It’s an age-old battle. Veggies on the dinner plate. Parents wait expectantly. Children filled with dread. Plots that involve hungry dogs lurking below. Little did anyone realize the simple solution: children cooking.
Too few vegetables in too many kids is a problem we need to solve. A recent government report showed that 93% of kids aren’t eating enough veggies. On average, they eat only about half the recommended amount of 1 to 2 cups of veggies per day.
Pleading doesn’t work. And school lunch programs, while marginally successful at increasing fruit intake, have failed to move the student veggie meter.
A Solution: All Hands On Deck!
A recent study points to a new approach to get children to actually want to eat veggies: family cooking. As it turns out, kids eat what they cook.
The study looked at 47 children ages 6-10 years. Children were divided into two groups: half assisted a parent in meal preparation. With the other half, a parent cooked the entire meal without the child.
Strikingly, children who assisted in meal preparation ate 76% more salad than those whose parents made the entire meal. The reasons aren’t clear but possibly explained by the sense of greater control measured in tests of the children who helped cook the meal.
A Healthy Change in More Ways Than One
The benefits of getting kids to cook isn’t restricted to nutrition.
A side effect experienced by children who helped with meal prep included an increased sense of well being. Not bad!
And with time, kids develop real culinary skills, which actually becomes a huge time saver—making home cooked meals quicker and easier than ever. That’s certainly been true in our house.
Another plus: More time cooking means less time available for screens—a welcome shift in most households.
Try This to Make Veggies Irresistible
To increase veggies’ appeal, try roasting broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, or brussel sprouts. A sprinkle of olive oil and a bit of seasoning transforms these tough-sell, over-cooked vegetables of yesteryear into crispy and sweetened treats that many kids actually crave.
Next time you’re wondering about how to spend quality time with your children, look no further than your kitchen counter. Instead of spending more money, you’ll likely save some by avoiding restaurants. And there’s a very good chance that your children will eat better—and so will everyone else in your house.
That is, everyone except Fido, who will miss out on the clandestine veggie handouts!
References:
How Many Veggies Do U.S. Kids Eat?
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