Eat your greens! It’s that age-old dilemma: how to get your kids to eat those green vegetable-looking thingys? Mealtimes often end with a sad, conspicuously arranged pile at the edge of the plate, and a stubborn shake of the head when you urge them to just try them, go on…for me? Luckily there are literally tons of delicious recipes packed full of greens that your kids will love. I headed over to the folks at BBC to gather some of the quickest and easiest dishes to get your kids eating the good stuff.
Cauliflower Cheese and Spinach Pasta Bake
Kids love pasta. Kids love cheese. Throw in some cauliflower and spinach and they’ll never tell the difference. Or better yet, they will tell the difference and love it even more so. This pasta bake is incredibly simple yet packed full of goodness, a substitute for macaroni cheese with ten times the nutrients for your young ones. A tried, tested and firm favourite in my household:
Stuffed Tomatoes
Another deliciously easy dish that your kids will love – and love to help you make! Simply stuff tomatoes full of mozzarella, basil, peppers…and whatever other veggies you fancy (you can also add couscous or rice to make them more substantial), pop them in the oven and you’re done! Finally, serve them on toasted bread and you and your child can admire (and enjoy) your handiwork!
Veggie Lasagna
This is an absolute staple – a meat-free lasagna, easy to knock up and (provided you chop them up small enough) packed full of veggies to make sure your child is getting the goodness they need. Let your child help with the layering of the sauce, cheese and lasagna slices to make it more fun – my 9 year old loves to help me out with this.
Pea Hummus
An ingenious way to get your child eating peas, this is simple to make and really useful for packing into lunch boxes as a healthy alternative to Dairylea dunkers. Whizz up peas, tahini, garlic and cannellini beans in a processor for a protein-rich dip to be enjoyed with breadsticks, pitta bread or crudités – your kids will love it!
