Fun Veggies

: Is there a healthy way to make vegetables more enticing to little ones?

: Sure, you just need to think creatively:

Get them involved!

Cut up vegetables into edible bites and let them play with their food. Offer a variety of dipping sauces like low-fat salad dressing, hummus, salsa, tomato sauce, guacamole, cream cheese, cottage cheese, peanut butter, or yogurt. When they are old enough, give your little chef some jobs, such as washing vegetables, tossing salads, and pouring on the dressing.

Make it fun!

Splurge and purchase a crinkle cutter. It may be meant to cut French fries the old-fashion way, however you can use it on carrots, celery, apples and bananas to give them a different look and texture. You can also use cookie cutters on some cooked veggies.

Use creative names!

Ants on a log (raisins on cream cheese stuffed celery stalks)
Avocado boats (a quarter of an avocado)
Broccoli trees (steamed florets)
Carrot or Bell Pepper swords (thinly sliced)
Pear Mouse (half canned pear, 2 raisins for eyes, carrots as the tail and whiskers)

Disguise it if you must!

If you're kids don't like to eat vegetables, maybe they will drink or slurp it. Vegetable juices, soups, and mashed items work well. Grate or dice some vegetables into your kids, favorite foods (carrot muffins, confetti pasta). If your child likes cheese, melt it on some veggies.

Nutritionist Barbara Ruhs, MS, RD, is a licensed registered dietitian, and owner of Neighborhood Nutrition (an education company and private-practice) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is also the campus nutritionist at Harvard Business School and University Health Services at Harvard University.