Q: How do you make kids like vegetables?
A: You plant a garden and have the kids grow the vegetables themselves.
This was the answer someone gave me. This completely did not work.
In March, we started this little backyard garden. Squash, early pumpkins, okra, cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers. I’ve tried all of these things before, with the exception of okra, and all of them have failed miserably, with the exception of tomatoes. So I had medium to low hope of this doing anything. Or, more honestly, I was glass-half-empty and full of I-don’t-know-what-I’m-doing, so I planted about 25 squash plants.
This is the garden a few weeks later. I now have about 90 gabillion squash blossoms. (25 is waay too many squash plants, as any sane person will tell you…a good number: 4 or 6.) So, honestly and currently, we have approximately 150 squash blooming/growing, and I need to come up with some ways to eat squash. Because seriously.
Also, the whole idea that the kid would like vegetables because he raised them like pets? False. First of all, he’s pretty disinterested in the whole thing. He’d rather play soccer next to the garden rather than look at it. Secondly, I don’t know, it just didn’t work at all. Which brings me to the next advice I’ve received….
Q: How do you make kids like vegetables?
A: Trick them.
I’m not against tricking kids…hello Santa. Tooth Fairy. Fresh Beat Band. But I’ve tried Jessica Seinfeld’s ideas, and my kid is not easily tricked. Not much gets by him. He’s super into chili though, so this could work.
At this point we’ll need to make squash chili though.
Actually, I may try that. Also, fair warning, I may feature a lot of squash recipes here over the next month or so. Because I have 150 squash. At the same time.
Here’s Jenny’s.
The Bloggess’s Squash Recipe
I called Jenny yesterday because I know she likes squash. This is what she does:
“Cut up the squash, put a ton of butter on it, put some salt on it, microwave it for 4 minutes, put more butter and salt on it.”
It was actually quite good. Sort of like popcorn, but with vegetables.
However, this also did not work for the kid. I think I need to somehow make squash Frito Pie. The squash will be silent.
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This post is part of a partnership between myself and the Vicks brand as it launches Vick’s Nature Fusion, a new line of over-the-counter cold, cough and flu relief products. The alcohol- and gluten-free line bodyslams symptoms with a sweet and natural kick. As evidenced above, Vick’s has partnered with Australian celebrity chef Curtis Stone to produce a series of videos featuring bloggers asking questions about the challenges of serving up healthy foods. And let’s keep it real, Curtis is pretty easy on the eyes and ears, so it makes YouTube completely tolerable.
