Healthy Tip Tuesday: Eat More Veggies!

With spring just around the corner, this is a great time of year to think critically about your family's habits.  Winter comes with a lot of easy excuses: it's cold, it's dark, and it seems like someone is always sick!  Starting this week, I'll be bringing you weekly tips to help improve the health of your family.   

We'll start with a healthy eating tip... Eat More Veggies!  If your kids (and maybe you!) don't like veggies, it can be hard to make it a habit to eat them, but there's tons of research that says it will be worth it!  Vegetables are packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.  So instead of saying no, try these ideas... 

1.  Have your kids help you shop.  Any time that your kids can take ownership over something, it will help them gain interest.  This may seem time consuming at first, but if it sparks the kids interest in eating right, it will be worth it!    

2.  Do a taste test.  After you've picked out the new veggies to try, have a taste test party!  Get out the party plates and some different dips and let the kids decide what their favorite is.  If you're really into it, invite the neighbors over and make score cards too!  Their favorites can become new grocery list regulars.  

3.  Steam, grill, roast, or saute!  If the taste test doesn't help you discover new favorites, try cooking them in a new way... and when in doubt, squeeze some lemon on them or sprinkle with your favorite seasoning!  (Lemon on asparagus is REALLY good and it it can make the asparagus turn different colors!) 

4.  Hide them!  That's right, if letting your kids choose what veggies they want doesn't work, just sneak them in!  Add spinach, broccoli, or carrots to your pasta sauce and puree it together.  If your kids like smoothies, a handful of spinach is undetectable.  Mashed cauliflower is a great alternative to mashed potatoes (you won't even need all that cream and butter!).  And you can sneak butternut squash puree into your mac & cheese sauce (many of these tips came from our Wellness Director at the Y, who is also a father of two small children... he recommends Jessica Seinfield's book, which you can find here).   

5.  "No Thank You Helpings."  When I was growing up my parents always made me try everything they cooked and served for dinner.  Even if we said we didn't like it, we'd have to try a "No Thank You Helping," probably about a 1/4 cup serving.  Trying foods in small amounts repeatedly helps children realize that they probably don't really hate it and with more exposure there's a higher chance they will actually like it.   

6.  Grow it!  This is the most labor intensive tip on my list, but if your kids grow their own veggies, they're going to try them!  We've planted tomatoes in our garden at YMCA Camp Oakasha for the last two summers and gardening has become a really exciting activity for the campers to help with, especially the 5-8 year olds.  If you're worried about space to grow or the time and effort involved, plant a few tomato plants or carrots in pots.  You could even start sprouting spinach inside if you don't want to wait.               
What have you done to get your family to eat healthier?  What health issues would you like some advice on?