“I’m not hungry”, “But I hate broccoli”, “My stomach hurts”.While some parents may boast having a child who diligently eats all their spinach without saying a peep, the reality is that most of us have had to deal with a picky eater at some point. It’s probably not a big deal when a child complains about their vegetables once in a while, but when it becomes an everyday occurrence, it's time to get sneaky! Here are some clever ideas to make sure your children get all those important vitamins and minerals without you having to lose your sanity.
Sneak it in with fruit and vegetable purées
Puréed fruits and vegetables are an ideal way to boost vital nutrient content in many common dishes. Carrots, bell peppers, spinach, cauliflower, beets, broccoli and all sorts of squash lend themselves exceptionally well for this purpose. Simply steam or cook the vegetables until soft, blitz quickly in the blender or food processor and add to a variety of kid-approved meals. Sweet potato or pumpkin purées can be added to pancake batters for a sweet touch and a boost of beta-carotene, puréed cauliflower will go undetected in mashed potatoes and just about every vegetable purée will work well with tomato-based sauces used in favourites such as spaghetti, pizza and lasagne. Puréed beets or carrots can even be added to desserts such as chocolate cake. If you're really pressed for time, consider replacing homemade purées with jars of vegetable baby food.Add purées little by little to your dishes, tasting as you go. The point is to have the extra fruit and veg go undetected. You don't want to sacrifice the flavour or texture of the finished dish.
Seek the help of your grater
A child who refuses to touch carrots might not think twice about reaching for a nutritious wholegrain muffin made with the detested vegetable- as long as it’s grated. Just like carrots, grated courgette can also be added to baked goods such as muffins, quick breads and cookies. Children will gobble up anything smothered in cheese so try adding grated veggies to their grilled cheese sandwiches or quesadillas. And while not every child is a fan of meat, few children will turn up their noses at foods made with ground beef, pork or chicken. Meatloaf, chilli, hamburgers and meatballs are therefore ideal vehicles for just about any grated vegetable.
More Sneaky Ideas
• Serve sweet potato fries with your ‘sneaky’ burger. Scrub the sweet potatoes, cut into wedges and toss with some mild olive oil and sea salt. Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes in a 200°C oven.
• Why not get double sneaky? Scatter small pieces of broccoli on a pizza made with ‘sneaky’ tomato sauce. Children are more likely to accept food when it's cut into tiny pieces. Remember not to make a big deal though if they start to pick the microscopic pieces of broccoli off of their pizza. You know what's in the sauce! Try the same trick with macaroni and cheese. Add some puréed squash to the cheese sauce but also stir in a handful of peas. If the peas remain untouched at the bottom of the bowl, keep your cool!
• Fruity ideas include making fruit skewers with strawberry halves, sliced banana and diced apple. Children love food with an element of fun. Offer your child nutritious fruit smoothies. Simply mix fresh, frozen or even canned fruit with fruit juice of your choice and a frozen banana for added thickness. Drizzle pancakes and French toast with fruit syrups made by quickly bringing any variety of forest fruits to the boil with maple syrup.
• Dips also have a high 'fun factor' for children. Guacamole is definitely worth a try, but also consider mixing cream cheese with sweet puréed fruits and vegetables. Grilled peppers from a jar would be an excellent choice for this purpose.
Don't Make An Issue of It
The most important thing is to keep mealtimes pleasant. Pushing children to eat something they hate will achieve nothing but frustration. It helps to know that children need to be exposed to a new food various times before they can learn to appreciate it. Serve ‘sneaky’ meals but continue to offer fruits and vegetables in their normal state. You’ll have peace of mind, they’ll get all the essential nutrients they need and meals will become an occasion to look forward to.
Paola Westbeek - After graduating from Leiden University in 2007, Paola Westbeek decided to follow her heart and begin an exciting career in the world of ...
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