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What are the secrets to raising a veggie lover?
W
hen do we learn to love
vegetables? For most of us,
it is usually before the age
ŽĨƐĞǀĞŶ͘ƵƌŝŶŐƚŚĞĮƌƐƚƐŝdžLJĞĂƌƐŽĨ
ůŝĨĞĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶĂƌĞŝŶĂƐĞŶƐŝƟǀĞƉĞƌŝŽĚ
ŽĨůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐƚŚĂƚŝŶǀŽůǀĞƐƌĞĮŶŝŶŐƚŚĞ
senses, which includes, of course,
taste and smell.
/ŶƚƌŽĚƵĐĞŶĞǁĨŽŽĚƐƚĞŶƟŵĞƐ͘
WƌĞƐĞŶƟŶŐĂǀĂƌŝĞƚLJŽĨǀĞŐĞƚĂďůĞƐ
to the young child helps create a
later preference for vegetables in
the older child and adult. When
introducing a new vegetable, we
ŶĞĞĚƚŽďĞƉĂƟĞŶƚ͘/ƚƚĂŬĞƐĂďŽƵƚ
ƚĞŶƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂƟŽŶƐŽĨĂĚŝƐŚĨŽƌĂ
child to learn to like it. When intro-
ducing a new vegetable, consider
serving it two or
ƚŚƌĞĞƟŵĞƐĂǁĞĞŬ
ĨŽƌĂƚůĞĂƐƚĮǀĞ
weeks, in order for
your child to gain
ĂŶĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶĨŽƌ
ƚŚĞŇĂǀŽƌ͘ZĞŵĞŵ-
ďĞƌ͕ƌĞƉĞƟƟŽŶĂŶĚ
ƉĂƟĞŶĐĞŝƐŶĞĞĚĞĚ
when introducing
new foods.
Be aware of
ĨŽŽĚƐĞŶƐŝƟǀŝ-
ƟĞƐ͘ We need to
be aware that the
reason our children
may be reluctant
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to try new foods could be due to an
ĂůůĞƌŐLJŽƌƐĞŶƐŝƟǀŝƚLJ͘DLJĨŽƵƌͲLJĞĂƌͲ
old sister refused to eat anything
ǁŝƚŚƚŽŵĂƚŽĞƐŝŶŝƚ͘^ƉĂŐŚĞƫǁŝƚŚ
red sauce produced a ring-tailed
ŚŝƐƐLJĮƚ͘ŽŵĞƚŽĮŶĚŽƵƚLJĞĂƌƐ
later, my sister is highly allergic to
tomatoes, along with other foods
she refused to eat as a child. Be
tuned in to the fact that your child’s
long-term refusal to eat a certain
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food may be the body’s way of say-
ing, “No, this really isn’t good for
ŵĞ͘͟
<ŝĚƐƉƌĞĨĞƌĐƌƵŶĐŚLJǀĞŐĞƚĂďůĞƐ͘
Be careful not to overcook veg-
etables. Raw or lightly steamed
are children’s favorite vegetable
ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĂƟŽŶ͘zŽƵŶŐƐƚĞƌƐůŽǀĞƚŽ
dip veggies in dressings or sauces.
Ranch dressing is a perennial favor-
ite. Try homemade yogurt- or tofu-
ďĂƐĞĚĚŝƉƐŇĂǀŽƌĞĚǁŝƚŚƐŽLJƐĂƵĐĞ͕
ǁĂƐĂďŝ͕ƉĞĂŶƵƚďƵƩĞƌ͕ŽƌĂǀŽĐĂĚŽ͘
Try olive oil and balsamic vinegar
as a dipping sauce. Black bean dip
or hummus are tasty with slices
ŽĨĐƵĐƵŵďĞƌŽƌnjƵĐĐŚŝŶŝ͘sĞŐŐŝĞƐ
wrapped up with dressing in a tor-
ƟůůĂŵĂŬĞĂŚĞĂůƚŚLJ
burrito.
Be a good ex-
ĂŵƉůĞ͘ If you want
your children to eat
more vegetables, set
the standard by piling
your plate high.
Give your chil-
dren some hands-on
ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞƐ͘Plant
a garden, shop at a
farmers market, go
to a u-pick farm, and
let the kids help in
the kitchen. A child
selected and hand-
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shucked roasted ear of corn with
ŵĞůƚĞĚďƵƩĞƌĨƌŽŵƚŚĞĨĂƌŵĞƌƐ
market is sure to create epicurean
excitement.
hƐĞĨƵŶŽƌŽīͲůŝŵŝƚƐƐĞƌǀŝŶŐ
ĚŝƐŚĞƐ͘Serve veggies or a salad as a
ĮƌƐƚĐŽƵƌƐĞŝŶŝĐĞĐƌĞĂŵƐƵŶĚĂĞŽƌ
banana split dishes. Serve veggies
and dip shrimp-cocktail style with
ice in a long stemmed glass. Have
fun and be adventurous with your
trips into veggie-ville.
Keep in mind this child-rearing
paradox that applies to not just
vegetables, but the most trying
ƐŝƚƵĂƟŽŶƐ͘tŚĞŶLJŽƵƚŚŝŶŬLJŽƵƌ
children will never eat a vegetable
again, suddenly that’s all they want
to do.
________
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