Get Kids to Eat More Veggies
It's hard enough for busy parents to eat a healthy diet on their own. Getting finicky kids to eat their veggies is an even bigger challenge. While fruits are a little easier to handle since they are often sweet, vegetables pose a bit more of a challenge. Sure, children are amazingly resilient, but you still need to make sure that they get a well-rounded diet.
Here are a few strategies to make sure your young ones get their fair share of vegetables:
Let Them Dip It!
One good way to entice your child into eating their veggies is to serve a dip with it. The dip doesn't have to be unhealthy, even though your child would probably still be better off having a little full-fat ranch dressing with their veggies… as long as they are eating the veggies. But, with childhood obesity being a major problem in our society, try hummus, guacamole, or a bean dip.
Make it Colorful
When you serve vegetables, try to mix up the colors to make it bright and interesting to your child. This isn't just a good tactic to get their attention; it's always good to get a variety of vegetables anyway. You may still struggle, but exposing them to a variety of vegetables can have a lasting effect on their eating habits as they get older.
Get Sneaky!
If all else fails, you can hide vegetables in other foods. This is a tactic that has gotten some broad exposure in books such as Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook "Deceptively Delicious" or Missy Chase Lapine's "The Sneaky Chef." You can puree cauliflower and mix it with mashed potatoes. Or cut broccoli into small pieces and mix it with rice. Most kids love spaghetti. So, puree vegetables like peppers and mix it with the tomato sauce.
Raw vs. Cooked Vegetables
Obviously, no two kids are the same. So, try to serve them both raw and cooked vegetables. They may prefer one while turning their nose up to the other.
Dress Them Up
Cheese in moderation is healthy for your kids. So, a little of it sprinkled on top of their vegetables may make it a little more palatable to them without sacrificing the nutritional value of their meal.
Get Them Involved
Kids love to be involved. It's part of wanting to feel valued and important. That's why it's a great idea to have them help you in prepping dinner. Any little thing they can do could help them be more interested in the final product. If it's something they helped in making, there's a better chance that they will be more open to eating it.
Here are a few strategies to make sure your young ones get their fair share of vegetables:
Let Them Dip It!
One good way to entice your child into eating their veggies is to serve a dip with it. The dip doesn't have to be unhealthy, even though your child would probably still be better off having a little full-fat ranch dressing with their veggies… as long as they are eating the veggies. But, with childhood obesity being a major problem in our society, try hummus, guacamole, or a bean dip.
Make it Colorful
When you serve vegetables, try to mix up the colors to make it bright and interesting to your child. This isn't just a good tactic to get their attention; it's always good to get a variety of vegetables anyway. You may still struggle, but exposing them to a variety of vegetables can have a lasting effect on their eating habits as they get older.
Get Sneaky!
If all else fails, you can hide vegetables in other foods. This is a tactic that has gotten some broad exposure in books such as Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook "Deceptively Delicious" or Missy Chase Lapine's "The Sneaky Chef." You can puree cauliflower and mix it with mashed potatoes. Or cut broccoli into small pieces and mix it with rice. Most kids love spaghetti. So, puree vegetables like peppers and mix it with the tomato sauce.
Raw vs. Cooked Vegetables
Obviously, no two kids are the same. So, try to serve them both raw and cooked vegetables. They may prefer one while turning their nose up to the other.
Dress Them Up
Cheese in moderation is healthy for your kids. So, a little of it sprinkled on top of their vegetables may make it a little more palatable to them without sacrificing the nutritional value of their meal.
Get Them Involved
Kids love to be involved. It's part of wanting to feel valued and important. That's why it's a great idea to have them help you in prepping dinner. Any little thing they can do could help them be more interested in the final product. If it's something they helped in making, there's a better chance that they will be more open to eating it.
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