Grow your own veg is fine but how do you get children to eat them? (From Smallholder)

Grow your own veg is fine but how do you get children to eat them?

6:30pm Monday 22nd February 2010 in

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Vegetables are often a child’s least favourite food and many of us still remember hating our greens as kids and yet happily tuck into a plateful as adults. A study by the School Food Trust found that while more pupils are tucking into their greens during school lunches, one in four still shun veggies, so are losing out on heart-healthy vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Discovering the tasty world of vegetables at home will help your children cheerfully choose veg at every meal time.

• challenge them to try 5 different vegetables in a week and earn a reward; start with sweeter veg like sweetcorn, peas, carrots, butternut and red pepper • start by adding finely chopped up veg to pasta, sauces, lasagne or casseroles and then work up to larger chunks • make scrumptious meat balls or burgers by adding pureed peppers or spinach to lean mince • encourage them to keep trying different veggies, it may take four to five times to get used to the taste and they may taste nicer when cooked a different way • make a soup even more scrumptious by adding lots of colourful veg and offer chunks of bread to dip in • have some fun catching vegetables in a stir fry with chopsticks • lead by example at mealtimes with a colourful array of vegetables on your own plate Giving your child plenty of opportunities to try different vegetables at home is the best way of supporting their development and nurturing healthy food habits that will last a lifetime and benefit their hearts.

For more information and advice about healthy living, contact Heart Research UK on or email lifestyle@heartresearch.org.uk