The Great Veggie Showdown

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I am sure that many of you have seen “the great veggie showdown” take place at your dinner table. As parents, we want the best for our kids and we all know that vegetables are one of those things.  From the time my children could eat solid foods, I started them off with veggies.  I was told by others that this is the way to do it. Then they will like and eat their vegetables when they get older.  Every single time I did this, and then we moved onto the fruits.  However, once my children moved on to those sweet fruits I still had to get them to want to eat those veggies.

I am sure that a fair amount of you out there are in the same boat as me. It is a daily struggle to find ways to get my family to eat and like their vegetables.  In my 15 years of experience, I have learned that the best thing to do is keep trying. No matter what.  You have to try all the different kinds of vegetables out there and cook them different ways.  Now that summer is it full swing, it is the perfect time to get the kids to try out different vegetables.  You will find vegetables for great prices at this time.  

Here are some tips on how to get the family on board with veggies.

1. Try different cooking methods for vegetables – steamed, roasted, grilled etc.  I really enjoye vegetables when they are roasted in the oven – like roasted broccoli. Roasting helps bring out the natural sweetness in the veggies.  Last summer, I also found my new favorite way to eat zucchini is when you cook it on the grill.  Trying these different cooking methods has helped me find ways that my family will eat some vegetables that they would not eat before.
2. Involve the family in the shopping for vegetables.  Let them come and help pick out the different vegetables for meals.  Take them to a Farmer’s Market. Shop there for your meals where you can talk to the people who farm and sell the vegetables.  Sometimes, what they have to share can help motivate your family to try new vegetables.
3. Have the family prepare the vegetables for meals.  It seems like they are more likely to eat something we involve them in creating.  My mom was the one that would involve me in the kitchen and helped foster my passion for food.  You could even grow a garden and have the family help with the veggies from seed to dinner table.
4. Have the family plan the vegetables for meals.  They can look through cookbooks, magazines and websites for a new way to cook a vegetable they think sounds good. Here is an example of one that I am planning on trying with my family – balsamic roasted asparagus from Country Crock.  Again, it uses that oven roasted method that I like. I think the balsamic vinegar will help add to the flavor.

For more fun ideas on how to serve veggies for your family check out A Very Veggie World from Country Crock and Clare Crespo.  It is full of ways to make veggies fun for the family.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post but my opinions are my own.