How to Get Children to Eat Salads

Salads are among the healthiest and nutritious foods that you can consume and it is extremely important that children learn at an early age to eat them. With a little imagination and some trial and error, you can teach your kids to love salads.

• Let your children be involved in making the salad. They will want to try something they helped create. If you are having lettuce in your salad, let your children tear the lettuce into pieces for the dish. They will enjoy being mom's little helpers. You will be waiting a long time if you expect your child to consume a salad he or she did not help create.


• Allow your children to make choices for themselves. Show them what you have available for the salad and leave it up to them to decide what toppings they will include. Children love to make their own decisions and it is a perfect way to get salads in them. It does not hurt anything if you end up with croutons, peanuts or cashew nuts in your salad. Allow the kids to decide if they want to try salad dressing or if they prefer to eat it as finger food. Perhaps they might like to dip each piece of their salad into the dressing instead of having it poured on top.


• Remember that children love color. Put various toppings in different bowls so they can add what they find interesting to their salad. Let them select from among colorful sliced carrots, chopped tomatoes, sliced green peppers and cucumbers. Be sure to include ingredients such as cheese or sunflower seeds in a bowl too, so the children can add some of their favorites as well.


• Enthusiastically tell your kids how good their salad looks. Eat it along with them, and mention how much you enjoyed it.