Veggie Gap Solution for Kids Parents
Many parents struggle to get enough vegetables into their children’s diets. The result is a significant “veggie gap” – a shortfall in essential nutrients during the critical early years. Only Plants Microgreens offers a science-backed, family-friendly solution to help bridge that gap and give kids the nutrition they need in a form they’ll actually consume.
The Global Challenge: Kids Missing Out on Veggies
Nearly half of infants eat no veggies: Around 45% of children 6–23 months old consume no fruits or vegetables in a given day. Whether due to picky eating or lack of access, many toddlers are missing out on these fundamental foods.
Widespread nutrition poverty: Roughly 1 in 4 children under 5 years (approximately 181 million kids globally) live in severe child food poverty, meaning they lack the nutritious diet required for healthy growth. This isn’t just in low-income regions – even in better-off households, children can suffer nutritionally if healthy foods are absent.
Such poor diets in early childhood have serious consequences. Without enough fruits and vegetables, children may not get adequate vitamins and minerals, increasing the risk of malnutrition. In fact, insufficient nutrient intake during the first years of life can harm a child’s development – leading to stunted growth, weaker immunity, and cognitive delays. Ensuring young kids eat a variety of plant-based foods is crucial, but when veggies aren’t eaten readily, parents need an approachable solution to fill those nutrient gaps.
How Only Plants Helps: Microgreens to the Rescue
Only Plants harnesses the power of microgreens – the tiny, nutrient-packed seedlings of vegetables and herbs – to boost your child’s nutrition. Microgreens are like nature’s multivitamin in miniature form. Research shows these baby greens can contain vastly higher concentrations of key nutrients compared to their fully grown counterparts. For example, a landmark study by the USDA and University of Maryland found microgreens packed 4 to 40 times more vital nutrients (such as vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K and beta-carotene) than mature plants of the same species. In practical terms, this means a very small serving of microgreens can deliver a big nutritional punch:
Concentrated vitamins: Just a few grams of certain microgreens provide abundant vitamins. Pea shoot microgreens, for instance, have around seven times more vitamin C than an equivalent amount of blueberries, and about eight times more folate (vitamin B9) than bean sprouts. These vitamins support immunity, cell growth, and overall health – critical factors for growing children.
Rich in beta-carotene: Microgreens are loaded with beta-carotene – a plant form of vitamin A that’s essential for vision and immune function. Even tiny microgreen portions can supply a generous dose of this nutrient.
Minerals in tiny portions: Microgreens also concentrate important minerals. For example, radish microgreens are noted to contain valuable minerals like zinc, iron, and magnesium in higher amounts than typical mature veggiesi. Zinc is particularly important for toddlers’ immune systems and growth. By getting these micronutrients from plant-based sources, you’re reinforcing healthy development with whole-food nutrition.
Why microgreens? Because they are harvested at the seedling stage, microgreens retain nutrients that might later be distributed into a larger plant. All that goodness is compacted into a few delicate leaves. Only Plants takes varieties known for their high nutrient content (like broccoli, kale, pea shoots, and more) and dries them into a fine powder, preserving the vitamins and antioxidants. The result is a pure microgreen powder inside each capsule – with no additives or synthetics – giving your child a natural, veggie-derived boost of nutrients in a convenient form.
Kid-Friendly Use: Easy as Mixing into Food
One of the biggest advantages of Only Plants Microgreens capsules is how easy they are to use, especially for busy families and picky eaters. The capsules can be opened up and the tasteless microgreens powder inside can be mixed into foods or drinks your child already enjoys. This makes it simple to “sneak” extra veggies into their diet without any battles at the dinner table:
Flexible mixing: Pour out the capsule’s powder and stir it into almost any meal – from a bowl of applesauce or yogurt, to soup, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, or even a smoothie. The powder is finely milled and virtually invisible in food, so most kids won’t detect a difference in texture. Its flavor is very mild (often described as slightly grassy or neutral), meaning it won’t overpower or change the taste of the dish. For example, you can blend it into pancake batter or cookie dough for an invisible veggie boost in breakfast or treats.
Small amounts for small tummies: Because microgreens are so nutrient-dense, a little goes a long way. Suggested use: start with about 1 capsule (or even half a capsule for toddlers) per day, mixed into one of your child’s meals. This provides a gentle introduction and added nutrition without overwhelming their system. You can gradually adjust the amount as needed. Some parents find success splitting a capsule across a couple of meals in the day. Always observe how your child responds – every child is unique.
Safety and guidance: Only Plants Microgreens capsules are made from real vegetables, but as with any new food introduced to a young child, it’s wise to use moderation and consult your pediatrician if unsure. The product is positioned for parents who want to supplement their child’s nutrition informally; it is not marketed as a certified infant or toddler supplement. This means you’re adding a whole-food ingredient (microgreen powder) to home-prepared foods at your discretion. Pediatricians generally encourage offering vegetables in various forms, and microgreens are simply another form – just concentrated and convenient. If your child has specific health conditions, allergies (e.g. to broccoli or other veggies), or is under 1 year old, get medical advice on appropriate use.
By incorporating Only Plants microgreen powder into daily meals, you’re empowering your family with extra nutrition in a stress-free way. There’s no forcing down peas or negotiating “just one bite” of broccoli – the veggies are there, just unseen. Over time, this can help fill the nutritional gaps on days when your child refuses greens or when fresh produce isn’t available. It’s a support, not a substitute, for healthy eating habits: you’ll still offer fruits and veggies regularly, but Only Plants can give you peace of mind that even on picky days, your little one is getting some of the vitamins and minerals they need.
Learn more: Only Plants is on a mission to close the veggie gap for families everywhere. By combining solid science with parent-friendly convenience, we’re helping to nurture a new generation of healthy eaters. Learn more about our microgreens capsules and how they can support your child’s wellness on our website, and join us in growing a healthier future for our kids.
References
Sociodemographic inequalities in vegetables, fruits, and animal source foods consumption in children aged 6–23 months from 91 LMIC
Child Food Poverty - Addressing nutrition deprivation in early childhood.