and try to be creative about it. But it is a real battle - a veggie battle.

Maybe it will be easier when they get older. (Denial. It is so pleasant here! Come and join me!)

Anyone else have this problem?  Any suggestions for getting kids to eat veggies?