Every parent knows how hard it is to get a stubborn child to eat their veggies… and we never cease to wonder how they have absolutely no problem munching into another packet of Maltesers!
We don’t believe in tricking kids into eating their vegetables by hiding the broccoli and carrots in other foods. You’re just putting off the inevitable, which is explaining to children that they need to eat their five-a-day.
So we’ve come up with seven novel ideas to help your kids start to enjoy eating their vegetables. If you have any more tips for any other Irish mums out there, be sure to share them below!
1. Make a Big Pot Of Vegetable Soup… And Add Some Fun
Add some fun to vegetable soup by adding some noodle shapes. With a little luck, your kids will be too busy scoffing the soup to find more shapes, they won’t even argue about eating the soup.
2. If They Won’t Eat It… Make Them Drink It
Pour some vegetable juice or smoothie over ice, add a straw and watch them sup it up. Here’s one tasty kiddie vegetable juice…
Ingredients
2 cups apple juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated orange or lemon peel
A dash of salt
2 cinnamon sticks
2 red apples, cored and diced
1-1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
Method
Combine apple juice, lemon juice, orange or lemon peel, salt and cinnamon sticks in saucepan.
Bring to boil and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
Remove cinnamon sticks. Combine apples, pineapple and orange.
Pour syrup over fruit and chill.
Is his smile convincing?!
3. Raw Can Be Tasty Too…
Dipping carrot, celery, pepper and cucumber sticks into a dip will be a real novelty for the kids. Arrange the sticks on a plate with a ranch dressing or hummus dip.
4. If You Have The Time… Create Some Artwork
This dad decided enough was enough, he was going to offer up his vegetables in different colours and shapes to encourage the kids to create collages on their places. Edible art… great fun!
Well done to the mum who can whip these guys up!
5. Get The Kids Involved In The Kitchen…
Get the kids to help out as you prepare the dinner. Ask them to wash the vegetables and if they are old enough, let them cut some of the veggies (under your supervision of course). Let them help you stir and anything else you think might be age-appropriate. You’ll be amazed at how proud they will be of their finished product, they will be excited to sit down and savour their cooking.
6. Get The Kids Involved In The Shopping…
It’s not a new concept that kids like to be in control. It can be very exciting for them to have permission to pick a new fruit or vegetable they’d like to try. The deal is they have to eat it, you’ll be surprised at the new tastes they’ll pick up. Try and suggest some of these super nutrition-packed vegetables.
This girl doesn’t want Brussels sprouts, she wants ‘Hero Balls’!
7. Brussels sprouts? They’re Hero Balls!
According to a study from the US, giving vegetables more exciting and attractive names can actually influence children to eat more of them. In the study, researchers at Cornell University in New York, decided to transform boring old normal carrots into ‘X-ray Vision Carrots’. Yup, you guessed it, everyone wanted some X-Ray Vision Carrots!
GloHealth members who have the Kids Health Personalised Package can claim up to a total of €50 back each year (25×2 visits) for a Child Nutritionist. For more information on this package, see GloHealth.ie.
