Daily Food Plan for Preschoolers
Vegetable Group
Vary Your Veggies
Help your preschooler learn to eat and enjoy a variety of vegetables. Vegetables contain many vitamins and minerals that help your child grow and stay healthy. It is common for preschoolers to dislike or refuse some vegetables.
Encourage your child to try vegetables and eat them yourself. There are many types of vegetables to choose from. For example, try a new dark green, red, or orange vegetable. Include vegetables in meals and in snacks. Vegetables may be fresh, frozen, canned, or dried, and may be whole, cut-up, or pureed. Choose canned vegetables labeled as "reduced sodium" or "no-salt-added."
Do vegetables bring out the picky eater in your preschooler? Learn more about picky eating.
Eating vegetables provides long term health benefits. People who include vegetables in an overall healthy diet have lower risks of developing some chronic diseases. Include vegetables in meals and snacks every day.
More information on the Vegetable Group:
- Tips to help everyone eat more vegetables.
- What counts as a cup in the Vegetable Group?
- What foods are in the Vegetable Group?
- Learn how to prepare vegetables to avoid a choking hazard.