by India Luetkemeyer
Nothing shouts May like firing up the grill and spending time with family cooking, eating, and playing outside.
With the array of colorful, nutritious vegetables available to add to your barbecue feasts, it seems easy to make these a family favorite.
However, getting your children to eat them is often easier said than done. Whether an outdoor picnic or quiet family dinner inside, here are some tips to help color your child’s plate with veggies.
Make veggies fun: Give vegetables names. It’s more exciting to eat a “dinosaur tree” than broccoli.
Get kids cooking: Kids are more likely to eat meals they help create. Let them pick out produce at the grocery store or toss the salad.
Disguise the greens: If all else fails, try hiding them in meals. Blend spinach in fruit smoothies, or add zucchini to muffins and soups. Kids will never even know they have eaten a vegetable.
India Luetkemeyer, a dietetic intern and Masters of Dietetics and Nutrition student at KU Medical Center, is a guest columnist for Kansas State Research and Extension, Wyandotte County. For more recipes visit www.kidsacooking.org. Like the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KSREWyco and follow us on Twitter @WyCoSnapEd.
Veggie-bobs
Makes 6 kabobs
Vegetables:
1 zucchini
1 bell pepper
1 onion
1 package (8 oz) mushrooms
Marinade:
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Soak skewers in warm water for 10-30 minutes.
Chop vegetables into 2-inch pieces.
In a small bowl, mix marinade ingredients together.
Combine marinade with the vegetables in a large ziploc bag and let sit for 30 minutes.
Place marinated vegetables onto skewers and place onto a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until tender.
Nutritional information for each serving: 22 calories, <1g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 5g carbohydrates, 1.5g fiber, 3g sugars, 1.5mg sodium, 1.0g protein, 7% Vitamin A, 6% Vitamin C, 1% calcium, 1.5% iron.