Monday, August 9, 2010

More Veggies, Please

Why is it that babies eat fruit and veggies with no problem, but toddlers struggle to choke down one bite? Every kid loves Mac and Cheese, but few love carrots. Today, I combined the 2 and Jonah ate every bite. Of course, it is good to train kids to eat veggies on their own, but if you need a quick way to get veggies into your toddler without a fight, try this.




Ideas for increasing veggie intake:
  1. Dice veggies small, or add pureed veggies to favorite meals or soups. Puree your own with Cuisinart Smart Stick or use pureed baby veggies.
  2. Add spinach to smoothies.
  3. Make breads and muffins with veggies (i.e., pumpkin or zucchini bread)
  4. Make sweet potato french fries with EVOO and favorite seasonings (I like salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder).


What are YOUR tricks??? Do you have a recipe your kids love or an idea for squeezing more veggies into your kids diets?
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2 comments:

  1. KelliAugust 10, 2010 at 6:10 AM

    Great tips!! I love that you're so nutritionally conscious :).

    I actually just read a study about mindless eating that was quite interesting. It talked about how we shouldn't eat in front of the TV, because we're so much more likely to consume more calories and overeat. However, it did mention that kids will eat basically anything while watching tv, so that's the time to put fruits & veggies in front of them! :) Interesting, eh?

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  2. CandiceAugust 17, 2010 at 10:20 AM

    Mandy, my favorite veggie laden recipes that my kids will eat (and like) are: green pizza, chicken zucchini kabobs, and chicken pot pie. They like the kabobs because they can dip them in honey-butter, and chicken pot pie is a favorite because its mild, creamy, and who doesnt love pie crust? :) As your kids get a little bigger, they may be more open to the green and orange stuff. :)

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