How I Get my Toddler to Eat Veggies

Bryce, like most toddlers, doesn’t willingly reach for vegetables these days. So I have to get a little creative in how I serve them up. Besides his go-to smoothie (which lately consists of a handful of spinach, frozen mixed fruit, a scoop of yogurt and chia seeds), I’ve found that serving vegetables mashed is the way to go. Something about the consistency perhaps?  Whatever it is, as long as he’s eating veggies, I’m happy! Plus, it’s easy to make a bunch of it at once and create a nice stash in the freezer.

A seasonal favorite we’ve all been enjoying lately is buttercup squash. My mother-in-law has been sharing them with us from her garden and they are oh so good. It’s a great source of fiber and other nutrients. The best part? It can be mashed! To get it soft first, we roasted it for a bit in the oven. Just cut it in half, scoop out the seeds/guts and bake at 350 for 1 hr with foil over the top. From there, T and I enjoyed it as a tasty side dish at dinner, but for Bryce, I took it a step further and mashed it up using a few great tools from Oxo.

Glass Baby Blocks // Food Masher // Feeding Spoon Set with Soft Silicone


I used this Food Masher from Oxo to get it to the right consistency. The teeth on the Masher are designed to fit between the ridges to get every last bit of food, and the handle comes apart to store inside the bowl. It also comes with a lid so it doubles as a feeding bowl, too. I’m a huge fan of multi-functional products like this.

The buttercup squash yields several toddler-sized portions, so I love to make big batches and store them in these Baby Blocks from Oxo. We got their plastic version on a friend’s recommendation when Bryce first started solids and LOVE them. And now they make a glass version, which is even better, especially if you aren’t a fan of microwaving plastic like I am. These blocks store, heat and serve baby food in one convenient container. It’s made of durable thermal shock resistant glass, meaning it can go directly from the freezer to the oven or microwave. No need to wait to defrost those cubes before you heat them up anymore! The lids are leakproof and tight, keeping food fresh- whether it’s in the freezer, fridge, diaper bag or pantry. I love these things.

You can spice up the buttercup squash a few ways:
-simply plain, delish!
-add butter
-add brown sugar
-add cinnamon
-add pure maple syrup, agave or honey for sweetness
-add roasted marshmallows (a particularly fun one for the kiddos)
-serve with mashed apples or applesauce (this apple/squash combo is tasty!)

In short, lots of variations with just one vegetable to keep it interesting. Hopefully this gives you some inspiration to try mashing up some veggies for your toddler!

How do you get your toddler to eat veggies? I’m all ears! #thestruggleisreal

Disclosure: I received these products from Oxo in exchange for a blog post. All opinions are my own. I love sharing products with you that I use and love!