Our house is about to VegOut! for
the third year in a row, and I’m so excited to get my kids back in the kitchen
trying new vegetables and new recipes.
As a mom who splits time between home and the office, it’s easy for me
to fall out of the habit of involving my kids in all the cooking prep and
execution that happens between “what would you like to eat?” and “dinner is
ready.” Doing VegOut! as a family gets everyone involved in the shopping,
cooking and eating process. Involved kids are excited kids and excited kids try
new foods!
Taking
on 30 days of 30 vegetables with young children does have its challenges, but
it also has huge benefits. One of the biggest ways to combat picky eating later
in life is to introduce your children to as many different foods as possible
between the ages of 4 months and 2 years. My son was eight months old for his
first VegOut! and will be two and a half this time around. I am really excited
about tracking our vegetables on the new free app this year. The instant
gratification that it provides is going to be a huge hit with my almost five
year old, and I’m looking forward to easy access to all of the great recipes
and prep ideas.
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| Roasted red pepper sauce with helpers. |
Parents have a tendency to get a
little stressed when it comes to the food their kids eat. Is it healthy enough?
Are they eating enough? Are they eating too much? I’ve learned a few things
along the way that helped make this a fun and stress free event for our family.
GIVE YOUR KIDS SOME POWER
When kids have power they have ownership in the situation and they are more likely to enjoy being part of it all. Let them pick out a new vegetable at the farmer’s market or grocery store. Pull out a cookbook or go online and discuss the different ways you can prepare the veggies, and then let them decide which way they want to try. Find some age appropriate tasks for them to take on in the prep/cooking process.
WHENEVER POSSIBLE, EAT TOGETHER
I did a 30 day program that required me to sit down at a table for every meal. As a consequence I ate a lot more meals with my kids. It was a huge eye opener. When I was having something different from them, they always wanted to try a bite. This led to my 2 year old requesting hot sauce and kale for his scrambled eggs, and my 4 year old eating grapefruit and spinach salad. Eating together also creates a familial environment where you are less likely to face a power struggle over food.
PICK YOUR FOOD RULES AND STICK TO THEM
Growing up it was usually “you have to finish your plate” or “you have to eat all of your vegetables.” I knew the rules ahead of time and that my mom was sticking to her guns. To eliminate a lot of back and forth, start smart and try to create meals for your kids that are balanced and healthy. Here is the number one rule in our kitchen: You have to try everything on your plate. If you take a bite and decide you don’t want to eat it today, that is totally fine, but you HAVE TO TRY IT. If you have a really picky eater and need a baby step, then start with licking and lead into biting and chewing. Celebrate the small steps and you’ll get there eventually.
LIMIT SNACKING IN BETWEEN MEALS
A hungry child is much more likely to try something new or different. A hungry toddler also does a lot less fork banging and feeding the dog from the table (is that just my kids?) and a lot more shoveling food into his sweet little mouth.
When kids have power they have ownership in the situation and they are more likely to enjoy being part of it all. Let them pick out a new vegetable at the farmer’s market or grocery store. Pull out a cookbook or go online and discuss the different ways you can prepare the veggies, and then let them decide which way they want to try. Find some age appropriate tasks for them to take on in the prep/cooking process.
WHENEVER POSSIBLE, EAT TOGETHER
I did a 30 day program that required me to sit down at a table for every meal. As a consequence I ate a lot more meals with my kids. It was a huge eye opener. When I was having something different from them, they always wanted to try a bite. This led to my 2 year old requesting hot sauce and kale for his scrambled eggs, and my 4 year old eating grapefruit and spinach salad. Eating together also creates a familial environment where you are less likely to face a power struggle over food.
PICK YOUR FOOD RULES AND STICK TO THEM
Growing up it was usually “you have to finish your plate” or “you have to eat all of your vegetables.” I knew the rules ahead of time and that my mom was sticking to her guns. To eliminate a lot of back and forth, start smart and try to create meals for your kids that are balanced and healthy. Here is the number one rule in our kitchen: You have to try everything on your plate. If you take a bite and decide you don’t want to eat it today, that is totally fine, but you HAVE TO TRY IT. If you have a really picky eater and need a baby step, then start with licking and lead into biting and chewing. Celebrate the small steps and you’ll get there eventually.
LIMIT SNACKING IN BETWEEN MEALS
A hungry child is much more likely to try something new or different. A hungry toddler also does a lot less fork banging and feeding the dog from the table (is that just my kids?) and a lot more shoveling food into his sweet little mouth.
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| Not a fan of the roasted red pepper juice. |
MOST IMPORTANT: HAVE FUN
Fun is contagious. The number one thing your kids want is to have fun with you. Make a plan that fits your family, get your kids involved and HAVE FUN together. Let them start to chop vegetables, let them crack an egg and spill half of it on the floor, make the kitchen a fun and safe zone to learn and try new things. Realize that the green beans your three year old devoured yesterday might be her worst enemy tomorrow, and that’s ok. Young kids are more than a little unpredictable. Don’t let one bad reaction cause you to put a food in the “dislike” category. Kids change their minds from one second to the next. Enjoy and embrace the momentary chaos. And last of all -- age appropriate kitchen clean up. Four year olds love to sweep and two year olds are really good at throwing trash away.
So get out there and get ready to VegOut with your kids or your students or your friends. Make sure and join the party online using hashtag #VegOut2016. Track your veggies and find recipes on the VegOut app. Get in the kitchen and have some fun!
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