🥤
Sneaky Spinach Smoothie Hidden veggie
5 min · Serves 2 · sweet, fruity
Spinach blended with orange juice first, before the fruit goes in, so the color stays a friendly green with no visible flecks.
What's hidden: spinach.
Tip: Blending the spinach with the juice first before adding fruit keeps the color a friendly green instead of chunky.
Contains: none of the top 9 allergens in the base recipe (check labels on packaged ingredients) · Easy swap: Orange juice → Apple juice
The full recipe, straight from the cookbook
Ingredients
- 1 large Frozen banana
- 1 cup packed Fresh spinach
- 1 cup Orange juice
- 1/2 cup Pineapple chunks, frozen or fresh
- 1 tbsp, optional Honey
Steps
- Add the spinach and orange juice to a blender first.
- Blend until the spinach is completely smooth with no visible flecks.
- Add the banana, pineapple, and honey if using.
- Blend again until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into cups and serve right away.
Missing an ingredient? Orange juice: Apple juice or Water plus a splash of any fruit juice; Pineapple chunks, frozen or fresh: Mango chunks or Extra banana.
🥣
Hidden Veggie Carrot Applesauce Oatmeal Hidden veggie
12 min · Serves 2 · sweet, mild, fruity
Finely grated carrot cooks right into the oatmeal until completely soft, with applesauce and cinnamon stirred in at the end.
What's hidden: finely grated carrot.
Tip: Cooking the carrot right in the oatmeal softens it completely so no bits stand out.
Contains: none of the top 9 allergens in the base recipe (check labels on packaged ingredients) · Easy swap: Water → Milk or any plant milk, for creamier oatmeal
🔒 Unlock the full recipe · ingredients, steps and swaps are in the cookbook
🧁
Zucchini Banana Muffins Hidden veggie
30 min · Serves 12 · sweet, fruity
Shredded zucchini mixed into banana muffin batter, sweet enough that the zucchini flavor stays in the background.
What's hidden: shredded zucchini.
Tip: The banana keeps these sweet enough that the zucchini flavor stays completely in the background.
Contains: egg and wheat · Easy swap: Egg → 1 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tbsp water, rested 5 minutes, per egg
🔒 Unlock the full recipe · ingredients, steps and swaps are in the cookbook
🥕
Hidden Veggie Carrot Cake Overnight Oats Hidden veggie
10 min · Serves 2 · sweet, mild
What's hidden: finely grated carrot.
Tip: The finest side of the grater is the trick. The carrot softens overnight and blends right into the oats.
Contains: none of the top 9 allergens in the base recipe (check labels on packaged ingredients) · Easy swap: Rolled oats → Certified gluten-free oats
🔒 Unlock the full recipe · ingredients, steps and swaps are in the cookbook
🥕
Hidden Veggie Carrot Oat Bites Hidden veggie
15 min · Serves 8 · sweet, fruity
Oats, grated carrot, banana, and seed butter rolled into bites, an easy one to make together with kids.
What's hidden: finely grated carrot.
Tip: No baking needed, so these are an easy one to make together with kids.
Contains: none of the top 9 allergens in the base recipe (check labels on packaged ingredients) · Easy swap: Sunflower seed butter → Any nut or seed butter
🔒 Unlock the full recipe · ingredients, steps and swaps are in the cookbook
🥔
Cheesy Hidden Veggie Cauliflower Tots Hidden veggie
30 min · Serves 6 · cheesy, savory, crunchy
Pureed cauliflower, squeezed dry and mixed with cheese and breadcrumbs, baked into crispy tots.
What's hidden: pureed cauliflower.
Tip: Squeezing out as much liquid as possible is the key step for tots that hold together and crisp up.
Contains: milk, egg and wheat · Easy swap: Breadcrumbs → Gluten-free breadcrumbs
🔒 Unlock the full recipe · ingredients, steps and swaps are in the cookbook
🎃
Hidden Veggie Pumpkin Energy Bites Hidden veggie
15 min · Serves 10 · sweet, mild, fruity
A no-bake snack of oats and pumpkin puree, with no nuts, dairy, or gluten in the mix.
What's hidden: pureed pumpkin.
Tip: No baking is needed, so these are an easy one to make together on a rainy afternoon.
Contains: none of the top 9 allergens in the base recipe (check labels on packaged ingredients) · Easy swap: Canned pumpkin puree → Pureed cooked butternut squash
🔒 Unlock the full recipe · ingredients, steps and swaps are in the cookbook
🌯
Pink Beet Hummus and Turkey Wrap Hidden veggie
15 min · Serves 4 · savory, mild, tangy
A bright pink hummus made from beet and chickpeas, usually curious enough on its own to get a first bite.
What's hidden: pureed roasted beet.
Tip: The bright pink color usually gets kids curious enough to try a bite before they even ask what is in it.
Contains: sesame and wheat · Easy swap: Tahini → Sunflower seed butter for a sesame-free version
🔒 Unlock the full recipe · ingredients, steps and swaps are in the cookbook
🍔
Hidden Veggie Sloppy Joes Hidden veggie
25 min · Serves 4 · savory, tangy, sweet
What's hidden: pureed carrot and pureed zucchini.
Tip: Blending the vegetables right into the sauce keeps the color and texture the same as a classic sloppy joe.
Contains: wheat and sesame · Easy swap: Ground beef → Ground turkey or ground chicken
🔒 Unlock the full recipe · ingredients, steps and swaps are in the cookbook
🍝
Hidden Veggie Cauliflower Alfredo with Chicken Hidden veggie
30 min · Serves 4 · cheesy, savory, mild, buttery
What's hidden: pureed cauliflower.
Tip: Blending the cauliflower completely smooth before adding it keeps the sauce silky, just like a regular alfredo.
Contains: milk and wheat · Easy swap: Fettuccine → Any gluten-free pasta shape
🔒 Unlock the full recipe · ingredients, steps and swaps are in the cookbook
🍚
Hidden Veggie Butternut Squash Chicken Risotto Hidden veggie
40 min · Serves 4 · cheesy, savory, mild, buttery
What's hidden: pureed butternut squash.
Tip: Stirring the squash in near the end keeps the risotto a warm golden color that looks just like a classic cheesy version.
Contains: milk · Easy swap: Grated parmesan → Any hard grated cheese, or dairy-free parmesan
🔒 Unlock the full recipe · ingredients, steps and swaps are in the cookbook
🍫
Hidden Veggie Chocolate Zucchini Brownies Hidden veggie
35 min · Serves 9 · chocolatey, sweet
Shredded zucchini folded into a rich cocoa brownie batter, kept hidden by the chocolate flavor.
What's hidden: shredded zucchini.
Tip: The cocoa and chocolate chips keep the flavor rich enough that the zucchini stays completely hidden.
Contains: egg, wheat, milk and soy · Easy swap: All-purpose flour → 1:1 gluten-free flour blend
🔒 Unlock the full recipe · ingredients, steps and swaps are in the cookbook
Hidden Veggie Questions
How do you hide vegetables in food for picky eaters?
Cook the vegetables until soft, puree them until completely smooth and mix them into a food with similar color and strong familiar flavor, like squash in mac and cheese, carrot in tomato sauce or spinach in a chocolate smoothie.
Which vegetables are easiest to hide?
Cauliflower, butternut squash, sweet potato, carrot, zucchini and spinach are the easiest. They have mild flavors and blend smoothly into sauces, batters and smoothies.
Is it okay to hide vegetables from kids?
Hidden vegetables are a helpful way to add nutrition while your child builds acceptance. Many parents also serve vegetables openly at the same meals, so kids keep learning that vegetables are a normal part of eating.
How do I sneak vegetables into meals?
Use the meals your kid already eats: pancakes, muffins, pasta sauce, meatballs, quesadillas and smoothies all take a few spoonfuls of vegetable puree without changing much about how they look or taste.
Eat This, Not Chaos