It can be a tricky job to get youngsters to consume nutritious food, especially when it comes to vegetables. Is there a way that you can make eating vegetables an enjoyable experience for kids? The answer to that is yes! With a few simple tips and tricks, you could transform your kitchen into a veggie-packed wonderland with one sneaky bite at a time.
This Children’s Day, for some tried and tested tricks, Slurrp interviewed Eshanka Wahi, a Dubai & Delhi-based Culinary Nutritionist and Holistic Wellness Coach and Founder of Eat Clean with Eshanka. Read the complete article for expert recommendations that might just change your children’s perspective about vegetables and greens.
Best Recipes To Make Healthy Food Fun
Veggie Packed Smoothies
This is an easy and foolproof starter pack for sneaking veggies into your food. To make these smoothies, you can start by adding fruits of your choice, like mangoes, strawberries and bananas, which will make sure your kids do not taste the vegetables. These fruits will also ensure that your smoothie is sweet enough for their taste.
You can add leafy greens like kale, but if you want it mellow, then you can alter that with carrots and zucchini. Ensure you add enough fruits so they can overpower the taste of vegetables. Add a splash of Greek yoghurt honey and chia seeds to add more flavour to it. To get your kid more invested in this, try setting up a smoothie station where they can pick their own choice of fruits and toppings while you sneak in the veggies later.
Veggie Pastas
You will seldom come across someone who does not love pasta. Pasta is the perfect dish to make if you wish to sneak veggies into the base, i.e. the sauce, without anyone knowing. You can smoothly sneak veggies like roasted cauliflower, bell peppers, zucchini, and carrots into the sauce to make a rich, creamy, and luscious sauce. Simple roast or steam the vegetables of your choice and blend them into a fine paste.
Add the sauce to the pan with your cooked pasta or spaghetti. Top with herbs of your choice, like chill flakes, oregano, and parsley, to kick it. Try adding kale or spinach along with butternut squash, a great Vitamin A source to make a thick sauce for your pasta base. The colour of the sauce will draw your kids to eat the pasta without them knowing what is in it.
Crunchy Veggie Snacks
You can easily turn your vegetables into crunchy, exciting treats that your kids will devour. Vegetable chips are an amazing option and so easy to make. Cut your preferred vegetables into thin slices, massage them with olive oil and spices and bake or air fry them to get crispy vegetable chips. Serve them with a side of dip, and watch them enjoy it. There is a large range of options for the dips. For example, you can make guacamole out of avocado and puree cauliflower or spinach into a smooth paste with spices to make a healthy dip as well.
In the evening, you can have vegetables with whole wheat tortilla chips and whole grain crackers with a side dip for them to enjoy. If your kids are asking for a sweet treat and you want it to be healthy, simply grate carrots, zucchini or any vegetable of your choice and add it to the muffin or cake batter, and they will never know!
Vegetable Waffles And Pancakes
If there is one thing kids will never say so no to, it is waffles and pancakes. You can still make the same delicious pancakes by just adding some grated vegetables into them. Grate some zucchini, carrots or potatoes, and add a little bit of nutmeg and cinnamon to the batter for added flavour. These pancakes and waffles can be made healthier if you substitute all-purpose flour with oat or whole wheat flour. To make the batter creamier and higher in protein, add a dollop of Greek yoghurt. For sweetness, add in honey and fruits of your choice. Another advantage of this quick and easy recipe is that you can freeze them and make them for a quick and easy breakfast.
Veggie Packed Soup
Soups are one of the easiest ways to sneak in veggies and not compromise with taste. To make a creamy soup, steam or roast your choice of vegetables with garlic and blend them smoothly.
To increase the nutrient density of the soup, you can also add mild-tasting greens like kale or spinach because they pair very well with soups. For extra flavour, add herbs and spices like parsley, oregano, chilli flakes and thyme. If your kids get bored of eating plain soups, you can make it fun by adding vermicelli pasta or noodles to make it more exciting. Add a fun topping for your kids, like cheese and crispy croutons.