Healthy Kids - Give 'Em Choices

“Would you like carrots, corn or beets for our vegetable tonight?”

Having kids choose between 2-3 kinds of vegetables can help foster self-esteem by giving them a role to play in the preparation of their meals. This gives them a certain boundary ("we're definitely having vegetables") yet enables them to choose for themselves from what has been offered.

Kids usually have a good intuitive sense of what their bodies want - forcing them to eat something they don't want can have a negative effect in the long run, defeating the purpose altogether. The ultimate goal should be to spark a positive association with healthy food at an early age; allowing kids to have a say in the matter can do the trick. Even a two year old can decide between carrots and beets!

RECIPE:

Glazed Butter Babies [print recipe]
Yield: 6 kid-sized servings

These sweet and tender bite-sized carrots have a glossy glaze that's sure to entice even the most finicky eaters.

2 tablespoons ghee or butter
1/2 pound baby carrots
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon maple syrup or agave nectar
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch

Heat the buttter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the carrots, orange juice, maple syrup and salt. Cook for 15 minutes, until the carrots are very tender.

Whisk the arrowroot with a teaspoon of water in a small dish. Slowly pour the paste into the carrots, stirring as you pour. Cook another 3 minutes, until the liquid thickens slightly to make a glossy glaze. Serve warm.

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