According to the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, ninety percent of kids don’t eat the recommended amount of vegetables each day. To help get more kids on board with healthy eating, it’s important to show them how fun veggies can be.
It’s no secret that kids love to play, especially with their food. While this behavior may normally be discouraged, the Birds Eye Vegetables brand is encouraging parents to rewrite the dinnertime rules.
“Getting kids involved in the dinner process makes them more likely to eat and enjoy what they helped create,” said Birds Eye corporate chef Michael Christiansen.
Here are five tips to get your kids to eat more veggies:
1. Get your kids involved
When kids are involved, they’re more likely to eat their creations. Let the kids help with the shopping, choosing of the recipes, prep and cooking of the meals. Have them choose the veggies they want to eat for dinner and which they want to pack in their lunch. Encourage them to try a variety of colors and flavors.
2. Make family playtime with veggies
Kids can create rainbows on their plate with veggies or make smiley face pizzas. For the pizzas, use mini whole-wheat pitas as the base and let the kids add marinara sauce, reduced-fat cheese and veggies to make faces.
READ MORE: The great vegetable challenge
3. Mix it up
Veggies can be used in surprising and delicious ways. Mix veggies with yogurt, orange juice and honey to make nutritious smoothies or whip up refreshing popsicles with carrots and orange juice.
4. Positive reinforcement
Celebrate veggies and how delicious and fun they can be by using positive words when talking about them.
5. Use new veggies in familiar dishes
Combine new veggies with a few simple ingredients for a twist on familiar favorites. Try making pea guacamole, corn salsa or other unique creations that combine old favorites with healthy veggies. For these recipes and other ideas, visit birdseye.com or pinterest.com/RealBirdsEye.
Article courtesy of Family Features
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