Veggies: Lie if you have to
Categories: Safety, Eating & Nutrition
A new study from Penn State University indicates that sneaking vegetables into kids' meals is a valid part of your overall healthy eating plan. As part of their study, researchers came up with two pasta dishes to test on children. A low calorie dish with broccoli and cauliflower blended into the sauce and another with no vegetables and more calories.Kids didn't spot the vitamin-packed ringer, liking both equally well. "The kids could not really tell the difference and ate a consistent weight of pasta," according to lead author Kathleen E. Leahy. Leahy did point out, however, that this should only be a part of your meal strategy -- children should be encouraged to eat whole vegetables in order to develop a taste for them. "You not only want to increase their vegetable intake but also want to ensure that your kids will acquire a taste for vegetables," she said.
Luckily, this isn't an issue in our house -- Jared and Sara like veggies as much as anything else (except maybe ice cream). Still, this might come in handy if their tastes ever change.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Clarissa 5-05-2007 @ 11:19AM
I'm a firm believer that if you start them when they are babies on jarred veggies and continue on from there you should have no problem getting your kids to eat them. As long as you don't force them to eat something they don't like and give a positive YUMM with every bite.
My daughter's first jarred veggie was sweet potato...she still loves them to this day.. There really isn't a veggie she won't eat, she will even eat spinnich and loves it!
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Miss 5-05-2007 @ 12:08PM
Sweet potato is a vegetable? Technically, maybe. Sweet 'taters are nutritious in their own way, but it can't accurately be compared to asparagus or alfalfa or cucumbers, or spinach or peppers or carrots.
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Sandyone 5-05-2007 @ 12:59PM
Aaaahh, Clarissa...spoken like a true Mom Of One Who Got Lucky With Her Kid's Eating Habits. It would be great if all it took was early introduction and healthy attitudes for everyone. For some, it's enough. For the rest of the kids, it ain't so easy.
I think this is a great idea, but I'm conflicted...if I don't lie to my kids about Santa, should I lie to them about veggies?
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Messed Up Mama 5-05-2007 @ 12:57PM
I agree with Clarissa that if you start them off with veggies they will more likely than not continue to eat them as they grow up.
Of course you have to set a good example and eat them yourself.
But if for some reason your child won't eat veggies, continue to offer them, and sneak them into their food. It's more important that they remain healthy than that they choose to eat vegetables on their own.
Miss, did you read all of Clarissa's comment? Yes her daughter started with sweet potatoes, but she eats all vegetables. Oh and by the way, sweet potatoes are recommended as one of the vegetables to start a child on. My kids love broccoli and cauliflower because I ate them while nursing, and offered them to them when they were old enough to eat solids. If the kids eat vegetables what does it matter which ones they start with?
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Stephanie 5-05-2007 @ 12:59PM
I tend to agree. We started ours on jarred green beans, and they eat those to this day as though they are candy.
That said, I do sometimes hide veggies - just to make sure my husband gets some. If he thinks he can get away with it he'll skip them. Fortunately if I remind him the kids are watching he will set the proper example.
And Clarissa, my kids love spinach too.
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Ethel 5-05-2007 @ 1:05PM
I personally think it really depends on the luck of the draw with their taste buds (as in super tasters vs. regular and low tasters) and what you are modeling.
You can also sneak in more fruit and vegetables into muffins (carrots, zucchini, pumpkins, apples, bananas, etc...) and pancakes, waffles, and whatever baked goods. Spaghetti sauce is very forgiving in taking things like broccoli and egg plant, lasagna can take broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and eggplant, pizza can take a lot too. The key with most of it is the size of the particles and texture. The smaller and the less chewy the better.
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Heather 5-07-2007 @ 4:29PM
Stews/ roasts are great, because the nutrients of the veggies gets into the gravey/ sauce part. So even if they don't eat al the veggies they are still getting some nutrients.
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