SIX SIMPLE WAYS TO
GET KIDS TO GOBBLE UP VEGGIES

Unless you're blessed with one of those rare, veggie-craving kids, most parents have a hard time getting kids to touch food that's green or in any way considered healthy. But because summer meals are less rigid than during the school year, now's the perfect time to try new recipes and ideas that will help kids warm up to a variety of summer vegetables.

1. Start with Kid-Friendly Food

   If your kids refuse to eat vegetables, try a slightly sneakier approach. Add them to meals that they already enjoy: spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, casseroles. Begin by pureeing or finely chopping vegetables and adding to sauces, soups, etc. Then, as they start to develop a taste for them, slowly work up to bite-sized pieces.

   Here's an easy recipe to get you started: Turkey Veggie Pasta. Finely chop garlic, broccoli, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. Add to a simple pasta sauce along with 1 lb. of browned ground turkey and serve atop a bed of spaghetti noodles. Now you have a quick kid-favorite that's chock-full of fresh veggies.

2. Give Veggies Some Flare

   Grilling veggies brings out all kinds of new tastes and textures – quite possibly ones your kids will love. Slice, skewer, seal in foil – experiment with all the different ways to grill. Mix in some fruit such as pineapple for an extra-added sweet taste that's impossible to pass up.

   • corn on the cob
   • red and green peppers
   • onions
   • eggplant
   • zucchini
   • carrots
   • portabella mushrooms
   • tomatoes
   • turkey bacon-wrapped asparagus
   • yams
3. More Peas Please

   If you’re having a hard time finding greens your child likes, try peas. They’re small, bite-sized and can be eaten right out of the pod. And believe it or not, on a hot summer day, many kids consider frozen peas a treat. Try it and see for yourself. Best of all, it doesn’t require any work on your part. Just open a bag and watch as they vanish before your very eyes.

4. Involve Kids in Cooking

   Let the kids take part in the preparation. Have them wash and chop the veggies (if they can safely do so). Once they’ve worked hard for their food, they’ll want to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Or shall we say, “vegetables” of their labor.

   Here’s another easy way to get the kids involved. Next time you head to the store or local farmers market, bring the kids along and have them pick out a few pieces of fresh produce. They might surprise you with something you never would’ve guessed they’d grab.

5. Have Fun with Food!

   Who says you can’t play with your food? If it helps kids get the nutrition they need, then by all means, have some fun!

   • Next time you serve a salad, turn it into a fun veggie face. Start with lettuce leaf hair, two cucumber slice eyes, a cherry tomato nose, and a sliced red bell pepper smile. Complete with a couple of turkey tenderloin slices for ears and serve with a side of salad dressing. Prepare to be blown away as you watch them munch away.
   • For a nutritious afternoon snack, make “Ants on a Log”: spread peanut butter onto celery sticks and top with raisins.
   • Instead of trying to force kids to finish their broccoli, tell them it’s a miniature tree. They’ll have fun devouring the tiny plant while pretending to be a giant, herbivorous dinosaur.
6. The Vanishing Veggie Appetizer

   You may have noticed, kids always get hungry while dinner is being prepared. When they ask for snacks, simply set out a plate of sliced carrots, broccoli, zucchini or celery along with a ranch or hummus dip. More than likely, they’ll polish off the veggie plate before the meal is complete. Which means there’s no need to harass them about eating all of their vegetables during dinner.

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