How I finally got my kids to start eating leafy greens.
My post, published on MindBodyGreen on July 23rd, 2014
How I finally got my kids to start eating leafy greens.
I love healthy food. Knowing what healthy food is doing for my insides has changed the way I see and taste food. So I can understand when my 3-year-old uses his tongue to remove a vegetable from a spoonful of dinner. Why wouldn’t he? Chocolate is a far more attractive option to little ones who see all foods as equal.
I know I’m not alone. I also know that for many children, eating habits are behavioral. While I may get a carrot or two on the plate the thought that my young children might eat a handful of leafy greens was laughable — until now.
Recently I made a green smoothie for myself, and on a whim decided to freeze some in Popsicle molds. I gave the Popsicles to my boys the next day, and was dumbfounded when they gobbled them up and asked for more. Over the coming days I got braver and started including fish oils, kefir and acai berries to the mix.
While hiding foods I openly love and enjoy may not be the best long-term parenting plan, I’m sure anyone with small children can appreciate my joy at watching my kids eating masses of beet greens, albeit unbeknown to them.
Here’s the general method I used to get my kids eating greens:
A large handful of (organic if possible) fresh greens
Fruit, fresh or frozen
Depending on your blender, a few tablespoons of water
A tablespoon of raw honey if needed
Special ingredients if you dare!
Blend, freeze, serve.
Note: Don’t mix your greens, and rotate them regularly. Baby leaf spinach is a good starter as it’s sweet and doesn’t taste too strong. Darker greens work well too, but start off with less. Arugula is not a good idea.
I find blueberries help to disguise the color of the greens, and strawberries help with the taste.
To make my green smoothies I use a high-powered blender. I really recommend the investment, though, because you’ll never look back. You can make these in a regular blender, but it might not be as smooth — don’t let that put you off.
Secret ingredients
Kefir — Water kefir or milk kefir work well
Fish Oil/ Hemp Seed Oil
Liquid vitamin and mineral supplements
Coconut oil
Ground acai berries and chia seeds
Raw cacao
Maca
Here are a few recipes to get you started!
Green Goblin
Ingredients
1 handful of spinach
1 handful of green grapes
2 kiwis
1 tsp. of raw honey
any secret ingredients
Directions
Blend on full until smooth, add to molds and freeze
Black Spiderman
Ingredients
1 handful of beet greens
1 handful of blueberries
1 handful of strawberries
1/3 cup of coconut water
1 tsp. of raw honey
Directions
Blend on full until smooth, add to molds and freeze
The best thing to do is experiment. Start with smaller amounts of greens and add to it once you have received a positive response. If you come up with some good recipes let me know! Good luck …
See the full post online here: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-14645/how-i-finally-got-my-kids-to-start-eating-leafy-greens.html
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