Getting your kids to eat fruits and vegetables can be a real challenge. They’ll eat everything else off the plate before they even touch the green stuff. Here are 5 Ways to Get Your Kids Hooked on Fruits and Veggies.
Turn it into a smoothie:
It’s easy to prepare and easier to eat. Combine some of their favorite fruits, add in some veggies, and blend with yogurt for an easy, sweet treat or summer day’s snack.
Don’t go easy on the veggies:
If you’re making pasta or pizza, marinara is a great base. Prepare extra carrots, spinach, and/or mushrooms. Toss extra veggies into the meal to boost their vitamin and mineral intake. It won’t change the taste of the dish and it’s an easy way to sneak in extra nutrients and fiber. Double down and try using zucchini or spaghetti squash zoodles as your substitute pasta.
Boost your breakfast:
Start your day by sprucing up oatmeal with fruits or add veggies to an omelet. Oatmeal is a great source of fiber and eggs are a great source of protein. Adding fruits and veggies to them will give them flavor and increase their nutritional value.
Channel your inner artist:
Use fresh ingredients and arrange them into fun designs like animals, shapes, or themselves. We eat with our eyes; if it looks good, then it tastes good. Use bright and contrasting colors to attract your kids to the fruits and veggies.
Get kids involved
Who says you can’t play with your food. Make cooking interactive and have your kids be a part of the process. It will help your kids develop food prep skills at an early age, be more in tune with what they eat, and it’s fun. Kids tend to eat more of the foods they make when they prepped it themselves.
Check out a past post on:
7 Simple Ways to Eat Fruits & Vegetables While Traveling
By Terry Chhour, Dietetic Intern