Does anyone else have super picky kids? Or is it just me? ;) I love my children but sometimes feeding them is a nightmare! Especially when it comes to vegetables. Give my 3 year old anything that looks remotely healthy on her plate and she’ll look at it as if you’ve placed a plate of eel heads on the table. It really makes dinnertime so fun ;)

As I’ve been trying to get my kids to try different things, I’ve introduced broccoli a few different times. I generally steam it as I can quickly do that in the microwave while I’m working on other things. I’ve tried adding different seasonings, but all to no avail. One evening I decided to try something different- I pan roasted the broccoli in the oven with some chicken and potatoes. To my surprise, my kids loved it! They were all hesitant to try it, but ended up eating plenty!

While I love plain broccoli just dipped in ranch, not everyone has the same feelings ;). But presenting it in a different way can make a difference! If your kids (or husband;) ) is not a big fan of broccoli, try presenting it a few different ways!

*Seasonings. Not just salt and pepper- seasoning salt, garlic salt, lemon pepper, rosemary, cumin- get creative with your family’s favorite flavors! You could even try popcorn seasonings for some fun new twists.

*Sauces. Ranch is a basic, but try greek yogurt, or a cheese sauce (mix cream cheese and/or sour cream with a packet of mac n’ cheese powder). And while it may sound disgusting, even ketchup! Some kids will eat anything with ketchup ;). Sometimes you can mask a less pleasant flavor with a stronger one ;).

*Pasta. Almost everyone loves pasta- slowly introduce your kids to broccoli by adding it in small portions to pasta dishes! Broccoli alfredo is one of my favorite things. You can also add broccoli to baked pasta dishes to make sure it’s thoroughly mixed in.

*Fry it. If it looks like a fry or a hashbrown, your kids are way more likely to give it a shot, right? Some tasty broccoli “cakes” are the perfect way to get your kids to eat it! Just mix broccoli with mashed sweet potatoes and your favorite seasonings, and fry them up in little circular cake shapes.

*Pizza. Ok this one makes me laugh, but anything’s worth a shot, right? Some kids love pizza enough that they’ll be willing to give it a shot ;). If you’re not quite into the whole broccoli on pizza thing, make a veggie pizza! Cream cheese with Italian or ranch seasoning makes a great base, and you can top it with broccoli, carrot shreddings, and all your kids’ favorite veggies.

*Soup. Broccoli and cheese soup is such a basic- and so tasty! Most kids won’t complain at the thought of cheese soup- and you can just tell them that the green specks are for decoration- healthy sprinkles!

*Stir-frys. Teriyaki sauce is like candy for some people- kids included! Make a delicious stir-fry and add some broccoli- they just might end up loving it!

*Quiche. These are a great way to sneak in some veggies, and broccoli is no exception!

*Call them little trees! Broccoli is a boring name. But if your kids are eating little baby trees, that sounds much more fun and appealing! They might even have a little fun with it ;).

*Let them help. Kids are more likely to eat a meal that they helped prepare, so get them in the kitchen and let them choose the recipe! The more they help and the more they are exposed to broccoli, they’re eventually gonna learn to love it- or at least be ok with it ;).