Hidden Valley Helps Kids Eat Veggies

At Hidden Valley, Jodie Shield, a registered dietitian, helps kids all around the country eat their veggies. Jodie has been a a consultant and a spokesperson for more than two decades. She is a former national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and has worked with the Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago.

She is currently a complemental faculty member of the College of Health Sciences in the Department of Clinical Nutritian at Rush Univesity in Chicago.

As parents, you know how tough that can be, right? Here are twelve tips from Jodie to help you out you with a finicky eater and a veggie avoider.

1. Make Veggies Convenient. Grab and go snacks are the rage with kids. So if you want your child to eat veggies, make them so easy they won’t be able to resist them. Keep your refrigerator stocked with baby carrots, prewashed salad kits, celery slices, and colorful red, green, and yellow bell pepper strips. My family loves when I buy a ready-to-eat veggie tray and serve it with some low-fat ranch dressing/dip. When I’m preparing supper, I leave it out on the counter for everyone to munch on. The little extra cost is worth the convenience and it cuts down on waste from uneaten produce.
2. Making Recipes Kid-Friendly. When developing recipes for kids, include specific textures, flavor profiles and food shapes kids will gravitate towards. When doing this, always consider the child’s age. Based on research (scientific and anecdotal) younger kids tend to like ingredients that are not all mixed together and that are somewhat familiar to them, as opposed to older kids that like “concoctions” and tend to be more willing to try new foods. For example, a five year old might enjoy making a turkey taco recipe, which includes ingredients of their choice, while a 12-year-old would be more willing to make a taco casserole or taco salad.Try Rock N’ Rollups, and see how excited your kids get about vegetables and cooking.
3. Kids as the Cooks. I like to develop age-appropriate recipes that kids can make themselves. This helps vest them in the eating process and they learn so many things about food, nutrition, and cooking. Today’s kids, more than ever, enjoy cooking. Cooking shows are widely watched by tweens and teens and many view cooking as fun (even if their parents don’t!). I always look for ways to make my recipes fun and colorful. Vegetables and dips are great because it is a colorful combination and kids get to play with their food. In fact, a 2006 study showed this to be true as children involved in that study consumed 23 percent more vegetables when paired with a moderate amount of ranch dressing.
4. Bowl ‘em over. Soups are a hit with kids and a great way to get one of their five or more daily veggie servings. Homemade soups are great because you can always toss in extra veggies, but if you’re short on time, canned soups are also healthy and convenient options. Offer kids soups such as minestrone or vegetable beef. Feeling daring? Have them try split pea, lentil, black bean, or cream of broccoli soups. Keep in mind; you can always enhance canned soups by tossing in extra veggies or beans.
5. Beyond the Recipe. If your kids are not fans of vegetables, sometimes they need encouragement that goes beyond a kid-friendly recipe. One great source is the Hidden Valley® Salad Dressing Love Your Veggies™ campaign that offers parents tools to help kids develop a life-long love of vegetables through activities at home, at school and in the community. The campaign includes an interactive Web site,LoveYourVeggies.com, filled with activities, such as starting a garden and cooking with kids, lesson plans and a variety of kid-friendly vegetable recipes.
6. Overcoming a Picky Eater: I Easy Tips. Picky eaters can be difficult. I wish I had a magic wand (or recipe) to solve this dilemma, but here is the first of few tips parents can try: Let them “help” themselves. Kids learn a lot about portions when they get to take their own portions.  Parents often serve too much, which can be overwhelming for tiny tummies.  Pass food around family-style or set up a buffet on the counter.
7. Overcoming a Picky Eater: II Provide added interest. This will help peak even a picky eaters interest in trying foods they normally would take a pass on. For a fun way to get your kids interested in cooking see if they like the “Around the World” activity that teaches them about countries and vegetable dishes, have them dip their veggies in ranch as a creative way to try new foods, or try the Bagel Smile recipe for some added entertainment. The activity and the recipe can be found at LoveYourVeggies.com.
8. Overcoming a Picky Eater: III Keep trying; they will like it – eventually! Kids are instinctively fearful of trying new foods – it’s called food phobia.  Studies have found that it takes anywhere from eight to 10 offerings before some kids will even take a bite. And don’t force them to eat it. Ask them to taste it, and if they don’t like it, they can remove it politely from their mouth with their napkin.
9. Go Incognito. A great way to open kid’s minds to veggies is to prepare a vegetable they have not eaten before in a tasty and familiar way. For example, instead of a baked potato, try baking a sweet potato. My favorite veggie in disguise is mock-mashed potatoes. Simply steam a head of cauliflower for about 15 – 20 minutes (or microwave) until soft. Drain and transfer the cauliflower to a food processor or blender, along with a tablespoon of butter or margarine, and a tablespoon or two of low-fat milk. Puree until smooth. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and I swear, your kids will think they’re eating mashed potatoes!
10. Kid’s Cooking Lesson: I Stir-Fry Veggies. Kids often say they don’t like vegetables because they’re “boring.” So stir things up and try stir-frying veggies. Simply heat a teaspoon or two of oil in a large skillet or wok until sizzling. Then toss in bite-size pieces of snow peas, carrots, broccoli, water chestnuts, and add a dash of soy sauce. Serve them with chop sticks for even more fun. Really, most veggies can be stir-fried — even frozen veggies. The trick is to first partially thaw them in the microwave before stir-frying them.
11. Kid’s Cooking Lesson: II Baked Veggies. What’s the most commonly eaten and popular kids’ vegetable? If you said French fries, you’re correct. However, fries are very high in fat and calories. A much healthier alternative is to bake the fries and use different types of potatoes – white, new, and my son’s favorite, sweet potato. Baked fries are so easy and your kids will love them. Just preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Toss potato wedges (or cut them into strips) with 2 teaspoons of oil and a dash of salt and pepper. Spread the fries out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until browned and tender (about 20 minutes), turning once. Leave the potato skins on for extra fiber.
12. Kid’s Cooking Lesson: III Grilled Veggies. Burgers and chicken aren’t the only foods that taste fabulous cooked on the grill. Veggies are also awesome. Here’s one of my family’s favorites: Grilled Mixed Veggie Bundles. I love this recipe because the foil makes clean up a snap and my kids love it because it tastes terrific! Here’s what to do: break two cobs of corn in half and add them to a large bowl along with a handful of green beans, and a handful of baby carrots. Toss them with some olive oil, garlic powder and fresh oregano or basil. Divide the veggie mixture up into four servings. Place each pile of veggies on a sheet of aluminum foil and wrap securely. Cook the bundles on a heated grill for about 20-30 minutes, turning them occasionally. Feel free to substitute other veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, onion, or cherry tomatoes. For another grilled veggie recipe, such as Pepper Plus Panini, visit www.LoveYourVeggies.com.