We have all heard parents tell their children to ‘eat your veggies’, and in most cases more than once.
I am a mom of two, a 3 year old girl and a 4 year old boy. Both are wonderful children, but my son in particular is a very picky eater. I am also a personal trainer, yogi and nutritionist, so I felt that a picky eater in the family would be a challenge that had to be dealt with under the radar.
When there is a will there is a way…
Until recently, he would not eat anything remotely green in color despite my daily persistence. There was a time that I was even struggling to feed him pasta, which doesn’t even make sense because kids and pasta go hand-in-hand.
At this point I was disappointed and all I could think of was all the precious nutrition my son’s growing little body would be missing, all the fiber, vitamins and minerals he could be lacking. Then I remembered the best advice about food that I got from my mom.
Eat the rainbow!
So I came up with a plan! A way to make him eat his veggies without him realizing, at least until he would appreciate their real flavor!
Kids may need to taste something up to 7 times before they can start appreciating it, because it takes time for the pallet to appreciate certain foods and to develop taste buds.
Here are some facts about the importance of each type of vegetable based on each color of the rainbow!
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Reds like Tomatoes, Watermelons and peppers contain Lycopene which is a powerful antioxidant to fight off free radicals and support heart health.
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Orange fruits and Veggies like pumpkins, sweet potato and mangoes contain Beta carotene which support out immune system and prevent inflammation.
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Yellows, such as lemons, peaches and oranges are high in Vit C. This is crucial to absorb daily as our body cannot store this precious vitamin, which helps to protect, repair, to grow and develop our bodies and to fortify our skin.
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Greens such as kale, sprouts, broccoli contain Lutein and indoles which keeps bones and teeth strong and detoxifies our body.
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Blues and purples contain anthocyanins and resveratrol which are also antioxidant and anti-ageing and protects the nervous system.
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Finally, whites in onions and garlic contain a powerful antimicrobial to fight off all sorts of germs!
Have I gotten you excited about eating your daily veggies? There is something else!
The most common reason that all fruits and veggies are important to our well being is that they keep us and our little ones regular when it comes to going to the toilet. A fun topic for discussion among most pre-schoolers!
Thus, by explaining why veggies and fruits are important for their bodies, Kids become more willing to try.
One more thing to remember when preparing food is that kids (like many adults) eat with their eyes, so use colors and shapes, smileys and making veggies fun as much as possible. Some of my inspiration include
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Purple fried potatoes
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Coloured sprinkles on a green smoothie
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A smiley face out of ketchup next to a broccoli omelet. I choose the ketchup from Connie’s Kitchen, available on Farmy.ch and some health stores. It is made from fruits and veggies and doesn’t contain all the added sugars.
Finally, we all agree that eating is supposed to be a peaceful time of the day and related drama is best to be avoided. I know how stressful and frustrating it can be as a parent when children refuse to eat, but just remember that even a spoon of veggies or a sip from a green smoothie is a victory in the right direction!
Like most things in life, consistency helps to arrive to the desired results.
If you have been successful with winning over a picky eater tell us how you did it! We can publish it in this newsletter and help more families.
Below are four easy ways I have found to add veggies into easy recipes.
1. Sweet sauce
This one is a crowd pleaser! Kids love it just as much as grown ups! Plus it's packed with goodness. I put it on omelettes, on pasta of course, on rice or quinoaor so yummy on cauliflower pizza. It is just delicious!
INGREDIENTS
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250g cherry tomatoes
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2 red oignons
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1 small piece of garlic (optional)
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1 leek
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2 carrots
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1 cup of pumpkin pieces
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Himalayan salt
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1 tea spoon of maple sirup
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fresh basil leaves
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1 bit of ground rosemary and pepper according to taste
Steps :
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Caramelise the onions, garlic and carrots with maple sirup for 5 on medium heat
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Add leak and pumpkin and cook for 5 mins
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Add tomatoes and let them cook for another 5 to 10 mins
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Set on low heat for another 5 mins and season
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Remove from heat and blend all until you obtain a smooth sauce!
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Add some fresh basil leaves and serve immediately on pasta or store in the fridge for use as a sauce or dip!
2. GREEN SMOOTHIE
This is a great snack or can also work as a breakfast drink along with some healthy pancakes or waffles. You will not feel the spinach trust me, however if your little one gets put off by the color a good trick is to serve the smoothie in a cool sippy cup with a lid and a straw! They will taste the sweetness of the mango before seeing the shrek color! Another way is to buy some sprinkles and add a few on top just for the fun (I get all natural color sprinkles to stay away from artificial colors full of nasties)!
INGREDIENTS.
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2 big handful of spinach
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1 fresh frozen mango
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One glass of coconut water or water
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1 orange juice
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1 piece of honeydew melon (optional)
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Some sprinkles for serving (optional)
Steps :
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Mix everything in the blender! Blend well for a smooth texture
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Serve and drink immediately :)
3. CAULIFLOWER PIZZA
I love pizza (my italian genes don’t lie) and this one is a very different version from the traditional pizza but I love it just as equally!
It is rich and delicious and yet so healthy. I usually add either the sweet sauce on top with some feta or fresh mozzarella or to make a green pizza version, you can top some cream spinach, add a few cherry tomatoes and sprinkle some of your favorite cheese! Voilà!
Ingredients for the crust:
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1 whole cauliflower
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2 eggs
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60g of parmesan or good quality cheese
Steps:
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Mix the cauliflower in a Vitamix or high speed blender until it looks like crumbs or « rice».
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Cook the cauliflower in a pan with a bit of coconut oil (or olive oil) for 7-8 mins mixing all the time so it doesn’t burn or become brown and remove from fire and let it cool for a few mins.
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Then add the eggs and cheese and mix until it makes a doughy
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Make the dough into a pizza shape crust (thin or thick crust according to your taste but you may have to adjust the cooking time).
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Place in oven for 10 minutes at 160 degree C
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Then add whatever you like on the pizza : tomato sauce, good quality cheese and tones of veggies and set in oven again for 10-15 mins
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It’s ready! Serve and eat immediately
4. MAGIC CHOCO-CHINI CAKE
Okay so this one is awesome to get you and your kids to eat more veggies and fiber! What’s the magic ingredient you will ask? … Zucchini
Ingredients :
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200g dark organic chocolate
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25g of chocolate powder
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4 Table spoons of coconut oil (or butter/Ghee)
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200g almond flour
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100g of coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
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1 grated zucchini
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3 eggs
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Himalayan salt
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Vanilla powder or few drops of vanilla extract
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60g bitter sweet choco chips (optional)
Steps :
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Melt the chocolate
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Add the coconut oil to the melted chocolate
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Grate the zucchini finely (After I grate I give it another chop because my boy has an eagle eye when it comes to finding tiny green stuff hidden in cakes!!!)
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In a bowl add all the dry ingredients and then in the middle add the melted chocolate and coconut oil.
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Add the eggs and mix but don’t over mix.
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Add the zucchini and briefly mix
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Add the choco chips and briefly mix
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Set the oven to 160C and bake for 25-30 mins (depends on the oven)
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Amazing while still warm! So awesome with a glass of freshly made Almond Milk or totally decadent with some coconut vanilla ice cream!
About the author
Nastassia Syz, Founder of Fit Rebel
Natassia Syz, is the Founder of Fit Rebel. She is a French, Italian, Swiss fitness trainer, yogi and nutritionist on a mission for healthy living. Read more about her journeys here.
After her education and experience in nutrition and fitness from her travels over the world, plus two children, she has compiled rich experience on how to regain strength after physical trauma and pregnancy. Most importantly, she is passionate about leading a balanced life and helping others make educated decisions about nutrition and fitness.
See some of Nastassia’s high intensity trainings @the_fit_rebel
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