It’s no secret that getting kids to eat more fruits and vegetables is a tough job, for parents, schools, and nutrition education programs like us. There are a lot of reasons why, but today we’ll focus on taste.
While fruits are naturally sweet, vegetables tend to have stronger, sometimes bitter flavors that kids don’t like. They can’t help it- we’re all born with a preference for sweet and a dislike of bitter flavors. But we can definitely learn to love vegetables. The following tip actually worked for me as a child, not just for vegetables, but almost any food my mom wanted to get me to eat.
Just Dip It!
Kids love dip. And kids will use almost anything you serve as a vehicle to get that dip in their mouths, Many times, this includes fingers, too! 
- Tasty dips help mask the strong flavor of veggies, making it more appealing to kids.
- Dipping fruits and vegetables and eating with your fingers is more fun for kids, too.
- Dips are a good opportunity to add even more nutrition to kids’ meals and snacks.
- Dips that use a base of low-fat plain yogurt, beans, or even more fruits and veggies packs more vitamins and minerals per bite.
Research backs this up, showing that kids eat more vegetables when they’re served with dip. Try these healthy, yummy dip recipes and be amazed at how much your kids enjoy eating fruits and veggies.
With so many different healthy dips to choose from, you’re sure to find one your kids will love!
- Bean Dip
- Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
- Broccoli Forrest Plate with Yogurt Dip
- Creamy Dill Dip
- Fresh Fruit with Cinnamon Yogurt Dip
- Fresh Fruit with Yogurt Peanut Dip
- Fruit and Peanut Butter Dip
- Herb Dip
- Hummus
- Low-fat Ranch Dip
- Melon Salsa
- Pablo’s Salsa
- Pineapple Salsa
- Pumpkin Dip
- Red Roasted Pepper Hummus
- Salmon Spread
- Strawberry Kiwi Salsa
What dips do you serve your kids already? If you think there’s room to make it healthier, share in the comments and we can brainstorm simple ingredient swaps to help you kids dip smart!