Guest Blogger: Hey what's for dinner, Mom?

I'm so excited for Creative2xmom to be hosting our first ever guest Blogger. Laura, from Hey, what's for dinner, Mom?, comes to us from the beautiful, and cold, frontier of Alaska. I started reading her blog about a year ago and have been delighted with every post. She strives to feed her family food that is both nutritious and tasty as well. Her blog is a wealth of information running the full gammit of food, all written with an honesty that is quite endearing. She also host a weekly roundup of meal ideas called "Meatless Monday." We're very blessed to have her joining us today.

Sharing the Joy of Vegetables with Kids

Hi everybody! This is Laura from Hey What's For Dinner Mom? I'm guest posting for Lee today, lending a hand and helping out while her husband is gone. I know how that goes, mine works a full time job and then has rush projects when he'll work 20 hours a day for 3 weeks straight. It's exhausting trying to be both mom and dad to 3 boys.

The number one question I get asked in person and on my blog is “how do you get your kids to eat vegetables?” My short answer is easy “I expect them too” but the long answer is, well, long. I have broken it down into important components:

1. eat raw vegetables with them on a daily basis, let them see you eat them, share in the goodness with them

2. let them help you prepare the vegetables, we have a serrated butter knife and one or both of my little boys make crudites at least once a day, this is simply chopped fresh vegetables they clean and 'cut', have them work close to you so you can keep an eye on them

3. join a CSA, take them to pick up the vegetables, let them pack the box up-be excited!

4. provide 2 vegetables with each meal then they have a choice, mine usually choose both, having

a choice is important

5. we require each person has to have 3 bites of each dish from dinner, they can have seconds of

their favorite ones

6. we remind them that they should take those bites because you NEVER know when your taste

buds will change and you might be missing out on something you like!

7. if other adults HATE VEGETABLES speak with them in private and remind them that their

choices will influence small children and to please refrain from making snide rude remarks

about certain things-in other words grow up!

8. avoid carrots who have spent time on a lathe these 'baby' carrots that are usually old and

tasteless, try real fresh baby carrots for the ultimate treat!

9. fresh, local, organic is best, frozen second, canned third, processed last

10. grow a small box garden, let them grow one too

11. spend time on a farm, go to a u-pick farm

12. learn to roast vegetables they taste fantastic

13. constant exposure ensures they will have had plenty of chances to become familiar

14. attend a farmers market with kids and let them shop 15. avoid the temptation to LABEL vegetables as good or bad food they are simply food

Relax! Don't make forcing vegetables down their throat the ultimate goal! The ultimate goal is to have fun and enjoy your kids while bringing them up to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

If you have any questions feel free to pop on over to my blog and drop me an email, I love to hear from my readers and try to answer all the email I get quickly. Thanks for coming by today.

I also have a fantastic giveaway on my blog right now until the 28th of March. I am giving away a Le Creuset French Oven! Come on over and enter to win.

Peace and Love,

Laura