A recent study of 40 children aged between 3 and 6 years old has shown that most children would benefit from eating more vegetables and those who are overweight or obese would benefit from the decreased energy intake that bulking meals up with vegies would cause.

The children, all in day care, were provided with all their meals and snacks 1 day per week for 3 weeks. Pureed vegetables (zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, and squash) were added to entrees in different amounts.

The children could indicate their food preferences and whether the food was “yummy, okay, or yucky.”

The study, Secretly Adding Pureed Vegetables to Children’s Meals: A Strategy That Works, found that the children eat the same weight in entrees regardless of vegetable content. Vegetable intake was significantly increased and energy intake was decreased by approximately 12%.

Tips on how to get kids to eat their vegies
• Mash it and hide it – make mashed sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes (sweet potatoes contain lots of vitamin A). You can also add some other mashed up vegetables that they won’t even notice.
• Make it part of your life – help make your child familiar with vegetables. Serve them every day.
• Grow your own – plant a vegetable garden at home. Vegetables such as tomatoes and lettuce are quite easy and quick to grow.
• Let them choose – when you go shopping let your child choose some of the vegetables. Talk to them about their name, colour, shape and taste so that they become familiar with them and are more likely to accept them when served up at meal times.
• Let them help – let children help prepare the vegetables like lettuce, cucumber and grated carrots and then let them make their own tacos with shredded lettuce, tomato, ground turkey and a little cheese.
• Make it colourful – kids love colour so put a plate of sliced carrots, cucumber and peppers on the table before a meal and let then graze, as this is when they are most hungry. Add a dipping sauce.
• Add some flavour – toss lightly cooked vegies such as broccoli in some butter (or olive oil) and garlic, or add a splash of soy sauce or lemon juice and a smidgen of salt. Then sprinkle with some grated cheese.
• Never force it – forcing kids to eat their vegies is a sure way of turning them off. Encourage them to try what is on their plate and keep the atmosphere positive. If they don’t like it, let it go.
• Be a role model – kids are more likely to accept, eat and enjoy their vegies if they see their parents eating them. Let them see you enjoying salads and vegies.

The study, Secretly Adding Pureed Vegetables to Children’s Meals: A Strategy That Works, found that “by secretly adding pureed vegetables to entrees, children can eat the same amount of food at each meal and unknowingly increase their vegetable intake and reduce their energy intake. This is a healthy deceit and one that caregivers could reveal at an appropriate time.”

Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
Source: Spill MK et al. Hiding vegetables to reduce energy density: An effective strategy to increase children’s vegetable intake and reduce energy intake. Am J Clin Nutr 2011 Sep; 94:735. The Sydney Morning Herald.