By now most everyone knows that you should eat your vegetables (and fruits). But it’s not uncommon to find that kids do not eat their fruits and vegetables when you cook/serve them.
Many parents find it hard to feed their children the proper amount of fruits and vegetables. Let’s face it, most children will never choose a side of broccoli over a side of macaroni and cheese.
So what can parents do? Begin by finding the foods your kids enjoy most, such as pizza, popsicles, or dessert, and then try adding in fruits and veggies to these staples. For instance, instead of ordering a plain cheese pizza, try adding toppings such as mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, olives, or even pineapple to increase their fruit and veggie intake. During the summer, popsicles can be a real hit for kids. Try making your own by adding strawberries, raspberries or blueberries to your favorite fruit juice and freezing in popsicle molds. If your family loves desserts, try adding whole fruit to the dessert, or make a dessert from a fruit-base. Yogurt parfaits, strawberry shortcake, or even making your own ice cream out of frozen bananas is a great way to make dessert more healthful for the entire family.
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What about breakfast? Kids love smoothies, and smoothies provide an easy platform for sneaking in whatever kinds of fruits and vegetables you have around the house! Try adding some greens to your smoothie, like spinach or kale, which have energy-boosting compounds to kick-start their morning. I know what you’re thinking, you’re worried adding vegetables will make their smoothie taste bad. In reality, the sweetness of the fruit you add will disguise the bitterness of any vegetables, so add your veggies!
The best thing about these tricks is your kids will never even notice that their favorite foods have been redesigned and are more healthful with a handful of fruits and vegetables in each serving.
