Joanna Marie O. Santos
July 12, 2023

It's a brilliant idea to include vegetables in recipes to entice kids to eat healthy food. Parents may provide their children with necessary nutrients while also improving the attractiveness and enjoyment of the food by introducing veggies into their meals, such as by pureeing them in sauces or adding them to baked products.

 

Should We Hide Veggies In Our Dishes?

 

According to Verywell Family, it can be exhausting to have a youngster that pickets at every meal, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, over meals they don't like. The nighttime food conflict may occasionally be avoided by concealing their veggies in other foods to reduce your own stress levels.

 

Mothers may be less concerned about whether their child is getting all the nutrients they need each day if veggies are covertly bundled with other foods since most kids especially nowadays hate veggies.

 

A Secretly Nutritious Bite

 

It might be helpful to cover vegetables with food to entice kids to eat the critical nutrients they might otherwise refuse. Parents may make sure their kids get the nutritional advantages of veggies while also fostering a favorable association with a variety of vegetables by hiding them in savory and comforting dishes. In this article, we will be discussing different foolproof recipes for vegetables. 

 

Foolproof Recipies With Secret Veggies

 

Vegetables should be included in meals in simple and effective ways, thus it's critical to have foolproof recipes for them. Here are some foolproof recipes for vegetables.

 

Sneaky Veggie Mac And Cheese 

 

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Ingredients:

 

• Elbow macaroni

• Cauliflower florets

• Carrots, chopped

• Milk

• Cheddar cheese, shredded

• Mustard powder

• Salt and pepper

 

Procedure:

1. Follow the directions on the package to prepare the elbow macaroni. Drain, then set apart.

2. The carrots and cauliflower florets should be steamed till soft.

3. Blend the steamed cauliflower, carrots, milk, cheddar cheese that has been chopped, mustard powder, salt, and pepper until smooth in a blender or food processor.

4. After adding the cooked macaroni, mix the cheese sauce well.

5. Mac and cheese should be served hot.       

 

Spinach Smoothie 

 

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Ingredients:

 

• 1 large green apple

• 1/2 cup of water

• 1/4 cup raw cashews (or 1 banana and 1 12 cups frozen mango or pineapple, but omit the maple syrup)

• 4 cups of baby spinach leaves or chopped spinach, gently packed

• Ten ice cubes

• 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup

• 1 1/2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
  

 

Procedure:

 

Remove the apple's skin before chopping it into pieces. Blend everything in a blender until it's smooth, pausing occasionally to scrape down the sides. Try adding the frozen fruit in two batches and blending in between if you're using the fruit option.

 

Ultimate Veggie Pizza

 

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Ingredients:

 

• Pizza Sauce 

• Baby Spinach

• Mozzarella

• Belle Pepper 

• Red Onion 

• Tomatoes 

• Olives 

• Almonds 

 

Procedure:

 

1. With a rack in the upper third of the oven, preheat it to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the upper rack if you're using baking stone or baking steel. through step 5, prepare the dough.

2. Pizza sauce should be equally distributed over the two pizzas, allowing approximately an inch of space around the borders. Sprinkle the cheese (use all three cups if you want a cheesy pizza like this one) on top of the sauce after evenly distributing the spinach.

3. Add the artichoke, bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, olives, and almonds (if using) to the pizzas as toppings.

4. Pizzas should be baked separately on the top rack for 10 to 12 minutes, or somewhat less if you're using a baking stone or steel—keep an eye on it—until the cheese is brown and bubbling.

5. Pizzas should be transferred to a cutting board before being topped with fresh basil, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan if desired. Serve the slices! Pizza leftovers store nicely in the fridge for 4 days and in the freezer for many months.

 

Veggie Meatballs 

 

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Ingredients:

 

• Carrots, parsley, and onions

• GroundBeef 

• Bread crumbs

• Egg

• Milk 

• Grated Parmesan

• Salt 

 

Procedure:

 

1. Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven. Vegetables should be added to the food processor.

2. Pulverize the vegetables.

3. Blend together the remaining components to create a homogeneous consistency before adding them.

4. Place meatballs on the baking sheet after portioning into 2-tablespoon-sized balls. Bake!

5. When finished cooking, you may either leave the pasta plain or drain it on a dish lined with paper towels and simmer in marinara sauce.

 

Broccoli Bites 

 

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Ingredients:

• florets removed the broccoli head

• either normal breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs are available.

• any other hard cheese, such as cheddar

• egg

• Onion, spring

• to taste, black pepper

• using oil to coat the baking sheet

 

Procedure :

1. The Broccoli head should be broken up into florets, which should only take 5-7 minutes to boil in a saucepan of water.

2. Wash the broccoli in cold water and squeeze out as much moisture as you can with your hands.

3. Broccoli must be chopped finely.

4. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl, along with the breadcrumbs, cheese, egg, and black pepper. Finely slice the spring onion as well.

5. Mix everything thoroughly, then use moist hands to form the dough into balls.

6. Place them in an organized fashion on a baking sheet coated with nonstick paper, generously coat them in cooking oil spray, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping them over halfway through, until brown.

 

Why Should We Give Vegetables To Our Kids?

 

Vegetables are an important source of key nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are required for a child's growth and development. Mothers should feed their children vegetables since they are good for their health. Vegetable fiber supports digestive health and helps to maintain healthy gut flora. 

 

Regular vegetable consumption as a youngster promotes a lifelong healthy eating habit. Chronic diseases including obesity, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are reduced as a result. A child's palate is also widened and their ability to appreciate various cuisines is enhanced by early exposure to a variety of vegetables.

 

References:

Alex. (2020). Sneaky veggie mac and cheese. The Defined Dish. https://thedefineddish.com/sneaky-veggie-mac-and-cheese/

 

Garone, S. (2021). Should You Hide Vegetables in Your Child's Food? Verywell Family. https://www.verywellfamily.com/should-you-hide-vegetables-in-your-child-s-food-5181139

 

Kate. (2021). Ultimate veggie pizza. Cookie and Kate. https://cookieandkate.com/veggie-pizza-recipe/

 

Martin, T. (2023). Should I Hide Vegetables In My Kid’s Meals? Only About Children. https://www.oac.edu.au/news-views/should-i-hide-vegetables-in-my-kids-meals/#:~:text=The%20pros%20of%20hiding%20vegetables&text=Reduce%20stress%20and%20struggle%20%E2%80%93%20Parenting,convincing%20them%20to%20eat%20vegetables.

 

Ostrom, L. (2023). 30 minute vegetarian meatballs. Pinch of Yum. https://pinchofyum.com/30-minute-vegetarian-meatballs

 

Overhiser, S. (2020). Best spinach smoothie. A Couple Cooks. https://www.acouplecooks.com/best-spinach-smoothie/