I was raised on lots of fresh vegetables straight from the garden. Zucchini, carrots, green peppers, spinach, broccoli--we had it all. And we loved them! Whenever my mother would place a home grown veggie on the table, she would comment on how delicious it was. As a child I was convinced sliced zucchini with a sprinkle of cheese was the greatest treat at dinner we could ever hope for.
Then I got married.
My husband's idea of a variety of vegetables is potatoes prepared several different ways. And don't even think about giving him cauliflower, egg plant, or Swiss chard.
Whenever I would try to introduce a new vegetable to my kids, Wes would say, "Okay, if I have to eat this, so do you." He would then gag down a bite, and the kids, convinced I was the wicked witch dishing up poison, would turn up their noses. Occasionally they would take a bite and usually gag, but often I would just find the item wrapped in a napkin or hidden under their plate. (Yes, Ryan, I am talking about you.:-) And so I gave up and limited their vegetables to only those on the Wesley Approved List. (Wes has expanded his tastes to include corn, peas, green beans, and carrots. )
As some of the kids got older and moved out of the house, they discovered many wonderful vegetables on their own, but my husband and youngest daughter are still unconvinced.
And so yesterday I proposed a veggie challenge to our veggie challenged family. Between now and March 31 I am going to serve 15 new vegetables. These can come in soups, stews, sandwiches, salads or just plain, but one way or another, they are going to eat them , and hopefully like them.
However, if anyone has any suggestions for your favorite vegetable or favorite recipes, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at joy4yourjrney@gmail.com
Thanks!!
Then I got married.
My husband's idea of a variety of vegetables is potatoes prepared several different ways. And don't even think about giving him cauliflower, egg plant, or Swiss chard.
Whenever I would try to introduce a new vegetable to my kids, Wes would say, "Okay, if I have to eat this, so do you." He would then gag down a bite, and the kids, convinced I was the wicked witch dishing up poison, would turn up their noses. Occasionally they would take a bite and usually gag, but often I would just find the item wrapped in a napkin or hidden under their plate. (Yes, Ryan, I am talking about you.:-) And so I gave up and limited their vegetables to only those on the Wesley Approved List. (Wes has expanded his tastes to include corn, peas, green beans, and carrots. )
As some of the kids got older and moved out of the house, they discovered many wonderful vegetables on their own, but my husband and youngest daughter are still unconvinced.
And so yesterday I proposed a veggie challenge to our veggie challenged family. Between now and March 31 I am going to serve 15 new vegetables. These can come in soups, stews, sandwiches, salads or just plain, but one way or another, they are going to eat them , and hopefully like them.
However, if anyone has any suggestions for your favorite vegetable or favorite recipes, I would love to hear from you. You can email me at joy4yourjrney@gmail.com
Thanks!!
15 comments:
my kids are loving jicama!! raw - just peeled. it really is good!
my 10 yr old could live on raw red bell peppers.
have you tried bountiful baskets? you'll definitely get some fun things to try!
How funny! My in-laws, (always cook delicious meals) but often times the only vegetables are mashed potatoes and sometimes corn- and sometimes for a salad a frog eye salad or jello salad would do the trick :) It was quite a shock to me because growing up, we always ate tons of salad and vegetables and I LOVE eating them.
So, my go-to method to feed my little girls veggies is to make stir fry. Carrots, broccoli, green beans, red pepper and zucchini sauteed with grated ginger, garlic, and soy sauce (or teriyaki sauce) over brown rice with teriyaki grilled salmon. It is seriously SO good and my girls actually love it.
Good luck with your goal! You are amazing!
What is with this great influence "our men" have on our children's vegetable eating habits?? My children have somehow all been brainwashed to think bananas (not a vegetable I know), broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts are all poison. That is despite the fact they actually see me consuming it and oohhing and aahhhing about how wonderful it is. They didn't see their Dad writhing on the floor in pain or anything, nor even consuming it and proclaiming it yucky! Just whining about how awful they are, and who 'eats' those things anyway?
I don't understand it . . .
Men . . . don't know what's good for them :)
Kristin
Are you sure our husbands aren't long lost brothers? My husband hates vegetables and will only eat corn, green beans and broccoli. I have to hide mushrooms, peppers and even onions. I've learned to chop very small.
Good luck! I'll be anxious to hear if they find some new favorites.
And NO... I'm not ready at all!
oh gosh, don't let your kids do what Rock does every day of his life or they really will hate veggies forever. He throws EVERYTHING in the Vitamix, we go though a hundred dollars worth of veggies every week. Then he drinks it! Everyday. The grandkids think he is making a treat until they taste it while trying to be polite but gagging. Erin drank some before school one morning years ago but soon threw it up on the bus and the bus driver said he had never seen green throw-up before.(I guess that is why he is still running- he'll probly live to be 150 years old)
I too, was raised on fresh veggies...but I have alien children who sometimes snub their noses at them...so I am sneaky. I HIDE veggies in whatever I'm cooking...fresh zucchini, fresh yellow squash, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, can all be tossed into spaghetti, soups, and chinese stirfry! Corn is great in alot of stuff too. You'll have to let us know how it goes!
Ya know.....we actually like vegetables. Especially raw carrots with dip. I've never had brussell sprouts though. Hmmmm....I just can't bring myself to do it.
I suggest serving a salad and adding spinach leavs to it . YUM!
GOOD LUCK WITH THIS!!!!! OH.....I have a recipe for meatloaf with grated carrotts in it. They'd never know!!!!! HAHAHA
Sandra
Almost any vegetable roasted is wonderful. I love roasted butternut squash especially. i have recently added mushrooms to my veggie reperatoire, although they have to be finely chopped in another dish.
Blender. Anything tastes good if you add fruit. Just a thought.
Oh and squash is great with tons of butter and cinnamon.
This is too funny. I started reading your blog a while ago when I clicked on a link from Christina's blog and I love it. And now here tonight I find a comment from one of my favorite people (and neighbor), Sandra at Small House. The blogging world is a small one.
My kids (well, some of them) are weird, they will eat most veggies. They actually fight over brussel sprouts and they love broccoli. I would try a broccoli/cauliflower and cheese soup.
So this ends in April, right?
jk :)
Haha... Being one of those kids that has since discovered the wonderful world of veggies, Chelle and Dad are missing out! We still can't get Carly to eat anything else if we have asparagus with dinner. I think Dave's just resigned himself to eating veggies. I'll keep an eye out for good recipes!
I've taken to adding pureed veggies whenever I can-cauliflower in twice baked potatoes and potato soup, zucchini and pumpkin in soups and spaghetti sauce. Pumpkin is also good in mac and cheese. Spinach works, too, in soups and casseroles if it's in small amounts because the dark green REALLY changes the color of things.
We always have green eggs and ham for April Fool's Day. The green food coloring makes me feel sick if we have too much. Last year I just added pureed spinach to the scrambled eggs. It was delicious and the kids loved it and didn't even complain too loudly when they found out what it was!
I also have recipes for cabbage patch bread (carrots, celery, and onion in wheat bread) and butternut squash rolls which everyone seems to like. I also posted a recipe last month for the sausage-pumpkin pasta. Good luck!
HAHA That is awesome. I wish I was home for this experience. Just to see their faces. :)
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