These yummy vegetable dips are perfect for encouraging picky eaters to try more raw veggies because they have plenty of vegetables right in the dip recipe!
Every parent I know wondered how to get kids to eat more veggies at one point or another with toddlers in the house.
If you've got a picky eater who's hesitant to try new veggies, this is a unique tip for coaxing them to try a taste:
Instead of making a delicious dip and coaxing them to dunk their veggies in it, put the veggies IN the dip and let them dunk a chip or pretzel.
Why This Works
When I was little I was not a fan of onions. I didn't like their flavor, their texture, their smell. Then I went off to college and during a night out with friends, they pressured me into trying onion rings.
Because of the extremely tasty onion rings, I eventually outgrew my distaste of onions.
Now I eat them every chance I get: sautéed, grilled, caramelized, and even raw.
Were those onion rings healthy for me? Absolutely not. But by turning the veggie into a treat and making it as delicious as possible, I was finally willing to test them out.
Put the Veggie In the Dip
So often I see recipes for healthy dips for kids to enjoy with their raw veggies. I've tried many of those recipes myself thinking:
"If the dip is tasty enough, maybe they'll enjoy this raw broccoli."
This tactic simply does not work for us. My kids see that big plate of suspicious veggies and then an even more suspicious bowl of dip with hidden ingredients and they run away screaming.
This week I had an epiphany. I've been approaching this challenge completely wrong.
It's not about hiding the raw veggie under the dip, it's about hiding that veggie inside the dip and enticing them another way.
Did It Work On My Kids?
A few nights ago I made my all-time favorite chicken gyros. I always use the leftover tzatziki as a dip for days but no one else will touch it!
This week I was out of my favorite raw veggie dippers but I did have a bag of potato chips, a very rare treat in this home.
Little Pea saw me with that plate of potato chips and came RUNNING. "Chips! CHIPS!" A lightbulb moment if ever there was one.
"You can have some chips, but not without this dip."
She took one look and pulled away but the siren call of that potato chip had her think twice and return. She hesitatingly took that first bite and then managed to devour the rest of my snack, fairly large bowl of tzatziki and all.
How do you learn to enjoy a new food? Do you just dig right in or do you need a bit of coaxing like we seem to? Any dips you'd like to add to my list?
My oldest daughter fell in love with this easy spinach dip. The delicious creamy parmesan base hides a ton of spinach (fresh or frozen) and is perfect served with hearty crackers or bread chips.
The creamy cucumber sauce that goes with my favorite chicken gyros is really easy to make and keeps well in the fridge for several days. Be sure to shred the cucumber and squeeze all the liquid out of it that you can to keep the sauce from getting too runny.
From sweet to savory, any one of these fresh homemade salsas would be perfect for dunking tortilla chips. You can make the salsa as chunky or smooth as you need to help tempt your kids to dunk.
This creamy chilled dip is made with cream cheese and corn so it has a wonderfully sweet bite. You can hide the colorful peppers inside the sauce of the dip to help mask some of the "scary" color. Serve this veggie dip with really hearty crackers or tortilla chips.
This dip is perfect for kids who love sweet corn. Chop up the other veggies very finely and serve with a huge bowl of salty tortilla chips.
This hot artichoke dip takes a little more time to make but is loaded with vegetables: artichokes, bell peppers, green onions, all coated in a delicious cheesy base. My kids beg for this recipe during the holiday season and we spread it over hearty crackers.
This fresh salsa is heavier on the fruit but still has diced peppers. It is a great way to introduce vegetables to kids who prefer something on the sweeter side.
The classic salsa recipe that started it all. My kids have been eating this mild homemade salsa since they were able to crunch a chip! Over a decade later it is still their favorite salsa recipe ever.
Lidia
Thanks for the great idea. I've also tried a plate of veggies with a hummus or yogurt dip that my two year old looks at and says yuck before even trying. But potato chips are like candy around here since we don't eat them often. I can see why this has already been pinned over 300 times on Pinterest! Definitely going the chip/ cracker route!
Sarah Smith
We do a lot of dips in this house too for my picky 2yr old! I end up making this cucumber salsa at least 1-2 times a week. Ingredients
2 medium Cucumbers chopped seeded peeled
3 roma tomatoes chopped seeded
1/4 of a red or sweet onion chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 TBS minced fresh cilantro or 1 tsp dried cilantro
2 garlic clove, minced (I love my pampered chef garlic press for this step)
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Natures Seasoning seasoned salt
Add together the Sour cream, lemon and lime juice, cumin, cilantro and season salt mix together and stir in to chopped veggies.
I keep it in a sealed container for about 3-5 days but usually it doesn't make it that long