5 Kid-Approved Recipes That Are Loaded with Green Veggies
Serve up good-for-you pizza, pasta and more.
Stephen Johnson, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
True story: My 10-year-old daughter recently announced that she doesn't like spinach — while shoveling down my homemade strata that’s packed with (you guessed it) tons of baby spinach. I asked her what she thought the green stuff on her plate was and, after a long, awkward pause she answered confidently, "not spinach."
As much as I love telling that story for its comedic value, I also think there’s a bit of universal truth tucked in there somewhere. Something about how green veggies have wrongfully been labeled as not delicious when they can, in fact, be the exact opposite.
As parents, we’re tasked with helping our little ones see past this misconception. It’s our job to make sure they approach veggies with an open mind — even the leafy green ones! How do you do that when you’ve got a particularly picky eater in the family? I like to think that riffing off of inherently kid-friendly dishes (like pasta and pizza) is a good place to start so I’ve rounded up a few that my daughter loves. These are dishes that helped her gain familiarity with green vegetables — and discover that she actually likes them.
Healthy Whole-Wheat Pizza with Arugula Parsley Pesto (pictured above)
This is a good recipe if your little one is just getting used to the idea of eating greens. We dot the pizza with obvious dollops of arugula pesto but you could just as easily spread it evenly across the crust and top with cheese and other toppings. Pepperoni, anyone?
It’s no secret that veggies taste better with a healthy dose of cheese sauce. That's why Ree’s 5-star pasta dish a winner — even with the kiddos. They may be skeptical of the spinach at first but once they take a bite and see that it’s smothered in a creamy, 3-cheese sauce, they’ll be on board.
Those nights when you serve barbecue pulled pork or cook burgers on the grill? Sneak some extra green veggies into everyone’s meal with tangy slaw. No one can resist piling it high on their sandwich! If you need a shortcut, skip shredding the broccoli and cabbage yourself; buy pre-shredded broccoli slaw, instead.
Renee Comet
This recipe is true to its name; you can use whatever you have on hand. In my case we add more spinach than the recipe calls for and opt for cooked, crumbled Italian sausage instead of the deli meat. Other winning combinations include turkey and broccoli or ham and asparagus.
Tara Donne
With more than 1,000 reviews and a 5-star rating, there’s no denying that Giada’s spinach-and-cheese lasagna rolls are delicious. Best of all, her recipe calls for frozen chopped spinach — so no worrying about whether or not you’ve got fresh leafy greens on hand.
