(NAPSA)—Helping your child develop a voracious appetite for vegetables is not the easiest of tasks. In fact, 69 percent of moms believe their children are eating too few vegetables—a notion backed by data from the American Dietetic Association, which says iL YY -_ 70 percent of __ kids ages 2 to 9 are falling short of the recommended daily Wi servings. em \ wal ' \ me, iy 7 So what’s the big- gest barrier? Taste. “Flavor is one number whenit comes to kids,” says author and family nutrition expert Liz Weiss, M.S., R.D. Weiss suggests “vegegifying” yourchild’s diet by finding delicious, simple ways to weave more vegetables into snacks and mealtime. Drink Up Most moms recognize the importance of serving kids 100 percent fruit juice versus other sugary drinks. Now for thefirst time, there’s a kids’ juice that blends fruits and veggies. An 8-ounce glass of Nestl Juicy Juice Harvest Surprise provides two combined servingsof fruits and vegetables (% serving of vegetables and 1% servings of fruit). “Along with fruits like grapes, mangoes and apples that appeal to kids, Juicy Juice Harvest Surprise includes sweettasting vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes, which are more pleasing to a child’s palate,” says Weiss. “It’s a tasty and convenient way to boost your child’s fruit and vegetable servings.” Cool Ways to Stay Cool Smoothies are another simple Liz Weiss, M.S., R.D. way to get kids to consume more fruits and veggies. Blend 100 percent juice, low-fat vanilla or fruited yogurt and fresh or frozen fruits for a refreshing, nutrient- packed treat. Weiss offers a clever tip: “Try pouring the smoothies into plastic or paper cups, cover with foil, place a craft stick in the center and pop them in the freezer. Give it a few hours, and you’ve got homemade popsicles chock-full of vitamin C!” Creatively Camouflage A little creativity goes a long way when it comes to your kids’ nutrition. Instead of forcing your children to finish that cauliflower before leaving the table, try integrating vegetables into what they already eat. For instance, you can shred a carrot to mix up into tuna salad. Or the next time you’re looking for a quick dinner idea, simply saut bite-size pieces of boneless, skinless chicken breast with some finely diced orange or yellow bell peppers (which are sweeter than the green ones) in the skillet. Roll the chicken and peppers into a flour tortilla, add in a little salsa and low-fat cheese, and you have a quick, great-tasting meal—veggies included. Step Outside of Your Comfort Zone It’s difficult to find foods “picky eaters” will eat, and then when you do, families run the risk of serving them too often. “To avoid the ‘we eat the same thing every day’ response from mykids, I constantly have to challenge myself to serve new foods that appeal to their need to have fun while eating,” says Weiss. She suggests mixing it up and not being afraid to serve vegetables that kids may not be familiar with, such as eda- mame. You can buy these baby soybeans fresh or frozen, shelled or still in the pod. “I like to buy the ones still in the pod because it’s a fun finger food for my kids,” adds Weiss. “Just boil them up, sprinkle with a little kosher salt and extra-virgin olive oil, and you have a kid-friendly side dish—just remind kids to eat the beans, not the pods!” Show Kids That Healthy Eating Adds Up Teaching kids the benefits of healthy eating will help them develop important lifelong habits. For useful tips and tools, log on to harvestsurprise.com, where you'll find the “Kids Nutrition Report Card,” an interactive tool that shows how a child’s daily diet stacks up against the USDA’s MyPyramid for Kids guidelines. In three fun and simple steps, the Kids Nutrition Report Card calculates personalized nutrition results for your child and lets you see how small changes can make a big difference. The “Kid Friendly Foods” section provides creative tips on how to veggify your child’s favorite foods. You'll also find fun, colorful “Healthy Eater Award” stickers to reward your child and make healthy eating fun. Orange Mango Smoothie (Makes 3 Servings) 2 cups frozen mango (one 10-ounce package) 1% cups Juicy Juice Harvest Surprise Orange Mango 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt 3 straws Place the mango, juice and yogurt in a blender. Process until smooth. Pour into three individual glasses and serve with a straw.
