I don’t know what’s going on (Mercury’s probably in Gatorade…or whatever), but for some reason, the week before the biggest food holiday of the year, all of the kids in my family decided to join the Picky Eaters Parade.

Last month, they were eating steamed broccoli (okay, fine, covered in butter) without complaint. This month “that gross green crumbly thing” on the corner of their plate is a personal insult.

The texture is wrong, the color is “sus,” and apparently all vegetables are the enemy by association because, no matter how fine I dice, they can identify a microscopic piece of onion from across the table. I swear, the parenting books (TikToks) lied about "just keep offering it," because that just doesn’t work, so this week we’re diving into how to get vegetables on (and off) your families plates in ways they actually might like.

TLDR:

⏱️ Time: Most of these methods add 5 minutes to your cooking

💰 Money: Same vegetables, different preparation, waaaay less food waste

🎯 Difficulty: EASY MODE

✨ Saves: Dinnertime negotiations, money on uneaten vegetables, your sanity

👨‍🍳 Pepper GIVEAWAY! 👨‍🍳

In honor of Thanksgiving and the whole family cooking (and feasting) season, we’re partnering with Alva to give away THREE sets of their amazing cookware! (These pots and pans were just featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things list!)

Their motto is “Cook healthy. Live beautifully.” and what could be truer than that?
“Born in Belgium in 1949, Alva blends chef-level performance with sustainable, PFAS-free materials—so you can cook with confidence and care. Designed to last, built to inspire, and made for real kitchens where memories are made.”

To enter, just drop your information in this Google Doc and we’ll announce the winner on December 1st!

ALSO, you can follow Alva Cookware on Instagram for an additional 5 entries!

Why Kids Reject Veggies (yes, there’s actually some science to it)

Kids have more taste buds than adults. Specifically, they have more bitter taste receptors. This is evolutionary biology doing its job. In nature, bitter often means poison, bad for you, or unripe, so your kid's mouth is literally telling them that Brussels sprouts might be dangerous to eat.

The good news is that taste buds die off as we age (so luckily, getting veggies in your kiddos does get easier). The bad news is this takes years. The better news is that certain preparation methods reduce bitterness and work with their biology instead of fighting it.

TIP: The exception to this rule is root vegetables. This is where science works in your favor! Carrots, parsnips, and other root vegetables get sweeter in cold weather. When temperatures drop, these vegetables convert their starches to sugars as a survival mechanism (sugar lowers the freezing point of their cells). That means that the carrots you buy in November genuinely taste sweeter than the ones from July. This is useful information when you're trying to get vegetables eaten at a holiday table.

Preparation Methods That Work

1. Roasting with maple syrup

Roasting vegetables brings out their natural sugars through caramelization. Adding real maple syrup takes this further.

Brussels sprouts, carrots, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes. Cut them up, toss with olive oil and a drizzle of maple syrup, roast at 425°F until the edges get crispy and slightly charred. The bitterness mellows out. The natural sweetness comes forward. Suddenly vegetables don't taste like punishment.

Check out this Balsamic Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon recipe!

2. Folding them into tomato sauce

Dice vegetables super small, sauté until they're soft, add tomato sauce. The vegetables break down and become part of the sauce instead of identifiable chunks.

Zucchini, bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, spinach. They all disappear into tomato sauce. Serve over pasta and sneak the veggies in without them knowing.

Here’s a fan favorite tomato sauce to use as inspo!

3. The dipping sauce approach

Some kids will eat almost anything if there's ranch dressing involved.

Dips are the gateway. If ranch dressing is what makes vegetables happen, buy the ranch. Store brand works fine, but nearly 5,000 foodies have this Buttermilk Ranch recipe saved on Pepper!

Other dipping sauce options (recipes linked):

• Honey mustard

• Hummus

• Cheese sauce

• Peanut sauce

• Tzatziki

4. Air frying until crispy

Texture matters more than you realize. Mushy is what’s “gross.” Crispy vegetables at least get a chance. Check out this whole newsletter on the science of crunch!

Green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts. Toss with a small amount of oil and salt, air fry until crispy on the edges.

Check out this air fried okra recipe!

5. Adding cheese…strategically

Broccoli with cheese. Cauliflower with cheese. Basically any vegetable becomes more acceptable when cheese is involved.

Is this the healthiest preparation? No. Is it better than no vegetables at all? Yes. We're playing the long game.

Steam the vegetable until just tender, add shredded cheese while it's hot, let it melt.

Here’s a cheesy cauliflower bake recipe that’s perfect for Thanksgiving!