Veggies!

It is always hard to eat enough vegetables everyday as an adult much less getting your kids to do it, I know!  When it comes to getting your kids to eat vegetables, you must think outside of just at dinner.  The more often you offer them throughout the day, the more they will be willing to eat them.  Even if they don't eat them, offer them!  Make them "try" them.   If it becomes a stand off, back down but if it just takes a little push to get your kids to eat their veggies, do it.  Eventually they will like them.  Vegetables provide so many vitamins and minerals that our bodies need.  I believe most people have forgotten this.  Without the proper amount of vegetables, our bodies do not function correctly causing Alzheimer's, heart disease, diabetes, poor skin, tiredness, digestive problems, anxiety, depression, and cancer.  We are designed to consume large amounts of vegetables.  Variety is also so important.  Different vegetables contain different nutrients.  We try to eat as many different kinds of veggies as we can find.  Trying new things can be fun!  We love to all talk about what they did and did not like on their plate.  I like to ask to insure they know their opinions matter.  

 My husband and I usually have vegetables with every meal including breakfast but I haven't been offering them to the boys for breakfast until recently.  I know it will take getting used to but they will learn to accept it as a breakfast item.  The trick is to start small, offer vegetables you know they will eat, and make them taste good!  Yesterday I made them shredded squash and eggs.  All 3 boys ate it all and I was a happy mom sending them off to school with 1/2 cup vegetables in their bellies!

 

Shredded Squash and Eggs

1/2 tablespoon of ghee or grass fed butter

As much shredded yellow squash that you think your child will eat (approx 1/2 a squash)

1-2 eggs

1. Melt butter in a sauté pan then add the squash.

2.  Sauté for about 4 minutes and add a pinch of salt.

3.  Top squash with fried or scrambled eggs.

4.  Serve with berries or fruit of choice

***Omelets are great as well because the kids can make their own decision on what they want in their omelet.  Gives them some power!  

Egg muffins are another great one especially for those fast mornings because they can be prepared and frozen.

Egg Muffins

12 eggs

3/4 pound sausage, ham, prosciutto, chopped small

Your choice of mushrooms, spinach, broccoli chopped very small,  as much as you think your kids would be willing to eat!

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon of pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Beat eggs  in a medium bowl and add meat, vegetables, salt and pepper.

Pour in to greased or lined muffin tins.

Bake for 18-20 minutes.

This morning we had spinach and prosciutto with eggs.  Bryce asked if we could have it again!!

 

Another way to get enough vegetables is through juicing.  It can be hard to consume all the vegetables we need so juicing is a great way to get them in easy way.  I have to admit, I have a juicer but we rarely use it.  Too hard to clean!  But I will pick up a cold press juice at Whole Foods, Sprouts, or I go to Juice Bar.  I get a green juice and the kids get a smoothie.  Sometimes I will tell them their smoothie must contain at least one vegetable.  

We also drink Greens everyday.  We like https://paleopro.com/paleo-protein-powder/ greens.  I put it in their water bottle for school.

Get your kids involved!  I hear this all the time from nutritionist and it is so true!  Let them dice and cut the veggies up.  Wyatt has become a true master at dicing things really small.  We have also bought a couple of tomato plants, strawberries, and herbs and I am in the process of having a vegetable garden made!! What a great way to teach our kids about healthy eating.  I strongly believe kids need to be taught about nutrition, cooking, and exercise.  

Thanks for listening and hope I have inspired someone out there to up their intake of veggies for themselves as well as their kids!