Trying to get my kids to eat their vegetables can be a challenge. Lately I've been trying a new tack and it seems to be working out very well. This is no magic formula and it certainly isn't rocket science. What it does do is get lots of good food inside my kids without any begging or cajoling (that would be me) or complaining or grumbling (that would be them).
Right around 5:00pm my children begin to wail and carry on about how hungry they are. We don't sit down to dinner until after 6:00 so I give them a snack. A snack right before dinner seems like a bad idea, but I put out bowls of carrot sticks, slices of apple and grapes and any other veggies or fruit that I have on hand. This works out in so many ways. They are legitimately hungry not just bored so they are glad to have something to munch on. I'm happy to let them fill-up before dinner on fruits and vegetables since it may be the only time all day that I can get them to eat healthy without having to put up with any complaining. The bonus for me is that these little snacks satisfy them while I'm busy making dinner so I don't have to be constantly talking them down from their hunger induced hysteria.
To make it easy on myself, I do the simplest preparation I can get away with. Thus carrot sticks (or even easier - pre-washed baby carrots) sometimes with hummous or peanut butter. Cucumber slices with salt. Apple slices, grapes. Anything that my kids will eat that is in my fridge.
When we do sit down to dinner at 6:30 I'll still have vegetable on the menu - usually broccoli - and they'll still eat some as required by mom and dad. At that point, I don't really have to worry too much since they have already consumed the total number of USDA recommended daily servings of fruit and vegetables.
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