Perking Up Those Everyday Vegetables
Read more articles on Cooking and Food.July 31, 2006
Posted by Rebecca Lanham
July 31, 2006
Posted by Rebecca Lanham
1 Views
Have you ever heard the old, “Vegetables are boring” or “I don’t like vegetables”? Most parents have heard this numerous times from their children. When vegetables make their appearance on a child’s plate, it is hard to get them on the fork and into their stomachs!
It doesn’t have to be that way, though. You can perk up almost any vegetable and make them more appealing to children. In most cases, even the picky eaters will find something they enjoy!
One way to perk up the vegetables you put on your child’s plate are low-fat salad dressing or other low-fat, low-calorie dips. Grocery stores have all different brands and varieties. You can choose from everyday favorites, like ranch and Italian dressings, to unusual selections, like cottage cheese and sour cream. You will find that kids, and even adults, find that they enjoy raw broccoli and cauliflower, multi-colored peppers, baby carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and celery sticks when they are dunked in some yummy dips.
Another way to perk up everyday vegetables selections is to offer a wide variety of them at each meal. Don’t expect your kids to get excited by a bowl full of bland greens in front of them. However, if you put a bowl full of greens topped with some baby carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, yellow peppers, orange peppers, red cabbage and even pea pods in front of them, they might get a bit more excited. If you allow the kids in your house to choose what is put in front of them, they are more likely to eat and enjoy it. Use those items that are in season for better quality vegetables.
A fun way to perk up the vegetable selection at mealtimes is to make them decorative garnishes. Add a splash of color to each meal with a few slices of fancy cut colored pepper, or cut some cherry tomatoes into criss-crossed halves. Since you use the vegetables in such small amounts, the kids might be tempted to take a bite and give them a try.
Although actually not “perking up” the vegetable, you can perk up your main dishes with vegetables, as well. Add some onion or green pepper to pizza or some mushrooms to your famous chicken recipe. Putting beans into a stew or chili dish is also a good way to get vegetables into your meal. Sometimes the kids won’t even know they are eating vegetables!
The best rule when it comes to getting kids to eat vegetables – give them what they like! Let your kids pick out the vegetables at mealtimes (or at least one of them), have those vegetables they like in stock for snack times, and have them help prepare the vegetables they’ve chosen when they are old enough. Don’t try to force feed them something they have never seen before or that you know they don’t like. That practice will just make them hate all vegetables you want them to eat. When they get older and more mature, they will be more open to trying new vegetables.
Copyright © 2006
Terms & Conditions
