Learn the simple trick that gets your family eat more vegetables… it works with kids and adults!
Healthy Eating for Kids
How much attention do you pay to the food pyramid for kids? I'll admit it's not the top priority in our house. I try to get my kids to eat lots of healthy food like raw fruits and vegetables. However, if you do the actual math you'll see that elementary age children should be getting 14 cups of vegetables in their diet a week!
It's hard to get 5-7 serving of vegetables into kids each day. Heck, I love vegetables and it's hard to get 5-7 servings into me when I am busy.
The Secret Tip to Eat More Vegetables
Early in our marriage I discovered one easy way to make sure we eat more vegetables.
It's a simple healthy eating tip!
When you come home from the grocery store or farmer's market make a big veggie tray that will last all week. Use all your favorite vegetables. and replenish as needed.
Keep the tray in your fridge and pull it out at every meal. That's it!
Why this Trick Works
It's the easy availability of healthy vegetable that makes you eat more vegetables.
PERIOD
You don't have to think about what to eat, you don't have to see what's in the vegetable drawer, you don't have wash and peel anything.
Just open and dig in.
Healthy Lunches are a Snap!
The always ready veggie tray makes it easy to pack healthy lunches!
I don't have to peel and cut up vegetables every morning, I simply grab the vegetable tray and let the kids pick their favorite.
It's also a healthy snack assistant; I let the kids pick one “desired” items such as crackers or a granola bar and then pull out the vegetables to round out the snack.
It's Proven to Work
We've been making veggie trays for nearly 17 years and we are sold.
On weeks I forgo the veggie tray we eat less vegetables. This fact alone keeps me in the habit.
I make one each week and refill the vegetables as they run out.
Healthy Dips
I serve our veggie tray with healthy vegetable dips like homemade hummus and Greek yogurt ranch dressing dip. It's an easy ranch dressing recipe that does not include MSG or tons of sodium (like the store-bought version).
There is something about dipping vegetables that kids love!
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PinDescription
Easy Ranch Dressing and Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 3/4 tsp dried parsley
- 1/8–1/4 tsp dried dill weed
- 1/8 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp dried onion flakes, crushed (or use extra onion powder)
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp dried chives, crushed
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and let chill for several hours. I like to use a blender to get all the ingredients finely crushed (like “real” ranch dressing). If you like a thinner dip, or would like to make this recipe into salad dressing add 1/2 cup milk.
Nutrition
- Calories: 47
Keywords: easy ranch dressing
Tip: I try to add a new veggie (or unpopular choice) to our vegetable tray every week to expand our kids' palate. The availability (and healthy veggie dip) encourages them to try the new item and they sometimes decide they even like the “new” vegetable!
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Stephanie
My kids love ranch dressing. It’s the only way to get them to eat veggies. I can’ wait to try making my own!
★★★★★
Brittany
We don’t eat many raw veggies. I like to throw extra veggies in recipes (especially casseroles). I also make them not very healthy but incredibly delicious–like green beans with bacon and carrots with brown sugar. Not the healthiest, but my kiddos love their veggies!
Dawn @ Reveal Natural Health
I love your veggie tray idea! I am going to start trying this. Thanks for the ranch dip recipe. I love using Greek yogurt.
contactbrendid@gmail.com
I love substituting Greek yogurt too. Hope you enjoy the recipe (and the veggie tray trick). It really makes packing healthy school lunches easier!