So, let’s just say Max wasn’t exactly the poster child for eating vegetables. The man would happily eat chicken and rice every night until the end of time, and the closest thing to green on his plate would be the parsley garnish he picked off. Meanwhile, I’m over here, chef hat in hand, begging him to eat a roasted Brussels sprout like it’s a personal favor to me.
I tried the direct approach first. “Max, veggies are good for you.” He looked at me like I’d just told him water is wet. Not effective. So, I had to get sneaky.
The first trick: roast them. Roasted veggies are like the glow-up version of their soggy steamed cousins. Toss them in olive oil, sprinkle with salt, maybe paprika if I’m feeling wild, and suddenly carrots are candy and Brussels sprouts are crunchy little miracles. Max ate half a sheet pan one night before realizing they weren’t “seasoned fries.”
Next move: disguise. I started grating zucchini into pasta sauce, blending cauliflower into mashed potatoes, and slipping spinach into smoothies. One morning, Max told me his smoothie “tasted extra fresh.” Yep, buddy—that was a whole handful of spinach you didn’t even notice.
And then there’s the magic of dips. Somehow veggies are irresistible when they’re dunked in something. I’ll roast broccoli and serve it with a little tahini sauce, and Max is all in. He even said once, “This could be a snack,” which in Max language is basically a standing ovation.
Do I always win? No. There was a tragic kale chip experiment that still haunts me. But little by little, his plate has gotten greener without him feeling like he’s chewing on lawn clippings. And now, every time I catch him reaching for roasted sweet potatoes like they’re candy, I get this smug little thrill.
So yes, Max eats vegetables now. And if I can convert my meat-and-potatoes guy without bribes or ultimatums, you can absolutely trick your people into loving veggies too. Just don’t call them “healthy”—call them delicious, crispy, saucy, anything but healthy. Trust me, it works.