Can Kids Eat Microgreens? (Yes—and Here’s How to Serve Them)
Safe varieties, fun ideas, and tips for getting little ones excited about greens.
If you’re trying to add more fresh, healthy foods to your child’s diet, microgreens might just be your new secret weapon. These tiny greens are nutrient-packed, mild in flavor, and fun to add to kid-friendly meals. Plus, they’re harvested young—so they’re tender and easy to chew.
Here’s what parents need to know about serving microgreens to kids (including which varieties to start with and how to make them exciting).
Are Microgreens Safe for Kids?
Yes—most microgreens are perfectly safe for children to eat. In fact, because they’re harvested at such a young stage, they’re softer and often less bitter than their full-grown counterparts.
That said, here are a few guidelines:
- Start mild: Choose varieties with gentle flavors over spicy or strong-tasting greens.
- Serve fresh: For best flavor and texture, eat within a few days.
- Set out as snacks: We find that our youngest prefer just to eat microgreens plain or dipped in their favorite dressing rather than have them mixed in to something. Sunflower or Pea microgreens are perfect for this!
Best Kid-Friendly Microgreens
When introducing microgreens to children, start with varieties that are sweet, nutty, or mild:
- Sunflower Shoots – Crunchy and nutty, almost like a tiny salad in each bite.
- Pea Shoots – Naturally sweet, like fresh peas from the garden.
- Broccoli Microgreens – Mild and packed with nutrients, especially vitamin C and antioxidants.
Fun Ways to Serve Microgreens to Kids
The key is to make them part of familiar meals rather than something “new and strange.” Here are some kid-tested ideas:
- Smoothie Boost 🥤 – Add a small handful of pea or sunflower shoots to a fruit smoothie. The sweetness of banana and berries hides the green taste.
- Mini Wraps 🌯 – Layer microgreens inside a tortilla with cream cheese, turkey, or hummus. Roll and slice into pinwheels.
- Snackable Toasts 🍞 – Top toast with peanut butter and sunflower shoots (surprisingly tasty!) or cream cheese with pea shoots.
- Pasta Sprinkle 🍝 – Use broccoli microgreens as a fresh garnish over mac & cheese.
- DIY Salad Bar 🥗 – Let kids pick their own toppings, with microgreens in the mix.
Make It Fun
- Let your kids help rinse and sprinkle the microgreens.
- Grow a tray together—they sprout fast, which keeps interest high.
- Give them a “taste test” challenge with different greens and let them pick a favorite.
The Bottom Line
Microgreens are an easy, kid-approved way to sneak more nutrients into everyday meals. Start with mild varieties, keep portions small at first, and let your kids have fun exploring these tiny greens. Before long, they might be asking for “those little greens” on their own!