How I easily get my kids to eat more greens. Easily.
This post will obviously be followed by one titled, “How I {Easily} Get My Kids to Eat More Corndogs” since that is also a huge problem most mothers run into. Not to worry. I am here to help.
Man, what is up with kids and veggies? Maybe I’m in the minority, but even with our family putting great choices on the table for almost nine years now, I still see my kids going heavy on the other stuff and skimping on veggies and salads if at all possible. It’s not like they don’t like veggies and greens. I just think for some reason that the main dish is more appealing.
And then there was the night I actually bought corndogs. I know. Sick. But Malachi had earned the privilege of choosing any meal he wanted as a part of our summer reading challenge. He wanted corndogs – the boxed kind. He had read for hours, so I honored his choice and bought some. Beef corndogs, but still. I didn’t read the label because it helps the “food” not be as harmful if you avoid reading the label. Don’t you dare quote me on that because that was sarcastic and we’re really here to talk about eating lots of greens.
I guess the reason I brought up the corndogs was to share that we made the boys eat some peas and raspberries before the freaky corn covered meat on a stick came out of the oven. All of our kids love both peas and raspberries. They ate their obligatory servings – because they had to – then ate their weight in corndogs. I’m glad they enjoyed themselves because that won’t be happening again for quite some time.
Now that you are thoroughly disgusted or perhaps strangely comforted by the fact that I compromised and bought boxed corndogs, let’s get back to talking about the greens. Again, our boys actually like salads, which is why I struggle to understand the following:
When they are making a sandwich for the road, they put like three little pieces of spinach between the thick slices of bread and four pieces of meat and cheese. When they add a salad to their plate at dinnertime, they prefer their pile of greens to be the size of their pinkie toe. Sometimes they spread out the greens just a bit to make the pile look bigger, but I’m onto them. I know a tiny salad when I see one.
How I easily get my kids to eat more greens
Proof that my boys like their greens:
That is a serving bowl, not a cereal bowl. It is chuck full. The contents of said serving bowl were consumed entirely by one person. Our family ate this amount x5 last Friday. I rest my case.
See, when I make a salad as a main dish, adding meats and cheeses, my kids will eat giant bowls full and sometimes go back for more. We go through entire packages of mixed greens in one meal in this way.
The moral of this story is this: I shall be serving salads as meals as often as possible. Bring on the mixed greens and spinach tossed together with taco meat or bacon. This is how everyone wins. We are filled with nourishment, and it is more delicious than a corndog.
Our favorite Main Dish Salads
What are your favorite main dish salads? How does your family do when it comes to eating greens? Last and certainly least, when is the last time you bought a box of corndogs?
