Five easy ways to help kids eat veggies
MANILA, Philippines – With the prevalence of food products that are convenient but not necessarily healthy for kids, parents will have to strategize better in the kitchen. Getting kids to eat their broccoli and carrots has been a daily struggle for moms everywhere, but it is possible to make changes in your household to get kids to eat vegetables.
Make the dish more appealing. Oftentimes, creative food presentation spells the difference between a well-fed child and an untouched plate. You can make veggie variations in terms of color, size and shape.
Cultivate a vegetable patch in your garden and let your kids harvest what you grow. Engage your kids in the kitchen, right from meal-planning. Teaching your child the value of making nutritious choices will boost their health and confidence.
Set a good example. Parents who subsist on a diet of unhealthy food and then expect their children to like veggies is asking for the impossible. Between eating healthy and eating yummy, kids will always pick what tastes good so start them early and lead by example.
Serve a balanced meal. If your child doesn’t prefer veggies, don’t make them endure their greens plain. Include meats in the vegetable dish or vice-versa to ensure a balanced diet.
Monterey meats not only complement vegetable dishes but more importantly, they supply your growing kids’ body with protein, zinc, iron, and B Vitamins. Meat is an excellent source of high-quality protein for healthy cells, muscles, tissues, and organs. The lean kind provides iron that prevents anemia and low energy (just make sure to add Vitamin C sources like tomatoes, broccoli or orange juice so the body absorbs the iron better). Experts say that zinc, which guards against infection, has to be obtained through daily diet, and sources include beef and pork. B vitamins available in meats assist in forming red blood cells and in maintaining the central nervous system well functioning.
There is a win-win solution to the challenge of getting kids to eat veggies. Serve a variety of vegetables, fruits, seafood, and Monterey meats at just the right portion sizes.
