Confession Time: How to Eat More Veggies!

I think it's confession time. Most times, I give you recipes, or cute stories about my little girl Sadie, or stories about exercise. But this blog is called Confessions of a Former Couch Potato because I will also be honest with you. As long as you promise not to judge me. This is a safe place, right?

 

Here's a little secret about me. Whatever I wear to church on Sunday...I wear it to work on Monday. Pretty much every week. Getting dressed in the morning is such a chore. It's so easy to just throw the same outfit back on. Besides...how dirty are you going to get while sitting in church?

You want another one? Sometimes...after I teach my Tuesday night Zumba class...I just blow dry the sweat out of my hair and skip washing it. (I know, gross, right?) But seriously...it's so hard to go through the blow dry-flat iron process knowing I am just going to teach again in 2 days. (Don't misunderstand... I still shower. But the hair is dirty.) Ironically...the days my hair is the dirtiest are the days I get the most compliments. Go figure.

How about another one? I trick my kid into eating vegetables. There, I said it. And if you are a mom out there with a picky eater (or a girl out there with a picky boyfriend or husband), I am gonna encourage you to do it, too.

Today's post is:

CFCP Top Ten Tricks and Tips for Eating More Fruits and Veggies!

10. Ask the kids or significant other to help out in the kitchen. I think kids (and men and women) take more ownership when they have helped to prepare something. Give choices. But don't ask, "What do you want for dinner?" Because if you do, you are opening the door for answers like "Pizza!" Instead, ask, "Do you think we should have carrots or peas with the burgers tonight?"

9. Once you've got them in the kitchen, ask them to help taste-test. I have gotten my 4-year-old to eat more veggies and fruits this way. "Can you taste-test these cucumbers for me?" As she is taste-testing, she finds (shocker!) that some veggies aren't as bad as she thinks!

8. This tip is one I heard from a friend. It seems that kids are always looking for snacks right at dinner time. I know every night as soon as I start cooking, the little one comes wandering in asking for snacks. Often, I will cut up some veggies on the counter and leave them out. When she comes asking for a snack, I say, "Here! Have one of these!"

7. When in doubt...DIP. I know, in a perfect world, our kids would eat their veggies without needing dip. But if a little ranch helps... go for it. In the long run, I really don't think it will hurt them that much!

6. Blend. I've tried many ways to get my little one to eat spinach. She always turns up her nose. However, I threw some spinach in a blender with some ice, coconut milk, and a frozen banana. Guess what? She loved it. Here is a recipe that I love!

5. Make noodles out of them. Lately, I have been making zoodles like crazy. (Zoodles = zucchini noodles!) What kid doesn't like noodles? They come out of the womb liking them, right? Well, a simple gadget (julienne peeler) makes it possible to have noodles that are secretly a vegetable! Top them with spaghetti sauce, meatballs or make them into Paleo Shrimp Scampi (recipe coming soon)!

Here is my favorite way to make zoodles!

 

4. Get a head of cauliflower and make rice or mashed cauliflower. I have completely fooled my child more than once with the "riced" cauliflower and the mashed cauliflower. It really works. Try it.

Riced Cauliflower (I like this method)

 

Mashed Cauliflower

 

3. When I make chili, if I have carrots on hand, I always grate one or two and sauté them with my onions. With the orange color, they blend right into chili and no one knows they are even there!

(There are carrots in there!)

2. Make them into "fries." I hate to say it, but a packet of French fries is always gonna be more exciting than an apple. However, Sadie loves for me to make her "apple fries." I usually give her a little ramekin with organic peanut butter or almond butter to dip them in and she is happy as can be!

1. Make your own salsa! The jarred varieties at the grocery store are often full of preservatives, but when you make your own, you know it is fresh and free of chemicals! I like to put out celery or cucumbers for dipping (hello, double dose of veggies!) and let her go to town!

Click here for my salsa recipe!

 

If you have a picky child (or significant other!) I hope that one or more of these little strategies works for you! Have tips or tricks of your own? Please share by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post!

 

 

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