He was pretty open to it before, but for the last few months he's pushing away anything green or orange. I cook the carrots until they're really tender, I even mix them in with mashed potatoes but nothing works. Any parents who've managed to get around this?
At that age it's just a phase, all kids go through it and it usually sorts itself out on its own. What often works better than hiding them is offering vegetables without pushing, letting him touch and explore them without pressure, and most importantly eating the same ones in front of him to show they're good. Try varying how you present them too - raw as sticks, roasted with a bit of oil, or even as squash fries, sometimes it's just the texture that's holding him back. Be patient, in a few months he'll probably start eating them again.
With my own kids, I noticed they get weirdly picky when you push too hard. What we tried was leaving vegetables on the table during meals without saying anything - just there, available - and eating the same ones in front of him without making a big deal out of it. Sounds silly but after a while curiosity takes over. And then there's a huge difference between soft mashed carrots and sticks he can hold and crunch himself, even if it doesn't change the taste - it's just a control thing at his age.
What often works better than hiding them is letting him cook with you, even just helping him pour or stir - kids eat what they've made themselves way more easily. Otherwise, try serving the veggies raw or with a little dipping sauce (a bit of butter, some soft cheese) instead of drowning them in mash, because sometimes it's really just a texture or flavor thing that changes when you mix them in.
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