(photograph © Kiwidutch)
Ok Parents, most of you know the age old problem… getting fussy kids to eat their vegetables.
Well Hubby was at the Haagse Markt the other day and spied something rather special… dehydrated veggies!
Beans, carrots, beetroot, cucumber, along with apple and pear. Each jar was Euro 2,- so he thought, Hey why not let’s give this a go?We’ve tried some, they are clearly vegetables, but they are crunchy and they look good.
He bought some and knowing that when the kids arrived home from school they would have the munchies, he left a a plate full, in the kitchen on the small table next to the fridge.
Sure enough our little snack monsters made a bee-line for the fridge and their attention was grabbed by the vegetable bait (err, I mean… healthy snack).
Pa…paaa.. they called to hubby in the hallway where he was busy sorting out school sports kit, dirty lunch boxes and homework folders.
“ What are these Papa?” “Oh those, just kind of Chippies” he replied.. There is a pause… quite a long one. Eventually… “ Can we have some?” “Hmmm ..Well ok”.. he replies.
He is turned away from them bent over the bags and they can’t see his face but he is grinning his face off. Bingo! Hook, line and sinker, they have taken the bait !
Turns out that the green beans and beetroot are the most popular, but the novelty value means that they eat a huge handful each.
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
We tried the same trick next day but they didn’t bite. Novelty value and kids , well it’s short lived just like their attention spans. But, I now keep a stash of these in the cupboard and every two to three weeks a small handful goes into their lunch-box as their snack.
Usually it gets finished and sometimes only a few uneaten bits are returned. (Our kids are not yet sophisticated or daring enough to think to throw away what they don’t eat, so anything they don’t fancy or can’t finish invariably comes home).
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
We are working hard on increasing their range of fresh vegetables, and getting in good amounts of the stuff that they already like, but this was a small victory, and proof that presentation is all. If our kids think they are eating “chips (crisps)” then heck let’s call these Chips!
Just like the time when I gave them pork… they don’t like pork (supposedly). Little one quips “ Mama, Can I have some more chicken?” Hubby is a little slow on the uptake some days… “ But that’s not…” he beings, I kick hubby under the table and whilst he’s groaning I reply to Mr. Four: “ yes honey you may have some more chicken.. good isn’t it?”
Hey if Mr Four thinks it’s Chicken, let it be chicken. I don’t think I’m lying to him I just think I’m going along with what he thinks it is. On the farm we used to have rabbit… when city kids came to eat our parents told us that if they asked , we were eating “dark chicken”. Now as a parent I completely understand. This game is about mental agility and quick wits. All’s fair in the battle of love, war and feeding fussy kids, no?
This is a very small victory on the vegetable front… the battle is long and hard, so a little victory goes a long way some days. Vive la veggies!
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
