10 Ways to Sneak More Vegetables Into Your Child’s Diet
Parents know the struggle of getting kids to eat more vegetables. Here are some yummy recipes that make greens more appetizing for the little ones!
Some kids love vegetables. Other kids initially love them, then eventually refuse to eat them. And others get used to eating veggies after some familiarization, while others simply can’t stand the sight of it on their plate. Don’t worry, moms – there are creative ways to get kids to eat their veggies! Try these ways to sneak more vegetables into their diet. Whenever possible, try to choose natural and organic ingredients. They’re free of chemicals and growth hormones which can affect our health.
Green smoothies
Most kids love blended fruits. Try mixing in some vegetables with the fruits! For orange or papaya, toss in carrots. For blueberries or avocado, you may add broccoli, spinach or kale. For mango or banana, mix in a bit of pumpkin or sweet potatoes. You can even mix these fruits and veggies to make your kid’s organic milk more exciting!
Bento box
I learned how to make my first bento box at an event. It takes time to prepare, but you’ll have fun. Some moms even see this as a stress-reliever and a creative outlet. Kids love the colors and adorable shapes (letters, numbers, characters). It can encourage their appetite and make them excited to try vegetables.
Grate carrots into spaghetti sauce
Spaghetti is a classic favorite of Filipino kids. Tomato sauce and carrots also go very well together, since carrots have a naturally sweet taste. Simply grate the carrots and integrate into your food. Your kids will never know the difference!
Add malunggay to soup
Malunggay or moringa is dubbed as the “miracle vegetable” because it is rich in anti-oxidants and essential nutrients and vitamins, such as riboflavin, iron, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Three tablespoons of powdered malunggay leaves contain the vitamin C equivalent of 7 oranges. They are great for boosting the immune system, especially during flu season. Add powdered malunggay to tinola, sinigang, nilaga or any dishes with soup.
Pan-cauli-cakes
Add grated cauliflower to pancakes! It’s a creative and different way of making your pancakes. Your child may even enjoy helping you prepare the cauliflower.
Vegetable burger patties
Add grated vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, pumpkin and malunggay leaves to your meat patties. You can also make savory all-veggie patties with squash, mushrooms or banana blossom – just serve them extra crunchy so kids will like them!
Sweet potato fries
Substitute your kid’s regular French fries with sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes contain compounds that help fight cancer and heart disease, and are a good source of vitamin C, carotenoids, vitamin B6, manganese and fiber.
Mashed potato and cauliflower
Puree cauliflower and mix into your homemade mashed potato. You can add butter and a little organic milk to make it extra creamy.
Veggie cheese sauce
If your kid is a cheese monster like mine, this is a foolproof recipe that I am proud of: puree pumpkin, butternut squash, carrots or sweet potatoes. Add them to your kid’s cheese spread or sauce.
Egg Superfood Scramble
Eggs are full of nutrients and can be served in so many ways! Add vegetables to your scrambled eggs for an easy and nutritious dish.
Keep it a secret – or get kids involved
You can secretly sneak in vegetables by chopping, grating, pureeing, blending them into your child’s food. However, consider letting them in on your secret and involving them in your food preparation. You get fun quality time and help them develop skills like creativity, teamwork, gross and fine motor skills. They’re also more likely to eat what they made!
How do you get your kids to eat vegetables? Share your tips and ideas in the comments section.
Reference
About The Writer
Ciara Magallanes
Ciara Magallanes a.k.a. Mommy Diaries PH, is a happily married wife and blessed mom to a 3-year-old. She is hoping to have 2 to 4 more kids in the future. A marketing manager, blogger and vlogger. 10 years ago, or 5 years ago even, she would not have thought that she would be writing or vlogging. She never knew her passion before, not until 2017 when she started www.mommydiaries.co Just last year, she and her husband started to take vlogging seriously, to adapt to our ever-changing world, as she put it. Now, with God’s grace, Mommy Diaries PH on Facebook is now a family of 374,000+ and growing with 9 to 16.4 MILLION+ reach in a single month.
The views and opinions expressed by the writer are his/her own, and does not state or reflect those of Wyeth Nutrition and its principals.
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