We all know that getting kids to eat their veggies can be really challenging. And like most things with parenting it takes consistency and persistence. I myself have one very picky little eater which has lead to our family having a little mantra we say A LOT in a sing-song voice: “Try it, you’ll like it!”
Obviously I am not alone in this dinnertime dilemma, so Birds Eye has partnered with Melissa d’Arabian, celebrity chef, mom of four, and host of FoodNetwork.com’s web series The Picky Eaters Project, to make a difference and help moms to get their children eating more veggies, one bite at a time.
This is so important because according to The State of the Plate report, today, 9 out of 10 people in the United States do not get the proper amount of vegetables. This is adults too, not just kids.
Birds Eye frozen vegetables help moms get nutritious, tasty veggies on the plate with less work by providing more than 40 unique vegetable blends year round, at affordable prices. They have an awesome campaign called: Step Up To The Plate, which is Birds Eye’s long-term commitment to reshaping kids’ veggie perceptions and getting children to like veggies for life. They want to show families how to fill half the plate with veggies in fun and simple ways moms and kids will both like.
Here’s how Melissa d’Arabian gets more veggies into her kids:
So I have to ask…How do you get your kids to eat vegetables?
Here are my top 5 ways, and a great recipe that is chock full of veggies, but so yummy your kids won’t complain…as long as they try it!
Make it Fun
There are lots of ways to make veggie eating fun for kids. Food art is great. Another really effective method at our house is the “Build Your Own” option. I serve something like Hawaiian haystacks, with lots of options, and the kids get to load it up with whatever they want. This is great for potato bars, stir fry plates, omelets, etc.
Let them Help
Truthfully, I kind of hate having the kids in my kitchen. They make bigger messes, and everything takes longer. BUT when kids help to prepare a meal, they become more invested in that meal. Whether it is getting the bag of veggies out of the freezer and sautéing them, or choosing which veggies you are going to use while at the grocery store, get them involved in the process.
Constant Exposure
Research shows when a kid initially turns down a food, they need to be exposed to it 8-10 more times before they will be open to accepting it. They have to become more familiar with it before they will rate it better. If you want your kids to eat more veggies, keep putting them on the plate! Every single day. Every single meal.
Keep it Positive
Keep things positive, positive food experiences decrease picky eating. One of the biggest mistakes parents make is setting their child up for rejection. Saying, “You have to try at least one bite, I think you will like it” tells them that they probably won’t like it. You never know. They may love it, so don’t put it in their heads that there is a chance they won’t.
Give Incentive
Keep it in terms that they relate to. Don’t say, “It’s Healthy” say, “Eating veggies can help you grow taller so you will be big enough to ride the rollercoaster next summer.”
Now let’s get to the recipe: No Fail Stir Fry
No Fail Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked rice prepared according to package directions
- 1 cup protein shrimp, chicken, beef, whatever protein you like best
- 12 ounce bag Birds Eye Steamfresh Asian Medley
- 1 Tbs minced garlic
- 1 Tbs olive oil
Sauce
- 2 Tbs soy sauce
- 2 Tbs oyster sauce or hoisin
- 1 Tbs sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Mix your sauce together and cook rice
- Heat your wok and add oil
- Add protein (unless using shrimp) and garlic
- Stir fry 2-3 minutes to brown meat
- Add in vegetables and sauce
- Stir fry 3-5 more minutes until vegetables are heated through, and chicken is cooked
- Serve hot over rice
Nutrition
Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients, different brands, and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information, always calculate your own based on the specific products you use in order to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.
Want to use this recipe in a meal plan?Try PrePear, my FREE Meal Planning App that allows you to save your recipes, plan meals, shop for groceries, and cook simply in one place. Join Here!Doesn’t this look delicious? It is. My kids gobbled it up!
But if your kid still won’t give it a try, you can always try hiding the veggies in foods they already like, such as Mac & Cheese or Pizza!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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