As a mother of four, the dietitian in me sometimes takes a backseat when the little one picks at her dinner for an hour and all of her veggies remain on her plate. No matter how much we love them, sometimes feeding the little people in our lives can be the largest struggle. I know I’m not alone here, so this week we will talk about how to put veggies into the diets of the children (and sometimes our husbands) for whom we care so deeply.
Vegetables represent nature’s most bountiful source of many critical nutrients. It is my deep belief that if we as Americans ate as many vegetables as we do carbs (and cut our carbs to the level most of us eat vegetables at) then we would all be healthier (and thinner). So, how do we train the rising generation to love vegetables?
- Be consistent. For many of us, grocery shopping for the family rests on our shoulders. We choose what to present to our family by what comes in from the store. We can begin to adjust the behavior of the pickiest eater if the snacks available at home are healthier. Replace Pop-Tarts with a bunch of bananas, chips with a basket of apples, and popcorn with a veggie plate dipped in hummus or guacamole. If you’re too busy to prep things like hummus or guacamole you can find many good varieties in the deli section of your local grocery store, but I recommend NOT buying the pre-prepared veggie trays. Many of those vegetables are older and drier than their whole counterparts on the shelves, and studies have shown that exposure to air and light can degrade the nutrients in a pre-sliced piece of fruit or vegetable. Instead, take a few minutes and teach your children slicing techniques, then it can become a consistent part of your pattern for them to help you prepare the vegetables when snack times come around. (For safety with small children, stick with soft vegetables and dull knives. My five-year-old daughter was delighted to learn she could slice the olives with a butter knife!)
- Let ‘em Pick! No one loves all vegetables. We all have our favorites. If time and budget allow, bring the kids to the store and have them pick something they want to try. Then let everyone practice their slicing skills and share a custom veggie tray during game night or a movie. It’s hard for a child to refuse to eat a vegetable they picked, they prepared, and their family is enjoying it all around them. This even worked on my husband, a chronic fast-food eater. Once I realized how much he enjoyed vegetables with solid flavors I brought more peppers, olives, and onions into our diet and he gladly digs in with the rest of us (as long as he brushes his teeth afterward, yikes!).
- Embrace creativity. Whether it’s a baby carrot and some olives shaped like a penguin, or a rainbow veggie tray where we search together for something to fill every color, there are many ways to bring creativity into the kitchen and turn the nutrition of vegetables into a fun and fresh experience. Work together to find ways to adapt family favorite recipes to include more vegetables. The possibilities are endless
- Be a veggie role model. Remember that our children do as we do. It is impossible to push them towards vegetables if we don’t touch them either. Find those vegetables you like best, and visibly include them in your own diet.
- Grow your own. Sometimes our hesitance to eat a particular vegetable is due to a bad experience in our past. Starting a small garden, with just a few plants, can enable you to grow a few cucumbers, maybe some tomatoes, or some fresh basil. Share with your reluctant eater a freshly picked tomato, sliced on a turkey sandwich with their other favorite fixin’s and they may discover they love tomatoes if they are genuinely fresh!
Remember the goal is to inspire our families (and ourselves) to eat nutritiously out of joy, not out of duty or fear. Our bodies are meant to thrive when we eat vegetables. I have found that including quality fresh fruits and vegetables in my diet makes my brain and body happy. Why wouldn’t I share such a gift with those I love the most?