Are you trying to add vegetables into your family’s life but are hitting a wall with a family member or two? Or maybe you are just looking for fun and creative ways to add more veggies into your life? Either way, these are The BEST Veggie-Loaded Recipes for Picky Eaters, and they will totally change how your family sees vegetables!

Picky eaters? No problem!
So, here you are. Trying to eat healthy. Trying to find balance. Trying to get your veggies in. But, you have hit a road block. A major one…..A picky eater.
Maybe it’s your independent toddler. Or your third grader who always used to eat carrots but now refuses to touch them or anything else that comes from the produce aisle. Or maybe your spunky teenager who you worry about eating a balanced diet. Or maybe it’s your partner that is struggling to embrace new foods they never grew up with. Or maybe it’s even you….
Whoever the picky eater in your life is, you clicked on this recipes for picky eaters post out of love and hope. Maybe you hope to find a recipe or two that would inspire them to eat a veggie because you love them and know in your bones that they need them.
You are in the right place.
Recipes for picky eaters
All of these recipes are amazing. All of these recipes have been made time and time again by people in the EXACT same boat you find yourself in.
And these recipes for picky eaters have helped so many of them start eating veggies. They are tried and true. They are an out-of-the-box approach to feeding your family veggies. But they are all delicious.
They are The BEST Veggie-Loaded Recipes for Picky Eaters….
Breakfast and Snacks
Oatmeal Green Smoothie Muffins
Mini Sweet Potato Pancakes
Healthy Chocolate Muffins (with Veggies!)
Healthy Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie (with greens!)
Chocolate Zucchini Oatmeal
Gluten Free “Superhero” Waffles
Healthy Carrot Apple Pancakes
Veggie-Loaded Pizza Muffins
Green Grinch Smoothie
Paleo Chocolate Waffles (with veggies)
Sides
Cauliflower Tots
Carrot Fries (Oven or Air Fryer)
Broccoli Tots (gluten free)
5-Minute No-Cook Zucchini Avocado Dip
10-Minute Zucchini & Corn Fritters
Cheesy Cauliflower Nuggets
Mashed Instant Pot Potatoes with Cauliflower
Main Dishes
20-Minute Ranch Turkey Spinach Meatballs
Veggie-Loaded Turkey Tacos
Spaghetti Squash Pizza Casserole
Cauliflower Chicken Nuggets
Healthier Hamburger Helper (with veggies!)
Veggie-Loaded Mini Meatloaves
Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta
Turkey Zucchini Meatballs
Black Bean Sweet Potato Quesadilla
Quick & Easy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Veggie-Loaded Chicken Bites
Egg Roll Meatballs
Easy Veggie Pasta Sauce
Ranch Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Sweet Treats
Super Healthy Fudge Pops (with added veggies)
Moist Chocolate Sweet Potato Cupcakes
Zucchini Lemon Poppy Seed Cupcakes
No-Bake Peanut Butter Carrot Balls
Healthier One-Bowl Pumpkin Brownies
Sweet Potato Chickpea Blondies
Chocolate Beetroot Cake (with raspberry whipped cream)
Blueberry Sweet Potato Bread
Fudgy Chocolate Zucchini Cookies
Other posts you might find helpful…
- Why Your Child Won’t Try New Foods…and How To Turn it Around
- 6 Ways To Get Toddlers To Love Veggies
- 12 Wonderful Books for Kids about Vegetables
- 5 Steps for Getting Your Kids Involved in the Kitchen
Loving these recipes for picky eaters and hungry for more?
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Veggie-Loaded Recipes For Picky Eaters: Healthier Hamburger Helper
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 large carrot grated or finely chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups baby spinach roughly chopped or sub 1 cup defrosted frozen spinach
- 8-10 ounces elbow macaroni or other small-shaped pasta use gluten free for a gluten free option.
- 3 cups broth
- ¾ cup plain yogurt whole milk or 2% recommended
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot or high-sided skillet. Add onion and carrot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef, breaking it up into small crumbles. Cook until browned. Stir salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and paprika. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds to develop the flavors. Add Worcestershire sauce, spinach, pasta, and then stir in the broth.
- Cover and bring up to a simmer. Cook until pasta is tender, about 10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. If the liquid fully evaporated before the pasta is cooked, stir in an additional ½ cup of broth or water.
- Remove lid then stir in yogurt and cheese. The pasta will absorb more liquid as it sits, so it’s ok if there seems to be a lot sauce. Taste and add more salt and pepper, as needed.
- Enjoy warm.
Notes
- cook time will vary based on type of pasta you use.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
Comments
I love this collection for how creative it is in cooking veggies! 😉
Is there a way to get a printed version (or digital collection) of your recipe collection or are they only available as individual webpage?
I have been look through your various pages. Especially the pumpkin recipes and wanted to ask before I start printing
Thanks!
Hi Nancy! At this moment, most of my recipes are only available as individual webpages. I do have some meal plans in my shop that have collections of recipes, but they might not be the specific recipes you are looking for!
Thanks! We tried the meatloaf loaded veggie, pumpkin cookies, and sweet potato quiche this weekend. All very tasty and successful in getting them to eat veggies they don’t normally touch 🙂
So glad to hear that!
Yes! I LOVE your approach and it has helped our family SO much to go from eating zero veggies to many!
Yay! That makes my heart so happy to hear!