Harvest Your Children’s Interest in Veggies With These 6 Tips
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Vegetables are central to a healthy, balanced diet. They are the source of so much life for our planet, but it can be tough to get children interested in them. Whether you want to build an interest in growing produce or simply want your kids to eat a little better, encouraging them to explore vegetables is a hearty first step. Use these fun tips to help your family grow a health interest in veggies:
Grow Your Own Garden
Want a fun activity that doubles as a stress-relieving hobby? Plant an edible garden with your kids! If you have a little room in your backyard, you can easily build raised boxes to bring your vegetable garden together. Take your kids to a local nursery and pick out some seeds or plants together. Go for veggies you know you’ll eat but don’t be afraid to plant a few items, like pumpkins and gourds, that will make holidays fun. Get some kid-friendly garden tools and have your children help plant and care for your new garden. Don’t have a big backyard? You can still plant a few veggies in containers to get growing together.
Pick Some Vegetables Together
If you don’t have time to tend to your own garden, you can still find ways to enjoy the process of picking produce with your family. Many areas have a community garden, where you can work for a small portion of time in exchange for fresh food. This gives your family a chance to enjoy a garden without having to take care of it alone. Make it a point to take your kids out often and have some fun while you give back to your neighborhood. Can’t find a community garden? Try taking the kids to a local farm, where you can pick veggies and visit with animals all at once.
Have Them Help at a Farmers Market
Farmers markets are a great way to have a day of family fun and a wonderful way to support your local economy. You can find all sorts of local produce, plants and crafts to choose from. Get your children to help pick some fresh finds for your family. Make a scavenger hunt out of it and have your kids help you find unusual-looking vegetables. Talk to the growers themselves so that your children have a chance to connect with the people who are growing their food. Once you have your purchases in hand, take your family out for a picnic or cook a delicious vegetarian meal together, using the fresh ingredients.
Jazz Up Your Veggie Dishes
Getting kids excited to grow and pick veggies is easy, but getting them to eat it can be a different story. Instead of serving basic vegetables dishes, try finding recipes that will make vegetables more enjoyable for little ones. Serve veggies as part of bigger dishes, such as pizza or macaroni. Cauliflower makes a delicious pizza crust that’s healthy, and most kids will never know the difference. You can also try cutting veggies into fun shapes or serving them with healthy dressings your kids love. Encouraging a love for fresh food now will help your children stay healthier as they grow into adults.
Teach Them the Science Behind Growing Food
Children can be so fascinated by science, so use that to your advantage when it comes to vegetables. Your kids can craft a simple science project using seeds, or you can really spark their interest by using a potato to power light bulbs. Plan an afternoon or two of science-centered fun using produce. Be sure to set up a space for things to get messy and follow safety tips to prevent injuries. Using vegetables to power science fun gets your kids interested in healthy foods while also building their knowledge of science. You’ll also have a lot of fun, so it’s a win-win for everyone.
Pair Their Diet with Multivitamins
There are plenty of fun and educational ways to encourage your children to eat more veggies, but there may still be times when they just aren’t eating enough of them. That’s where multivitamins come in; while vegetables are excellent sources of essential vitamins and minerals, multivitamins are a necessary go-to when your children are lacking in specific nutrients. Multivitamins also promote better digestion, and some products also contain probiotics, which improve your kids’ gut health. While there are different types of multivitamins on the market, your kids may find it easier to take the chewable variety.
Encouraging your kids’ interest in vegetables is a wonderful way to have fun as a family. You can grow your own produce, pick it up from local farmers or find ways to enjoy it at home. Don’t forget to also teach them the importance of multivitamins, which should be taken when they’re not getting enough veggies. Sow the seeds for a healthy life in your children.
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