How to Sneak Vegetables Into the Kids

It is no secret that most Americans need to be eating better. The average American diet is strikingly deficient in fruits, vegetables and fiber. Kids are growing up eating more takeout than ever before. Though not a hard and fast rule, typically the faster the food, the less nutritious it is. Unfortunately, eating healthy generally takes time and effort, two things few seem to have extra stores of. Leafy green veggies, with all their vitamins and fiber, are passed over in favor of potatoes fried in vats of fat. Kids are growing more and more averse to willing eating vegetables. The good news is that it is entirely possible to sneak nutrient packed vegetables into meals, usually without being noticed. Read on to learn how.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Jarred baby food
• Healthy vegetables
• Vegetable powder
• Patience
• Optional: empty gelatin caplets

1. Make pasta dishes with tomato sauce weekly. Sneak chopped tomatoes and jarred baby food into the sauce as it simmers. Orange vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots are easily absorbed with little disruption to the sauce’s red color.

2. Mix vegetable powder into gravies, soups, stews and rice dishes. With creamy soups and thick stews, sneak in some jarred baby food, too. Chop vegetables into small pieces and mix them into the soup or stew as well. Serve hearty soups, filled with chopped veggies as a regular part of meals. Gradually increase the amount of vegetables added over time.

3. Alternate between having a cup of soup or a small salad as the first course during dinner. Tell the kids that it’s just like eating at a restaurant. It’s a great way to sneak an extra serving of vegetables into the day.

4. Combine pureed vegetables into ground meats for burgers, meatballs, chili, sloppy joe’s, etc. The more heavily seasoned the meat is, the more types of vegetables that can be mixed in.

5. Make veggie vitamins. Sneak a caplet or two filled with vegetable powder along with the kids’ regular multivitamins.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to include soups in the kids’ lunches as well. Heat leftover soup in the morning and pour into a thermos to keep it warm until lunchtime.
• Vegetable powder and empty gelatin caplets are available in most health food stores. The caplets are inexpensive, but the powder may be a little pricey.
• Don’t make changes too fast. Vegetables are often high in fiber. Be sure to gradually increase the amount of veggies eaten during the day. Fiber can cause gastrointestinal discomfort if increased too rapidly.