If your kids are anything like mine, foods that are green, oddly shaped, and don’t smell “normal” are a no-go. It’s a constant battle that has led to frustration for the whole household and sometimes handing out Lunchables. What’s a parent to do? Sneak in the veggies like you sneak out that Snickers hiding in the closet without getting caught!
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Here are a few of my favorite meals and snacks to add in those necessary nutrients that your kids will actually love.
Smoothies
Smoothies are our go-to mid day or post dinner snack! I like to pack in tons of fruit and throw in some spinach, carrot or even avocado. The best thing about this snack is that there are so many other flavors and natural sweetener included that you can’t even taste the vegetables.
Our top smoothies are below:
Green Apple Smoothie
½ frozen banana
1 green apple cored
2 big handfuls of baby spinach or kale
A pinch of ground cinnamon
Milk
Ice
*Optional spoonful of yogurt for an added probiotic boost
Orange Smoothie
1 grated or chopped carrot
1 clementine
Frozen mango chunks
Milk
*Optional spoonful of yogurt
Cool Shapes
Isn’t food more fun to eat when it’s in cool shapes? Use a crinkle cut knife or cookie cutters to make shapes into sliced cucumber, carrots, and sweet bell peppers. Also, the more colorful the better!
Veggies in Disguise
My kids two favorite foods that they will not pass up- French fries and spaghetti.
Swap the ordinary fries for less often used veggies. Sweet potatoes! Sweet potato fries have become a staple in my house. Yes, they are a tad bit more rich in color, but I’m sure you can come up with a creative reason for that.
Use a noodle maker to make zucchini noodles disguised as spaghetti sauteed in garlic and parmesan. You can even use the noodle maker for cool shaped carrots and cucumbers.
Morning Favorites
Muffins in the morning are a great time to fuel the kids for the day. Blueberries and bananas are great, but sneak those carrots or zucchini in the bake. So good and who’s going to turn down a muffin?
Casseroles
Casseroles are a simple way to hide any veggies. There are often tons of ingredients that goes into casseroles so it may be tricky to track down every ingredient to tell what exactly it is. Peas, sweet peppers, chopped mushrooms, and riced cauliflower are great choices. Remember, chop small!
