Here are some ways to help your kids enjoy their vegetables
Dip It
Kids love to dip things. When they are hungry and waiting for dinner, place some carrot and celery sticks, black olives, slices of cucumber and cherry tomatoes on a plate with a small bowl of reduced calorie ranch salad dressing on the table. Or try slices of sweet, juicy red, yellow or orange bell pepper with hummus dip. Because they are ready to eat, they are more likely to dig in.
Hide It
This is a mom’s tried and true option for getting vegetables into kids who resist all other methods. No-sugar-added spaghetti sauce and reduced-calorie artichoke dip spread on pita bread are easy options. Add some shredded and finely chopped zucchini to lean ground beef or turkey to make juicy, tasty burgers. Vegetables can also hide between the tasty layers of lasagna, and disappear when pureed and added to soups and stews. And don’t forget that kidney beans, pinto beans and peas also count as vegetables.
Grow It
One of the best ways to get children excited about their veggies is to help them grow and harvest some produce themselves. Buy some self-watering pots, and plant tomatoes, squash, or bush variety green beans. Don’t forget about herbs such as cilantro, parsley, and chives. When kids water and nurture their plants, and see the flowers and vegetables take form, they are more interested in tasting and experimenting with new flavors.
Make it Fun
It’s okay for kids to play with their vegetables. Pop 5 black olives on the small (washed) fingers of a young child’s hand, and watch them disappear one by one into her mouth. Make mini kabobs by alternating chunks of fresh veggies and cubes of cheese on a short wooden skewer. Sprinkle some shredded sharp cheddar on broccoli and cauliflower florets. (Eventually they will learn to eat them without the cheese.) Cut carrots into coins. Hollow out the seeds from a halved cucumber, and fill it with tuna or chicken salad.
Love It
Set the example by loving your vegetables. When you are eating your meal, swoon over the veggies, and talk about how good they are. Share interesting information about the health benefits of the foods you are serving. Children listen, and absorb food information. They are growing and want strong, healthy bodies, bright eyes and energy. Without lecturing, explain how food fuels our bodies, and how leaving vegetables on the plate will make a body slow and unhealthy.
Be patient, and offer different vegetables over and over again. If they don’t like them cooked, offer them raw, and vice versa. Try different forms and combinations of vegetables, don’t give up, and smile when they finally decide they like them.