Getting kids to eat healthy can be a lot like getting them to clean their room. Or do their home work. Or brush their teeth…
Kids are generally stubborn and picky eaters. This can be a rough combo, especially because kids need a balanced, healthy diet in order to grow up strong, develop properly, and provide their little brains with the energy they need to focus all day long.
If you have a picky eater, you know veggies are probably highest on the “Yuck List.” Plunking down a plate full of familiar leafy greens in front of your child at dinner is asking for trouble.
There are a few ways you can get your kids to eat their veggies (and a few more if you don’t have any qualms with being sneaky.)
Try new things. Kids know broccoli, peas and carrots but there are a ton of interesting and deliciously different tasting vegetables out there. Artichokes are a fun little project where kids can peel the leaves and dip them into different sauces. Sweet potatoes are great sources of vitamins, and their sweet taste appeal to kids. Cut them into fries, bake them in the oven and serve with ketchup. Edamame in the shell can be a fun finger food for kids, and Jicama is a crunchy, juicy veggie with a sweet taste. Encourage them to try new tastes and when they find something they like, make it a regular side dish or snack.
Dress them up. Seasoning can go a long way. Butter, salt and sugar should be used sparingly, but there are tons of other ways to jazz up your veggies. Try different healthy dips like peanut butter and low fat yogurt (yes, even for veggies) and use fresh and dried spices, like oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, paprika, curry powder and other flavorful add ons like garlic, balsamic vinegar, low fat salad dressings and ginger.
Hide them. Mixing veggies into regular dishes is a sneaky, yet effective way to get the vitamins and minerals into your kid’s bodies, tantrum free. Add pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!!) to pancakes, oatmeal and muffins for a blast of vitamins and sweet taste. Cauliflower can easily be mashed up into mashed potatoes, and no one will be the wiser. Top your kid’s favorites with as many veggies as you can. Peppers, onions, mushrooms and zucchini are great additions to pizzas, sandwiches, and scrambled eggs. Mince veggies to add to hamburger patties, spaghetti sauces, meatballs, and chili.
The last thing you want to do is make the veggies unhealthy in order to get your kids to eat them. Drenching them in butter, coating them in salt or smothering them in cheese is going to counter act the good stuff in the veggies. Find a healthy way for your kids to enjoy vegetables and encourage them along the way. Find out what works and stick with it.
