Sneaky tips to add healthy fruits and vegetables into kid-friendly meals!
You’ve likely heard it before… Americans just aren’t getting enough fruits and vegetables. Surveys show that most of us get around two to three servings of vegetables a day, falling far short of the five servings that nutrition experts advise. As the foundation of a healthy diet, consider fruits and vegetable your essentials. They are rich in nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, and water. Just a few small changes here and there can help your family to reach the minimum of five servings per day. Plus, how often do you get told to eat more of something? It’s time to load up your plate with these colorful foods.
Here are some health-boosting ways to sneak more vegetables into your family meals.
Boost your breakfast. We all know that eating breakfast is important. Luckily, sneaking fruit into breakfast is incredibly easy – but often overlooked. Stir fresh fruit into cereal or oatmeal to kick start your day. Alternately, you can whip up a smoothie (almond milk, frozen berries, and a banana) to pack for your family when on the go.
Double the veggies. In soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches, and casseroles, most recipes call for a certain amount of vegetables. Instead of sticking to the recipe, double the servings of vegetables so that the dish is full of flavor, nutritional value, and your daily vegetable intake!
Purée vegetables into soup. Potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli – just about any cooked vegetable can be made into an easy, creamy soup. Simply sauté your chosen vegetables then blend together in a food processor.
Swap out meat for plants. Instead of opting for a beef burger, switch to vegetable burgers – you can get bean, quinoa, beet, cauliflower, and more patties available today.
Follow the golden rule. Remember that half of your dinner plate should be filled with vegetables. That leaves a quarter of the plate for a healthy starch and a quarter for a healthy source of protein. According to the experts, this is a perfectly balanced dinner.
Teach your children. To get kids excited about food and cooking, check out our Middle School Clubs! We offer eight-week healthy cooking enrichment class, suitable little chefs of all experience. Our cooking projects include simple dishes that teens can make at home, such as stuffed peppers, paste with fresh tomato basil sauce, and homemade tostadas.
To learn more about our course, summer camps, and programs, visit Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley here today!