Grown Healthy: How to get your child to eat their veggies...

I love eating veggies. They are so good for my body. I wish my children would love veggies as much as I do, but not all of them do. So I have decided to make a game out of eating veggies. I also have included some fruits just so my kiddos who absolutely dislike veggies will be more motivated to eat their veggies. Check out my other grown healthy posts.

1. Do a bingo game. It is always more fun when a game is involved.

2. Have fun with fruits and veggies. Let your child play with fruits and veggies, hopefully they will like them just a tad more after they have played with them. It is always fun to open, rip, or cut fruits and veggies.

3. Tell your child one specific benefit about the fruit or veggie so that they would know why you make such a big deal about eating them. There is a good reason to why we always nag them about eating their veggies.

4. Draw a fruit and veggie face. It is always fun to bring things to life by adding faces to them.

What you need to get started with your Fruit and Veggie Bingo:

Buy lots of different color felt. Cut out different fruit and veggies and glue them onto a board. When your child eats a fruit or veggie, simply cover it with a square felt piece. Once your child has covered a whole row, let your child choose a healthy sweet snack such as dark chocolate.

1. Carrots: It’s all about the EYES. Carrots have lots of beta-carotene. This converts to vitamin A in the liver. Vitamin A protects the surface of the eye (known as Cornea) from damaging.

2. Peppers: It’s all about LOOKING YOUNG. Peppers are loaded with vitamin A & C. Red, yellow, and orange peppers can boost immune function and can protect you from sun damage.

3. Snap Peas: It’s all about the BONES. Snap peas help keep calcium in bones. Rich in vitamin C and B-complex vitamins.

4. Oranges: It’s all about the BRAIN. “Oranges have a good source of folate or folic acid and this helps with proper development of our brain.” Oranges are packed with vitamin A, B, and C. Oranges are also rich in calcium and this helps us maintain good health and bones.

5. Radish: It’s all about the HEART. “The antioxidants in radishes may reduce cholesterol in the body which lowers our chances of heart disease and heart attacks.” Radishes are high in vitamin C and fiber.

6. Strawberries: It’s all about the EYES and BONES. Strawberries are packed with vitamin K, Magnesium, and vitamin C.

7. Banana: It’s all about the MUSCLES. Bananas have lots of Potassium in them which help prevent muscle cramps after you exercise.

8. Lettuce: It’s all about the SLEEP. Lettuce has a substance called ‘lectucarium’ which helps you sleep better and prevents you from having headaches.

9. Mushrooms: It’s all about the HAIR AND NAILS. Mushrooms are abundant in Selenium. This helps hair and nails grow strong and long. Selenium can reduce dandruff.

10. Asparagus: It’s all about LOOKING YOUNG. Asparagus are rich in Potassium, vitamin A, and folate. They are also high is glutathione which helps you look younger longer.

11. Apples: It’s all about WHITE TEETH. Eating apples help you have healthier and whiter teeth. “Biting and chewing on apples stimulates the production of Saliva in your mouth, reducing tooth decay and lowers the levels of bacteria.”

12. Grapes: It’s all about the CELLS. Grapes are packed with vitamin K. They also provide you with antioxidants, so you can protect your body against free radicals, “which are unstable molecules that can damage cells.”

Have fun…..

What is your favorite veggie to munch on?