Research shows that it can take as many as 10 to 15 tastes before a child will learn to appreciate a new flavor. While you may struggle to get your kids to eat their vegetables at the dinner table, there are some ways you can sneak in servings of vegetables without them even knowing it. Try these sneaky tips and kid-friendly recipes to get your family to eat more vegetables. Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese Pictured Recipe: Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese 1. Veg Out Your Mac & Cheese Cheese sauce is a classic way to make veggies more palatable to kids. Near the end of the pasta cooking time, add your child’s favorite vegetable (try frozen peas or corn) to the boiling water, drain and combine it with the sauce. Another option: puree your veg into the cheese sauce. Fiber-rich sweet potato works great here: the bright orange color tricks your eyes into thinking the pasta is loaded with cheese. 2. Serve It Up in a Smoothie Whether you enjoy smoothies for breakfast, a snack or even dessert, they’re a great way to sneak in those daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Try whirring up raw veggies, such as carrot, kale, spinach, avocado and cucumber. Or mix in unsweetened pumpkin puree for a smoothie that tastes just like pumpkin pie! 3. Beef Up Ground Beef…with Veg Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet Pictured Recipe: Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet When you’re making sloppy joes or meat-based pasta sauce, reduce the amount of ground beef and add some finely chopped mushrooms to the mix. The meaty texture of mushrooms is similar to the ground beef, and they absorb the rich flavors of the sauce. 4. Hide Veggies in Pizza 4524444.jpg Pictured Recipe: Barbecue Chicken Pizza Who doesn’t love pizza? When you’re making Barbecue Chicken Pizza, trying mixing in shredded zucchini with your barbecue sauce. Or for Pepperoni Pizza, make already lycopene-rich tomato sauce even healthier by stirring in canned unseasoned pumpkin puree. It adds fiber and beta carotene, but has a mild flavor and creamy texture. One cup of pumpkin puree stirred into 1/2 cup pizza sauce is enough to top 1 pound of pizza dough. 5. Have Veggies for Dessert Dark Chocolate Pictured Recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Brownies Ok, we’re not suggesting that you get all of your veggie servings with a side of sweet, but if you’re struggling to get your family to eat their vegetables, then a secret boost of zucchini in that brownie won’t hurt. Check out these other 9 Vegetables You Can Eat as Dessert.

` View Series Why Kids Don’t Eat Enough Seafood and How They Can Enjoy It 5 Easy Snack Ideas You Can Pack in a Mason Jar The Number of Teens Diagnosed with Prediabetes Has Doubled in the Past 2 Decades—Here’s What Every Parent Needs to Know Kids Who Don’t Eat Meat Are Just as Healthy as Kids Who Do, New Research Says

Research shows that it can take as many as 10 to 15 tastes before a child will learn to appreciate a new flavor. While you may struggle to get your kids to eat their vegetables at the dinner table, there are some ways you can sneak in servings of vegetables without them even knowing it. Try these sneaky tips and kid-friendly recipes to get your family to eat more vegetables.

Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

Pictured Recipe: Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

1. Veg Out Your Mac & Cheese

Cheese sauce is a classic way to make veggies more palatable to kids. Near the end of the pasta cooking time, add your child’s favorite vegetable (try frozen peas or corn) to the boiling water, drain and combine it with the sauce. Another option: puree your veg into the cheese sauce. Fiber-rich sweet potato works great here: the bright orange color tricks your eyes into thinking the pasta is loaded with cheese.

2. Serve It Up in a Smoothie

Whether you enjoy smoothies for breakfast, a snack or even dessert, they’re a great way to sneak in those daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Try whirring up raw veggies, such as carrot, kale, spinach, avocado and cucumber. Or mix in unsweetened pumpkin puree for a smoothie that tastes just like pumpkin pie!

3. Beef Up Ground Beef…with Veg

Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

Pictured Recipe: Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

When you’re making sloppy joes or meat-based pasta sauce, reduce the amount of ground beef and add some finely chopped mushrooms to the mix. The meaty texture of mushrooms is similar to the ground beef, and they absorb the rich flavors of the sauce.

4. Hide Veggies in Pizza

4524444.jpg

Pictured Recipe: Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Who doesn’t love pizza? When you’re making Barbecue Chicken Pizza, trying mixing in shredded zucchini with your barbecue sauce. Or for Pepperoni Pizza, make already lycopene-rich tomato sauce even healthier by stirring in canned unseasoned pumpkin puree. It adds fiber and beta carotene, but has a mild flavor and creamy texture. One cup of pumpkin puree stirred into 1/2 cup pizza sauce is enough to top 1 pound of pizza dough.

5. Have Veggies for Dessert

Dark Chocolate

Pictured Recipe: Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

Ok, we’re not suggesting that you get all of your veggie servings with a side of sweet, but if you’re struggling to get your family to eat their vegetables, then a secret boost of zucchini in that brownie won’t hurt. Check out these other 9 Vegetables You Can Eat as Dessert.

Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

4524444.jpg

4524444.jpg

Dark Chocolate

Dark Chocolate

` View Series Why Kids Don’t Eat Enough Seafood and How They Can Enjoy It 5 Easy Snack Ideas You Can Pack in a Mason Jar The Number of Teens Diagnosed with Prediabetes Has Doubled in the Past 2 Decades—Here’s What Every Parent Needs to Know Kids Who Don’t Eat Meat Are Just as Healthy as Kids Who Do, New Research Says

` View Series

  • Why Kids Don’t Eat Enough Seafood and How They Can Enjoy It 5 Easy Snack Ideas You Can Pack in a Mason Jar The Number of Teens Diagnosed with Prediabetes Has Doubled in the Past 2 Decades—Here’s What Every Parent Needs to Know Kids Who Don’t Eat Meat Are Just as Healthy as Kids Who Do, New Research Says

       View Series

View Series