We wish there were a simple solution to this age-old problem. Maybe there is…the secret may lie in seeing this as an opportunity rather than a chore. Maybe we could learn to love eating vegetables.
Vegetables, unlike any other food group, can be eaten in abundance. We never have to say no to vegetables. The new food pyramid recommends that children 4-13 years old eat 1 ½ to 2 ½ cups of vegetables and 1 to 1 ½ cups of fruit each day. Some days this seems like an impossible goal but the best thing we can do to come closer to this goal is make fresh produce a regular part of our meals and snacks.
Introducing a variety of fruits and vegetables at an early age will make a big difference later on but it is never too late to start. Don’t be discouraged if your child does not like new foods. It is normal for a person to reject unfamiliar foods and you may have to offer something 15 times (or more!) before it becomes familiar.
The simplest way to put vegetables on the table is to cut them up and serve them fresh. This is also a great way to introduce kids to new foods without overwhelming their taste buds with a recipe containing many new flavors. Vegetables can be juicy, refreshing and even sweet, especially if they are ripe and freshly picked from your garden or a local farm. Sweet peppers, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and snow or snap peas with edible pods are great finger foods. Broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini slices are also yummy, especially with a savory dip such as ranch dressing or lightly steamed and drizzled with a hot cheese sauce.
Beets are another tasty treat. They are sweet and can be served hot or cold. Try boiling them whole until they are soft enough to poke with a fork. Then cut off the ends and slide the skin off. Cut the beets however you like and butter them for a hot dish or chill them and serve later. Beets come in many colors: red, gold, and even striped like a candy cane. Try new varieties of beets, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, and lettuce.
Share the abundance of the growing season with your children. Eat plentifully when fruits and vegetables are in season. Let them gobble up a pint (each!) of fresh berries at the farmers’ market, eat cherry tomatoes straight of the vine, or pull a carrot from the soil and eat it with the greens hanging off the end. Kids love to take part in gathering their food and are more likely to give something a chance if they helped to grow it, pick it, or even just choose it from the produce aisle.
And, last but not least, it will be much easier to help your child learn to love vegetables if you model your own pleasure in eating them. For adults, this might mean spending more time preparing vegetables into a flavorful and interesting concoction. We often spend a lot of effort making flour and sugar into a tasty dessert or pasta and meat into a savory delicacy. We add vegetables to the menu at the last minute without thinking about how we might enjoy them as a main part of the meal. So give them a try! And remember, you might need to try them 15 times before you like them!