Recipe for:
Every family who has this regular daily struggle of getting their children to eat vegetables, especially if you have fussy kids at home
Ingredients (What goes in the recipe): -We aim to get our children to eat between 3-5 portions of fruits & vegetables every day.
-One portion of fruits or vegetables is what fits in a palm or two palms of your kid's hands, depending on their age.
For example, 1-2 tablespoons of veggie cooked
There are some guides on portions for little ones, you can find them on this link: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/media/mvzpmthr/5532-leaflet-sept21.pdf. However, I would suggest not to worry too much about how much is a portion. What matter is the variety and consistency. Simply offer them varieties of:
Fresh or frozen fruit & vegetables
Beans, peas or chickpeas
Red, green, yellow or brown lentils
Use child-sized plates, if possible.
Instructions:
Creating fun games on the dining table.
Children love surprises and having fun around the dining table. Try to create a routine of cooking different, colourful, and surprising vegetables in your meals whenever possible. Imagine it as a daily/weekly fun game with your family. Here are some ideas:
A colour theme for the daily vegetable soup.
Add vegetables to the pasta sauce or tacos and wraps fillings.
Top toasts with funny shapes and colours of vegetables.
Compliment their snacks with verities of fruit & veg by adding them to their yoghurt, pancakes, smoothies, and cookies.
Getting your children involved in meals preparation.
Get them to wash the veggies or pick them up from the fridge. Children become more excited to eat meals they have been involved in choosing and preparing. Get them involved in choosing the next day's meal and perhaps what veggie to add to it.
Get creative in offering varieties of vegetables
One of the benefits of getting their 5 a day is ensuring that your children are getting a wide range of nutrients and vitamins for their body needs. Try using colour/faces theme every Sunday or a veggie name theme every Thursday as a fun way to get children excited about trying different colours and textures of vegetables.
Be patient and a role model
Make sure that your little ones get to see you eating those veggies as part of your meals so they give it a try themselves. Allow time for them to try veggies in their different forms (puree, steamed or roasted) or in different shapes and in combination with different ingredients.
Notes: You are not alone. Don't pressure yourself and be patient. Try different techniques and give your children the time they need to get familiar with veggies.
We hope these tips are useful and make your job of getting your little ones to eat vegetables easier and more fun. If you need further support, we are here to support you with practical ways to provide your family with the balanced nutrition they need to grow healthily and live a happy lifestyle.
You can book your free family nutrition assessment call with me here. Our signature Nourished Family programme is designed to support families and engage children to live a healthier lifestyle.
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