Vary Your Fruits and Veggies
Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables is key to a healthy diet. Each color has its own special benefits. Think about it like tasting the rainbow when you eat your fruits and veggies. The more colors we can include in our day, the more nutrients we get for our bodies to be healthy! Fresh, frozen, and canned produce all can help you meet your daily goals.
Offering fruits and vegetables at each meal can create a fun experience for kids.
- Let kids play with their food: Ask kids to describe the shapes of fruits and veggies, and let them hold, touch, smell, or just look at foods to explore them.
- Talk about all the colors: Help kids learn their colors by sharing which ones are on their plate.
- Add new flavors: Serve raw or lightly steamed veggies with a healthy dip, like this homemade hummus dressing.
- Try different cooking methods: Kids often don’t like the mushy look or taste of overcooked vegetables. Lightly steam or sauté veggies just until tender.
- Make a game out of trying new things: Have kids taste-test vegetables seasoned with different flavors. Let them vote for the one they like most!
The Cooking Matters campaign knows that kids need good food to grow up healthy. That’s why we’re here to help you learn to shop for and cook healthy, affordable meals for your entire family. For more information, including additional tips and recipes, visit cookingmatters.org. If you are interested in more Cooking Matters resources, including FREE online lessons, head here: https://adobe.ly/3wXChVf.Â
Related Resources: Step-by-Step Grain Bowl Recipes:Veggie Wraps ; Black Bean and Vegetable Quesadillas ; Veggie and Rice Stir-Fry ; Ratatouille
