Vegetables, eh? I can remember the struggle that my parents had getting my siblings and I to eat vegetables. Everyone had different tastes, and one of us {ahem, my brother} was fussier than the rest of us. It’s a challenge getting kids to eat veggies, well come kids, and I’ve tried lots of things and wanted to share them with you today with thanks to the Woolworths Fresh Food Kids program, which aims to help get kids excited about fruits and vegetables {you’ve probably noticed the baskets at the front of the store where kids can enjoy a piece of fruit complimentary while you shop}. Here are some ways that I find getting kids to eat veggies.
GIVE THEM MAGICAL POWERS Some people might say this is fibbing, but I call it being a creative genius, because it works. I’ve done it with both my kids, as well as the kids I Nannied, and it’s the most successful method so far. I tell my kids that if they eat a certain vegetable, it will give them a magical power. For instance, broccoli makes you jump SUPER high. They eat it, they jump and I react in utter amazement. “You can jump SO high!”
GET THEM INVOLVED IN THE SHOPPING I’m that mum that quizzes her kids in the produce section at Woolworths. I want my kids to know what each fruit and vegetable is, and I try and find the weirdest one that they’ve never seen before {this week artichoke!}, and see if they know what it is. It’s good to get the kids involved with the shopping. Let them grab the vegetables you need, even let them weigh them for fun. AND GET THEM INVOLVED IN THE COOKING Most kids love cooking, and it’s nice together time in the kitchen to cook as a family. We have this safe kiddie knife for the girls, so they can help me chop things up {usually softer vegetables are best}. We also use these Japanese vegetable shape cutters, so we can make things a little more fun. They’re great for lunchboxes
EMBRACE THE VEGETABLES THEY DO LIKE My kids don’t like vegetables in salad form. I won’t get them to eat lettuce, no matter how hard I try, and despite drinking tomato sauce like it’s soup, they won’t eat a tomato. I give up on those, but they love avocado {I know technically a fruit, but such a good food}. I put it on toast for them, or give them avocado sushi often. Otherwise Lacey loves pumpkin and carrots, so I make those often for her.
TRY DIFFERENT COOKING METHODS Steam ’em. Roast ’em. Air fry ’em. Eat ’em raw. Lacey doesn’t love steamed pumpkin, but roasted pumpkin is one of her favourite foods. I just mix up how I cook them, and keep trying.
TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF I know there were years that I hated vegetables. I’d discreetly drop them on the floor so they were inedible. Or hide them in my pockets. But now I love all vegetables. I know there will come a time that my kids happily eat vegetables. So there are days when I just don’t bother them with it. I just want them to eat and not feel pressured. I’ll put fruit on their plate instead of vegetables, because it makes life easier.
HIDE THEM If all else fails, I hide the vegetables in their food, and I don’t whisper a word. I hide them in things like meatballs, sausage rolls, pastas and even in sweets {chocolate zucchini cake, yum!}. This super easy hidden veggie mac and cheese is a super easy, delicious way to sneak vegetables into their food. You can use whatever vegetables you want to sneak in. Zucchini works well, but will show up in the sauce a little… so if you have super fussy kids, I’d be mindful that they might notice it. Best of all, the whole family will love this recipe… so you can make it, and be content that the whole family is eating vegetables in a yummy comfort meal.
Hidden Veggie Mac & Cheese Recipe
Serves 6Ingredients350g shell pasta 1/3 cup milk 1 cup grated tasty cheese 125g cream cheese 2 carrots, cut into 2cm pieces 1 cup chopped cauliflower 1 cup pumpkin, diced 1 teaspoon saltMethod1. Cook the pasta, as per the packet instructions. 2. While the pasta is cooking, place the vegetables in a steamer over a boiling pot of water, and steam for around 7 minutes until tender. Place the cooked vegetables, and half a cup of water into a blender, and blend until super smooth. 3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, place the pureed vegetables, milk, cheese and cream cheese and simmer until smooth. 4. In a large bowl, pour the sauce over the cooked and drained pasta. Mix to combine. Serve.
Tell me your tricks! How do you get your kids to eat vegetables? Or do you have kids that already love their vegetables?
What is veggie mac and cheese made of? This simple dish is made with cooked pasta, and a cheesy sauce blended with steamed veggies, sharp cheddar cheese, milk, butter, a bit of flour, and spices.
For a mac and cheese recipe, consider the combination of sharper cheddar cheeses and a flavorful Parmesan. This cheese adds a boost of fruity, nutty notes to your favorite macaroni recipes.
Vegan mac and cheese is essentially the same thing as regular mac and cheese, so… pasta with a cheese sauce, duh. BUT it isn't made with cheese. That being said, it still tastes like macaroni and cheese AKA the ultimate comfort food.
Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.
Can you put too much cheese in mac and cheese? Yes, adding more cheese than a recipe calls for will not improve the dish. Too much cheese will result in a dish that is heavy and greasy.
Try adding a little more salt first, because that might fix it. If the problem was the cheese you use doesn't have much flavor, then try adding some other flavors, such has mustard or hot sauce. The next time you make it, try to find some more strongly flavor cheese, or adding more cheese.
Sauce too thick? Stir in a splash of milk and mix until the sauce has loosened up. (This is also a great trick for reheating mac and cheese - if you're microwaving leftovers and the sauce seems to have dried up, stir a splash of milk or half-and-half into the pasta to bring the sauce back to life!)
A brassica like broccoli or cauliflower goes great with it. Of course, you can also mix in whatever you want. For instance, I like to make a broccoli chicken & cheddar casserole that's basically baked mac & cheese with broccoli and chicken added. Rotisserie chicken from Costco works great for this sort of thing.
Vegetables that can be easily shredded, such as zucchini, beets, carrots or parsnips, can be added to whole-grain muffins, pancakes, soups, stir-fries, pasta sauce and casseroles. These sneaky vegetables boost flavor, texture and nutrition, often without anyone knowing they're there.
To improve the tang and overall cheesiness of your boxed mac, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt to the cooked and drained pasta while it's still warm. Toss to combine, then stir in the cheese powder until it's uniformly blended.
It's baked, and it's a side dish, but it's the side dish of honor, present at every important occasion. Just rip the top off a blue box? It would be like ripping through your grandmother's heart. In white culture, for the most part, macaroni & cheese is certainly considered tasty – cheesy, comforting and filling.
Introduction: My name is Barbera Armstrong, I am a lovely, delightful, cooperative, funny, enchanting, vivacious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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Method1. Cook the pasta, as per the packet instructions. 2. While the pasta is cooking, place the vegetables in a steamer over a boiling pot of water, and steam for around 7 minutes until tender. Place the cooked vegetables, and half a cup of water into a blender, and blend until super smooth. 3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, place the pureed vegetables, milk, cheese and cream cheese and simmer until smooth. 4. In a large bowl, pour the sauce over the cooked and drained pasta. Mix to combine. Serve.
