Do you know any children who actually enjoy eating vegetables? I
am acquainted with a few. I have a niece who appears to love them –
she eats almost any green leafy vegetable with a smile on her
face.
One of my son’s best friends consumes baby carrots like they’re
candy. And a brother-sister team from across the street routinely
polish off their dinner salads before even looking at the
cheeseburgers on their plates.
Perhaps they are just being polite.
Perhaps my own children, when dining at other people’s homes, also
impress the resident adults by eating all the vegetables in sight.
I will have to check on that.
In the meantime, vegetable consumption is sadly still a bit of
an issue at our house. I have to be creative, persistent and
sometimes downright sneaky to get a reasonable amount of veggies
into the boys’ daily diet.
Are vegetables really that important to your family’s
health?
We've all heard about the benefits of eating vegetables: they
are a rich source of vitamins, minerals and fiber in our diets and
may help prevent illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and
several types of cancer. 1
When poor dietary habits – and stress – lower the body’s pH levels, bones release calcium and magnesium, and muscles are broken down to produce ammonia. This restores alkalinity, but the long term effect is thinner bones and less muscle mass. 2
With Body Ecology, the “ Principle of 80/20 ” recommends filling our plates 80% with land vegetables, cultured vegetables and ocean veggies at every meal. Now we know why.
Let’s move on to the “how.” Here are 4 Easy Ways to get your kids excited about vegetables:
1. Plant a Vegetable Garden
It’s not too late to cultivate your own little patch of zucchini or field of cauliflower. Clear some space in the back yard, or create a container garden on your porch.
A family (or community) vegetable garden is a wonderful way to get kids excited about their veggies. I know that my own children are always more eager to eat something they have harvested themselves... hopefully, yours will be too.
2. Visit Your Local Farmers’ Market
Still waiting for that first zucchini to grow? Don’t despair. Make a family outing to your local farmers’ market.
Here is what you will find: A great variety of fresh, organic produce, coupled with a chance to meet and talk with the people who grow the food that shows up on your dinner table. How cool is that?
Make a game out of choosing a new vegetable to try at home each week, or let each child select their favorites.
CONTINUE READING ON INTENT.COM
By Meg Brown on Intent.com
Meg Brown is a former corporate executive and single mother of two gorgeous sons. She writes about conscious parenting, mid-life mommies, adoption and her own journey to wholeness at her website, www.ConsciousFamilyJournal.com.
(Originally published under Conscious Parenting with Meg Brown for BodyEcology.com)
Also Read by Meg Brown:
- 20 Rainy Day Activities for Conscious Families
- 8 Great Ways to Keep Your Family Organized
- Have you used these 5 Powerful Phrases with your child today?
- Does Homework Really Help?
