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Kids and vegetables
By: Jennifer Verdejo
All parent know about the titanic battles with our kids in order to get them to eat their vegetables. We brib them, we plead, we play games, we act like fools. And in the end, either they are in timeout or the food goes in the trash, both of which end in no vegetables in their bellies.
Well here is a simple way to avoid the whole deal. Pureed vegetables mixed in to their favorite foods and veggie substitutes. The kids think they are eating their favorite foods and getting the nutrition they need for healthy strong bodies. The added bonus of not spending two hours trying to force peas down your kids throat is priceless.
Here are the combinations for pureed veggies that work best for my 3 year old and 2 year old.
The rule is color with color : red/orange with red
yellow with yellow
white with white
green works best with cooked meat
and to gradually build up the amount of vegetables you add.
RED - Tomato sauce/Tomato soup/Ketchup = add pureed carrots
YELLOW - Macaroni and cheese/Nachos/Hamburgers/Scallops potatoes = add pureed yellow squash, corn to the cheese and mix before adding to meal
WHITE - Mashed potatoes/Pizza/Recipes calling for mozerella cheese = add pureed califlower straight to mashed potatoes and mix with cheese before adding to meal for other recipes
Now GREEN can be a tough one. Start with very small amounts, a 1/4 cup and build up to 1 cup at the most unless your kids really start liking their vegetables. Green goes best with hamburger meat because the dark cooked color hidS the green very well. Mix pureed broccoli, peas, or okra into the uncooked meat and then follow the recipe for the meal.
Another alternative are the veggie substitues meals available out on the market. Many have the same look as your regular favorite but with healthy alternative or just vegetarian style. You can try these straight out but I found that they are best introduced after the above gradual process with my kids. The chicken nuggets are an exception. My kids eat them like crazy with just a little honey on top.
I hope this helps lead your kids down a path of healthy eating. With childhood obesity rising every year, every little bit counts and it starts at home. If you like the above article, please check out the links below. I work from home and PayDotCom pays me commission for every customer, so check it out.
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