So, Moms and Dads, let’s talk veggies.
We all know that kids need to eat their vegetables every day in order to grow into healthy adults. That’s why it is essential to make sure that they learn to eat their veggies at a young age. Being the parent of young kids, you already know that getting your little ones to eat their vegetables is a tough task!
Luckily, you’ve got us on your side! Here are 7 tips to get your kids to develop the habit of eating better, younger.
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Show ‘Em How It’s Done
No matter what the situation, your kids will always watch you and learn what to do. Mealtime is no different. If your toddlers see that mum and dad love to eat their veggies, they would try and do the same thing, to be more like you.
It’s all about being a good role model that they can emulate.
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Tasty Trivia
It’s only natural that kids favour sweets, desserts, and other delicious, but unhealthy food. (Honestly, don’t we all?) It falls upon the parents to make sure that kids eat not just what they want and also what they need.
Get them interested in their veggies by telling them fun facts, like how tomatoes are actually fruits disguised as vegetables, how corn is actually a member of the grass family and how potatoes were the first food to be grown in space!
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Ninja Food for Kids!
For the extra-fussy little ones, veggies need to be like ninjas – expertly hidden or disguised! To do this, you can mince them into paratha stuffing, shred them into wrap filling, or purée them into a delicious sauce. Same old, boring veggies every day are a strict no-no. Once they love your innovative new dishes, you can even prove to them that they do in fact, love their veggies (but only in mum’s special paratha or dad’s secret pasta sauce J).
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Fun’s the Word
Who likes dull and bland snacks? Definitely not your kids! Make sure the veggies in your kids’ snack box are full of flavour and look good.
Use different kinds of veggies like carrots, peas, corn, bell peppers, etc. to make sure that their yummy snacks also look exciting and colourful. Flavour them with the right mix of herbs, spices and dressings, and they will surely polish them off. After all, no one can know what flavours make your little one happy better than you!
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Little Masterchef
Take your kids shopping for veggies and involve them in the cooking process. Have them around in the kitchen when you are cooking, and even ask them to help with little things like handing you the chopped veggies. Tell them about the benefits of each ingredient as you put them in. They would love to know how the iron in spinach makes them strong and how yellow bell peppers keep their skin soft and pinchable!
This not only shows them what they are eating but if they feel like the meal was a collaborative effort, they are also more likely to eat it happily.
Moreover, what better excuse to buy a little chef’s hat for your cutie?!
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Grow, Grow, Grow Your Own
Kids love everything that they create. A sure shot way to make them fall in love with veggies is having them grow their own, with your help of course! A small vegetable patch in your backyard or even a few pots in your terrace or balcony are a good way to start.
Work on your kitchen garden together. Make it a fun Sunday activity. Get messy, silly and funny with them. Plant the seeds together, tend to the growing plants together, and harvest the fruits (or should we say veggies?) of your labours together.
Your child will be more than happy to eat something that they have created out of scratch!
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Yummy, Healthy Snacks for Kids
Introduce healthy snacks into their diet from a young age. Something that not only packs the natural goodness of veggies but also understands what kids like to eat. You can whip up some delicious, easy snacks with veggies at home, or if you’re a busy parent, you can even choose from the wholesome, healthy snacks for kids, available off the shelves, like timios Spinach & Lime Puffs and timios Carrot & Cumin Melts. These Munchies and Melts are specially made for the taste preferences of kids from all-natural ingredients and have no added sugar or salt. All so you can finally have a snack that both you and your kids love just as much!
That’s our bunch of veggie-wizard-parent hacks. We wish you all the luck in trying them out! Write to us at hello@mytimios.com and tell us your stories about how they worked out for you!
Check out this blog – 7 Healthy Evening Snacks for Kids
