First - Get Your Kids In The Kitchen!
Simple hacks to get your kids to eat veggies begins with a small ask – First get your kids in the kitchen! Let them partake in food prep no matter the age. When my children were under a year old I’d set them on the counter and they’d play with oranges, limes or lemons and maybe taste a few too. The relationship with food begins at home in the kitchen and if we want our children to remain open minded about tasting something new, we must get to the root, the kitchen.
Many parents find it challenging to get their children to enjoy vegetables and try new foods. Imagine your children acting more like explorers on a quest for new discoveries instead. Sounds good, but how? You can transform how your children perceive and enjoy these nutritious foods with a few clever ingredient hacks. Here are some simple yet effective ideas to make veggies appealing and fun for kids!
1. Sneaky Smoothies
One of the easiest ways to incorporate more veggies into your kids’ diets is through smoothies. The key is to use fruits with strong flavors that can mask the taste of the vegetables. Spinach and kale are great options because they blend well with bananas, berries, and yogurt. For a delicious smoothie, try blending:
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of spinach
- 1 cup of frozen mixed berries
- 1 cup of milk or yogurt
Kids will love the sweet flavor and be unaware that they just drank a healthy dose of greens!
2. Veggie-Packed Sauces
Another simple hack is to incorporate veggies into sauces. Blend in carrots, zucchini, or bell peppers, pureeing these veggies in the bon COOK Eco-chop, which is simple, and along with tomatoes, it creates a delectable sauce for pizza or pasta without the kids even noticing! For a twist on pasta fun, swap the noodles for zoodles for a festive color and taste. Swaps like this will help your children embrace a creative diet and a slightly more mature palate with a craving for good-tasting, good-for-you food!
Tip: Finely chop veggies before mixing them into sauces to ensure they blend seamlessly. We love to use our Eco Chop, and in just a few pulls, we have veggies adding color and taste to any sauce or soup.
3. Fun Shapes and Colors
Making veggies visually appealing can entice kids to try them. Use cookie cutters to create fun shapes from cucumbers, bell peppers, and carrots. Similarly, try arranging them in colorful patterns on their plates. A veggie rainbow can be exciting and inviting! With a complete range of cutters, you’ll find just the right shape and size in our bon COOK shop: https://bit.ly/boncookcookiecutters
4. Dips Make Everything Better
Kids love to dip! Introduce a variety of healthy dips that pair well with veggies. Hummus, guacamole, ranch yogurt, or peanut butter can turn raw veggies into a tasty snack. Set up a veggie dip station or cheeseball with an array of colorful vegetables and delicious dips for a fun activity. The quickest way to make them healthy is with fresh ingredients and a few pulls of the eco chop.
5. Veggie-Infused Snacks
Transform traditional snack foods to include veggies with these solutions:
Veggie Chips: Bake thinly sliced sweet potatoes or kale with a sprinkle of olive oil and salt for a crunchy snack. See the recipe here: Our bon COOK website and your bon COOK consultant have many great recipes, such as sweet potato fries. Find the recipe here: https://boncook.com/recipes/two-way-roasted-potatoes/
Zucchini Muffins: Shred zucchini in your muffin batter for moisture and nutrition. Make Zucchini or pumpkin bread in batches so you always have a good snack on hand. An excellent recipe to start with is a Lemon Cream Cheese Blueberry Muffin. Add 1 cup of drained and patted dry, shredded zucchini to the wet ingredients and follow the recipe, keeping an eye on the cooking time as it may change due to the added ingredients. Recipe here: https://boncook.com/recipes/lemon-blueberry-cream-cheese-muffins/
Cauliflower Pizza Crust: Use cauliflower to make a gluten-free pizza crust that’s both tasty and veggie-rich. Zesty Mediterranean Cauliflower Steaks. A forgiving recipe that you can match with flavors that your children love, maybe a mixture of chopped carrots and honey baked on top. Think about what their preference is, sweet or salty and start there. Try this: https://boncook.com/recipes/zesty-mediterranean-cauliflower-steaks/
6. Involve Them in the Kitchen
Kids are more likely to eat well overall if they are involved in preparing food. Involve your children in cooking by letting them wash, peel, or mix vegetables. This engagement helps them feel more connected to the food they eat, increasing the likelihood that they will try and enjoy it. To start, you can try our No Bake Pumpkin Seed Energy Bites. They only take ten minutes to mix up, and kids love to help put them in the pans or molds. Find the recipe here:https://boncook.com/recipes/no-bake-pumpkin-seed-energy-bites/
7. Creative Presentations
Get creative with how you present veggies. For instance, make a “veggie bouquet” by arranging vegetable sticks around a shaped cheeseball or dip. Similarly, try using skewers to create colorful vegetable kabobs. These playful presentations make eating veggies more enjoyable. This recipe is super simple and loads of fun: https://boncook.com/recipes/quick-cheese-ball-kids-love/
8. Make it a Game
Turn eating veggies into a game! Create challenges, like “Veggie Tasting Night,” where everyone tries a new vegetable each week. You could also keep a veggie chart and reward kids with stickers for trying different types. Gamifying the experience makes it fun and exciting. Our Aioli’s are perfect for creating an experience out of the food adventure. All of our French Pantry condiments are imported from Provence, France. It is a perfect time to talk about the ingredients and the origin of the food. Check them out here: https://shop.boncook.com/products/377586
9. Flavor with Herbs and Spices
Sometimes, it’s all about the flavor. Use herbs and spices to enhance the taste of vegetables. Toss roasted veggies with garlic, rosemary, or paprika for added flavor. A little seasoning can turn bland into delightful! We often hear from parents that roasted veggies on the Bonmat are a big hit with the French Pantry Roasted Garlic and Chive Herb Blend.
Also, use the opportunity to prepare a simple burger and mix veggies into the meat before shaping your burger. For toppings, you can create a burger bar of mini chopped toppings so they can take part in chopping with the eco-chop, preparing their meal, and talking about new tastes. Even young children will come to their conclusions and will articulate in no time what taste they love and why.
Conclusion
By using these simple ingredient hacks, you can make vegetables more appealing and enjoyable for your kids. Remember to be patient and offer various options, as it may take several tries before they embrace certain veggies. With creativity and a little fun, you can help your kids develop a love for healthy eating that lasts a lifetime!
Enjoy discovering flavor through delicious ingredients and veggie combinations together.
Cheers to good-tasting food, stress-free meals, and veggie hacks that your children will love!
“bon tip: To explore more options for cooking and adding non-GMO ingredients to your meals, you can shop with your bon COOK consultant online through their Boncook Boutique, or you can visit them at a cooking class online or off. Whichever way you choose to join our community, we appreciate your support in helping more families discover solutions and ease to cook well at home.”
Cindy Juncaj
CEO and Partner/BONCOOK
