I’m going to be honest here lovelies – I struggle with eating veggies. I really do, but it’s something I’m getting better at!  I used to be awful as a child (sorry mum,) but since enjoying cooking and having littlies of my own that eat a well balanced diet, I must say my veggie love has grown.

It seems that getting littlies to eat their greens is a big problem, but you knew that as a parent right? did you know only half of all children in the UK are eating veggies willingly and one in ten actively avoid them according to the survey of more than 1,000 parents by Green Giant. It’s no surprise parents are going to huge lengths to get vegetables into their children in any way they can!

Eat up! Veggies rock!

So, how do you get your kids to eat their vegetables instead of pushing them around their plates, hoping you’ll give up?

Well, according to a new poll out today, classic tricks and old fashioned subterfuge are still being used by parents!

Camouflage!

Number one on the list the simple camouflaging of veg within other foods and sauces. (My particular favourite- look at these rather yummy cheesy corn muffins (pictured left) you’d not guess they were veggielicious would you?! (The recipe can be found on the Green Giant website here!

 

Bribe!

Second on the list is the threat of no dessert if veggies aren’t eaten first! This often works qith my two littlies, but I have to say, they are pretty good at eating their veggies!

Make up stories!

Third on the list was telling children that vegetables would give them special powers such as the old ‘carrots will help you see in the dark’, or ‘spinach will give you muscles as big as Popeye’.

Reward!

Further down the list were rewarding children for polishing off their greens with toys and stickers, making it into a competition between siblings and friends as to who can eat their veggies first, and telling their children their favourite superheroes or characters loves their vegetables.

A veggie battle…

Four out of five parents admitted their children don’t get their advised five portions of fruit and veg a day, while one in five parents will allow their children to leave their veggies – sometimes just to avoid the stress that goes hand in hand with meal times when vegetables are involved.

A number of parents stated that their children eat vegetables so rarely that they feel elated if they even eat a mouthful.  In turn, parents can spend on average up to two hours on top of mealtimes each week trying to prompt their children to eat their vegetables.

So how difficult is it for you to get your kids to eat what they should and what tactics do you use to get them into your children?

Colin Jackson always ate his vegetables when he was a youngster and was told by his mum that if he did, he would grow up to be a World Champion athlete and Olympic Medalist… And we know how that story ends!

Colin has joined with Green Giant to help parents come up with ways to educate their kids on healthy eating and even get them to grow to love their veggies. If a sporting legend say they’re cool- then surely veggies rock, right?

We were lucky enough to interview the Colin, and you lucky lovelies can hear our interview by clicking the link below!

In the meantime – I’m eating up loads of Green Giant sweetcorn! At 5ft nothing, I need all the help I can get to grow up big and strong!

Childcare is fun interview Colin Jackson CBE, about getting littlies to eat up their veggies!

 

For more information and recipes visit:  www.greengiant.co.uk