Meal Prep

10 Kid-Friendly Sides with Hidden Veggies

Confession of a TEM editorial assistant: I’m really not into veggies. I wish I liked them, I really do, but beyond my one or two favorite superfood bites, vegetables just… don’t do it for me. So if I, a 22-year-old (or 230 months, if we’re still doing) can’t stand eating peas, there’s no way your kids are going to take a natural liking to vegetables. Maybe it’s the combo of knowing that they’re good for them or the fact that they are not Goldfish crackers, but kids will turn up their noses at anything green and healthy, without so much as a taste.

So, how do we get them their daily fruits and veggies without most of them (the food or the kids) ending up on the floor? Trick ’em.

Especially with smoothies and pastas (zoodles are literally the best thing to happen to momming, change my mind), there are loads of ways to sneakily incorporate foods like kale, tomatoes, and squash into your kids’ meals in a way that they’ll actually eat – and maybe even enjoy. Here are some of our favorite dinner sides with hidden veggies:

 

1. Baked Green Bean Fries

 

2. Chickpea Mac n’ Cheese

 

3. Carrot Stars

 

4. Sweet Spinach Muffins

 

5. Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Soup

 

6. Parmesan Cauliflower Tater Tots

 

7. Roasted Beet Hummus

 

8. Creamy Garlic Mashed Cauliflower

 

9. Veggie-Packed Pizza Rolls

 

10. Baked Parmesan Zucchini Chips