March is National Nutrition Month and we asked our Family Programs Facilitator, Amanda, to share five easy cooking tips for parents to help ensure your child is eating plenty of fruits and vegetables!
1) Add sauces and dips to veggies.
What better way to enjoy fruits and veggies, than with fun sauces or dips? You could try out some of the recipes from our blog, like Tal's Spicy Hummus, or Maria's Salsa Verde!
2) Try making the same foods, but prepared in different ways.
Whether it is baked, steamed, raw, or mashed – mixing up how you prepare and serve vegetables can help to keep mealtimes fun and interesting! Check out this blog to learn how to roast any vegetable!
3) Introduce all colours of the rainbow.
Eating a variety of different coloured foods is key to incorporating all essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients! Try having your child match different fruits and vegetables with their colour in the rainbow and eat to 'collect them all.'
4) Always make one thing that your child enjoys eating when introducing new foods.
Having something familiar that you know your child likes to eat can make the introduction of a new fruit or vegetable much easier.
5) Give choices along the way.
While grocery shopping, allow your child to pick something to put in the cart. At home, encourage them to help prepare the meal for your family! Being involved from a young age helps children build excitement around trying new things and making healthy choices.