Easy Way to (Kids) 5 a Day?

msb5262

I think soup is a great way to get kids to eat vegetables - I often serve it as a first course to my kids, with buttered toast for dipping. Also getting the children to help with cooking preparation tends to work wonders - who doesn't want to eat something they've made? Raw vegetable sticks/florets/chunks (delete as applicable) look beautiful too; take some time to admire the amazing inside of a red pepper, and provide a nice dip like hummus...you may find that helps. Like a poster above, I'm a great believer in chopping vegetables very small and adding to shepherd's pie, bolognese etc - they'll never see the join!

phunkles

Cauliflower in mash is lovely
Could you make you own salsa with tomatos and onions to go on the side of a dinner? ie burger night or hotdogs or something?
Stirfry??
How about a starter salad before a meal? not every meal obviously but could pretend your in a restaurant and having a starter etc
Include them in making some meals - even if its just basic prep of getting stuff out and then arranging? ie Kebabs with peppers and onions

And i really like raw carrot grated but not sliced - I know im weird but can eat the stuff raw and grated but can not eat a carrot stick even now - think its the texture

Mamae

Cauliflower cheese is good and cheap!
Banana and custard is a popular desert here.

Also I make 'banana crunch', basically I crush a digestive, mix it with a little melted butter (pinged in the microwave), squash into the bottom of a bowl and let that cool in the fridge (if you have time), top with chopped banana then yoghurt or a single kids fromage frais then add some hundreds and thousands or a cherry on top. If I don't have any biscuits I make it without and call it banana surprise instead. Works well with strawberries and raspberries as well.

Have you tried baked apples, they are yum!:D

FreebieRocker

I cant remember where I ehard this but if you freeze grapes and give them to your children as sweets, they make a nice alternative to real sweets!
You could possibly do this with other fruits, not sure though.

Have you tried smoothies? If you were to make them with the kids there, they'd possibly be more likely to want to drink them as they helped make them?

tessie_bear

my kids are fussy but they both love smoothie...i put fruit and oats in them

freebiequennie

Adding cauliflower to mash i do this as healthier alternative on top of cottage pie and sometimes just with meat I do 2/3 potatoes and 1/3 cauliflower.

also root veg mash using swede, pots, carrots, parsnips, sweet potato.

grating carrot with cheese for sandwiches.

kim85

Alot like the idea of carrot cake, but u can't tell there is cougette in it - know its quite sugary but makes atn interestin alternative dessert!
chocolate courgette cake?


Ingredients
120g butter
125ml sunflower oil
100g caster sugar
200g soft brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
130ml milk
350g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp cocoa
450g courgettes, peeled and grated finely
1 tsp vanilla
Instructions

1. Line a 20 x 35cm baking tray with baking paper and set the oven to 190ºC/350ºF.

2. Mix the butter, oil and both sugars together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, one at a time and then the milk until mixed thoroughly.

3. Sift the dry ingredients together and fold into the mixture. Stir in grated and peeled courgettes, vanilla and spoon into tin. Bake for 35 -45 minutes.

Penny-Pincher!!

Hi

Sometimes we make up a batch of veggie soup with left overs and have a small bowl (we worked it to 1.5 veg per portion)as a snack or before a main meal.

You can freeze this too.

PP
xx

tattoed_bum

how about some flapjacks with dried apricots ,raisins ,dried banana .
i usually have a small tub in the fridge with some chopped carrots ,cucumber,cherry tomatoes my son just nibbles on them all day i tell him they are mine and not to touch them lol he thinks it's funny to pinch them

lil_me

Carrot and swede mash is yumm!!!

I struggle with one child especially with veg, however by the time he's had fresh juice and a banana with breakfast, raisins as a snack, cucumber/tomatoes/diced swede/sweetcorn he'll have (only veg he will have) with lunch and dinner, then another piece of fruit or even canned in juice or in a jelly or with yoghurt he's had 5 a day and I stop worrying.

If all else fails [strike]bribe[/strike] motivate them. Sticker charts for 5 a day or other rewards, we did one where they got 5p for every fruit/veg portion but had to stop as they went OTT and their tummies suffered. That said there is always fruit on offer, or chopped fresh veg, any moan of hungry between meals/planned snacks is met with 'which fruit would you like'.