3 Ways to Eat More Veggies
Posted by Danielle Bean in Health on Tuesday, September 28, 2010 10:00 AM
Being mom (and wife!) to a number of somewhat less than enthusiastic vegetable-eaters, this recent article in the New York Times caught my eye:
Told to Eat Its Vegetables, America Orders Fries
Despite health warnings, endorsements from the First Lady, and multi-million dollar ad campaigns, vegetables have yet to win favored food status in the hearts of most Americans.
“It is disappointing,” said Dr. Jennifer Foltz, a pediatrician who helped compile the report. She, like other public health officials dedicated to improving the American diet, concedes that perhaps simply telling people to eat more vegetables isn’t working.
“There is nothing you can say that will get people to eat more veggies,” said Harry Balzer, the chief industry analyst for the NPD Group, a market research company.
This week, the company released the 25th edition of its annual report, “Eating Patterns in America.” The news there wasn’t good, either. For example, only 23 percent of meals include a vegetable, Mr. Balzer said. (Again, fries don’t count, but lettuce on a hamburger does.) The number of dinners prepared at home that included a salad was 17 percent; in 1994, it was 22 percent.
Speaking from my own experience as a mom (and a wannabe healthy eater), I offer the following suggestions for anyone who wants to sneak more veggies into her family’s diet:
1. Prepare ahead. I really think the baby carrot companies were onto something when they attempted to sell their product as “junk food.” Even if you intend to eat well, convenience can sometimes trump “healthy” when you’re starved for dinner and stretched for time. A little chopping ahead of time can make salads easy to throw together and a little cutting/cooking ahead can make vegetables a quick snack or side dish for any meal.
2. Dip it. Raw veggies can be a popular treat when offered with a tasty dip of your kids’ choosing. Many of my kids consider raw carrots with ranch dip a special treat. At least some of the time.
3. Limit offerings. If your kids have the option to choose chips or cookies for snacks instead of vegetables, it’s really not a surprise when they go for the junk. It takes discipline (especially in the face of begging!) but if you learn to Just Say No to the junk food on a regular basis, your kids will survive. And adjust their expectations. And eat more veggies when you offer.
How about you? In what kinds of smart or sneaky ways do you get your family (or yourself) to eat their veggies?
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