Really wish your kids ate salad? Here are some doable strategies (and recipes) that worked for us and might work for you too!
When I first started dating my husband, he didn’t eat anything green, except Granny Smith apples. (When he reads this, he will indignantly declare, “Also parsley!” but the rest of us know that does not count.)
So I started making him “starter salads” in tiny bowls: just a few leaves topped with a pile of croutons and a good smothering of dressing. Over the years, I upped the ratio of lettuce to croutons, found a dressing he really likes (the Everyone Loves This Vinaigrette), and practiced patience.
I’m happy to report that now, years later, he eats a large green salad almost every night of the week–and he actually orders them in restaurants even when I’m not there. I consider this one of my finest accomplishments. (Got a picky spouse? Here are 10 foods mine learned to like!)
Those tiny “starter salads” are not unlike the ones I gave to my kids when they were younger. Here’s a snapshot I took in those early days of their salads (on the left) and ours (on the right):
At first, it was hit or miss. Sometimes my kids ate their salad, sometimes they nibbled a single leaf, some nights their salads went untouched.
The important thing: They saw salad at dinner, and they learned that greens aren’t yucky. And when I started adding diced peppers or shredded carrots, they learned to eat different kinds of foods mixed together–and that’s a big deal for some kids.
Leafy greens are so good for kids because they’ve got nutrients like vitamin C, fiber, and even calcium. And salad is such a perfect vehicle for lots of other healthy foods like different veggies, nuts, seeds, and fruit too. Salad is actually the first food in my Let’s Try New Foods Challenge, a free program I designed for the whole family that encourages kids and grown-ups to try new foods in different ways: Sign up for the free challenge here.
How my kids learned to like salad
Fast forward to now, and just like my husband, my kids are both reliable salad eaters. Here are a few things that really helped:
1. Crunchy greens: Texture is key for many kids, and limp and wimpy will not win them over. I look for the crunchiest greens I can find at the store. That means I bypass a lot of the bagged lettuces in favor of head lettuce like Romaine and Little Gem. (Washing and prepping lettuce at the beginning of the week saves time: place washed lettuce in a bag with a dry paper towel to absorb excess moisture.)
2. Tasty dressings: Caesar was the salad that got my older son hooked, and it’s still his favorite. Here’s my recipe for lighter Caesar dressing, but I buy bottled Caesar dressing too, as well as Ranch (nothing wrong with that! Read: In Defense of Ranch Dressing). My younger son used to prefer sweet, fruity vinaigrettes like raspberry. How to find a dressing they love? Have a dressing taste-test and set out a few different kinds with their favorite veggies to dip.
3. Freedom: When they were younger, my kids sometimes ate their salad with their fingers, dipping the leaves into dressing on the side (make this Dippable Salad For Kids). When my younger son was in his dinosaur phase as a preschooler, I’d hold lettuce leaves out like a tree branch, and he’d reach up and munch on them. It was a silly game, but it made salad approachable–and fun. Setting up a build-your-own salad bar is another way to give kids freedom and personal autonomy. Get some ideas here: How to Build a Healthy Salad
4. Consistency: Serve salad regularly. The more kids see a food, the more likely they are to eventually try it–then eventually try it again, maybe just like it, and eat it reliably. So be patient. We’re playing the long-game here. It could take weeks, months or even years for your kids to try certain foods, and that’s okay!
Salad dressing recipes your kids might like
- Lighter Caesar Salad
- Everyone Loves This Vinaigrette
- Creamy Shallot Vinaigrette
- Greek Yogurt Poppyseed Dressing
- Four Homemade Vinaigrettes
Wish your kids more foods?
I hear this a lot from parents, so I created a free challenge for the whole family called Let’s Try New Foods. Each week you’ll get an email from me with a new food, strategies, and recipes–plus printables to make it fun. And salad is the first food we tackle! Sound like something your family needs? Sign up for the free challenge.
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Maryann says
Thanks for the shout-out! Are we married to the same person? My husband said he hated spinach because he only ate it cooked. I started making him spinach salads and he ate them up. When I told him it was spinach he was shocked! My kids also get little bowls and lately Little D has been taking bites of the lettuce. Bit A claims to love salads but doesn’t really eat them. Someday!
Sally says
How funny, Maryann. My husband says our kids are his role models b/c they eat more vegetables than he ever did as a child (and more than he still eats, in fact!).
deb williams says
Love your website/blog page! Much common sense advice about food and nutrition in a sea of misinformation and constant publication of studies telling us a food is good one day , bad the next. It is no wonder that the average joe is confused about what constitues good nutrition.
As to the salad /veggie “problem” for some – i notice in the photo provided , that the greens are a “spring mix” which is different than the ubiquitous, crunchy, tasteless ( used more as a vehicle for salad dressing than for taste in and of itself) iceburg lettuce.
I know i prefer a “spring mix” because of the variety of tastes and textures, romaine is kind of a tough lettuce, boston lettuce is soft and slikey, leaf lettuce is light, iceburg – crunchy. I wonder if the type of lettuce and its taste and consistency has any bearing on acceptability by kids?
Thanks again for a great website!
Sally says
Thanks for your comment, Deb, and for your kind words about my blog. I grew up on iceberg lettuce salads. Now I can’t imagine eating that over mixed greens! My new favorite lettuce is the artisan lettuces from Aldi, it’s a box of four different lettuces, usually bibb, frisee, and romaine (and it goes on sale for 99 cents!). I like to mix it up too. And you’re so right that lettuce is often just the vehicle for a yummy dressing. Though I think that’s how some people learn to like salad, including my husband!
Bri says
My kids are salad eaters, pretty much (the 2-year-old is still hit and miss, but he’s more hit than miss these days, so I’ll take it). My biggest salad tips are: 1) Just like you, I present it almost every night. We almost always had a salad on the table when I was a kid, so it was normal — and I want it to be normal for my boys as well. 2) Once a month or so, we have a DIY-salad-platter for dinner. I put out a massive plate of greens, then top it with sections of various veggies, fruits, proteins (beans, hummus, or leftover chicken are the favorites), cheeses, etc. I make sure some of the vegetables are raw, and others roasted or sauteed, so the kids have lots of textures and variety to choose from. Everybody gets to build their plate from whatever’s available, with the only rule being that they must choose at least TWO of the produce options. We have homemade whole-wheat bread alongside, and it’s now one of the favorite meals in our house — plus, I swear my five-year-old eats even more vegetables on salad night than he usually does.
Dietitian Sherry says
Great idea!
Dietitian Sherry says
My two year old will eat a few leaves of spinach with “sauce” (salad dressing) most of the time. We have salad with dinner most evenings. He gobbles up dried fruit and other toppings too. I’m a believer in the “starter salad”! Thanks for sharing the idea.
Harmony momma To Go says
Good tips! Need to get my kids eating better in the new year
Bethia says
We do a lot of Crudité plates as well especially if we are having a meal that is more meat/starch and I find that just putting it on the table without saying anything means that my daughter will reach for vegetables.
I also think that involving kids in making salad dressings and encouraging them to be taste testers and letting them experiment a bit can be fun and helpful.
Julie says
This post inspired me to buy a bunch of romaine heads from Costco yesterday. I’m also an RD, so we do have salads at our house, but certainly not every night. I typically prefer the bagged salad mixes because of all the fun add-ins and yummy dressings, but this inspired me to get creative and start making my own (both adding my own mix-ins from the collection of things in the pantry and making my own dressing again like I used to do!). My two year old will occasionally eat some Romaine or spinach because she’s hooked on Peter Rabbit, who also ate lettuce and radishes from the garden. 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration and keep up the great work – I LOVE this blog!! So approachable and laid back and GREAT information!
Sally says
Yay, I love hearing this Julie! And thanks for your kind words. 🙂