The Dietary Guidelines for Americans show that kids need 2-1/2 cups of vegetables each day. Make vegetable-eating fun and creative by being a little sneaky, and watch him enjoy his vegetables. Blend carrots into macaroni and cheese, enjoy different dippers and toppers and even bake a sweet snack to help him get more vegetables in his diet. While you might prefer to prepare these recipes without your child's knowledge, making them together will encourage your child to try new foods.
Macaroni, Cheese and Carrots
Step 1
Gather your ingredients: carrots, water, macaroni and cheese mix and milk. Get your equipment ready: blender, clean kitchen towel and large pot for macaroni. Measure your ingredients and set them aside. When you prepare this meal, you will need everything ready, because once the macaroni and carrots cook, you need to work quickly.
Step 2
Cook the macaroni according to the package's instructions. Cut the carrots and drop them into the boiling macaroni water. The water will turn orange, but that is not a problem. Boil for seven minutes, or until the macaroni is cooked and carrots are soft. Retrieve the carrots and drain the macaroni, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid. Return the macaroni to the saucepan. Place carrots in the blender.
Step 3
Add half of the water to the blender. Fold the towel into several layers but leave it large enough to cover the blender. Place the towel on top of blender, hold in place with your hand and puree carrots. This way, the blender's lid cannot burst off when blending, because the heat of the carrots can create pressure when swirling around. Add a little water to the mixture and continue blending until the carrots are completely smooth. Transfer carrot puree to macaroni.
Step 4
Stir together the carrots, macaroni and milk. Add the packet of cheese and mix thoroughly. The mixture should be smooth and bright orange. Serve, and your child will enjoy 1/4 cup of carrots with her macaroni and cheese.
Nutty Celery
Step 1
Gather your ingredients: celery and peanut butter. Slice celery stalks into 2-inch lengths. Split lengthwise to make skinny celery sticks. Divide peanut butter among the celery sticks.
Step 2
Exchange the peanut butter for other healthy spreads, like hummus, ranch dip, or even plain Greek-style yogurt mixed with Italian seasoning. You can make the dips more fun by stirring in chopped carrots, cucumbers or tomatoes.
Step 3
Exchange the celery for other vegetables your child enjoys. Make carrot and bell pepper sticks, trim green beans and asparagus stalks or stuff mushrooms with the spreads. You can also lightly blanch the vegetables by dipping them in boiling water for a few seconds. This helps to soften the vegetables just slightly.
Sweet, but Healthy, Muffins
Step 1
Gather your ingredients and supplies, and read the baking instructions to the muffins carefully. Once you get started, you should work efficiently to get the muffins into the oven quickly. You will need a boxed muffin mix, cupcake liners, water or milk, egg, applesauce and zucchini. Check the package for other required ingredients. You will not need the oil or butter called for in the recipe, because the applesauce replaces it.
Preheat the oven according to directions on muffin mix box. Place cupcake liners in muffin tin cups. Grate zucchini over a large plate, making 1/2 to 1 cup of the grated vegetable. Set aside.
Step 2
Prepare muffin batter according to the directions, but omit the oil or butter and substitute applesauce. For example, if the muffin recipe calls for 1/4 cup oil, add in 1/4 cup applesauce. Fold in zucchini and fruit, if the muffin mix came with it. Be careful not to overmix. Spoon muffin batter into each cup, filling according to the package's instructions. Bake according to instructions. Applesauce might increase baking time by a few minutes, so check for doneness before removing from the oven.
Step 3
Transfer the muffins to a cooling rack. Allow them to completely cool before eating, so that the paper removes easily and to prevent burns. These muffins will be more moist than oil-containing muffins, and they will also be lower in fat. Your child will enjoy apples and zucchini in these reduced-fat muffins.
Tips and Warnings
- The Kids Health website recommends setting a good example by eating fruits and vegetables with your kids. It also suggests being imaginative with incorporating vegetables into foods kids already enjoy.
- Read the cooking instructions and recipes thoroughly before starting. Be careful with children around a hot stove or oven.
Things You'll Need
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into quarters
- Blender
- Clean kitchen towel
- 1 box macaroni and cheese
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat milk
- 2 stalks celery, trimmed of white base
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
- 1 box fruit muffin mix
- Water or milk, based on muffin mix recipe
- Egg, if required by muffin mix recipe
- 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1 medium zucchini
- Cupcake wrappers
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