Children and vegetables


Children and vegetables
This is an attempt to address the question that all parents and grandparents, maybe you included, face so often: how can we get children to like vegetables? And at the same time, we might get away from the familiar, day-in, day-out round of pasta, chips, toast..

Well, I can hear you say, it's not that easy, maybe “Mission Impossible”. Even so, there are some things you can try which might help.
12 K 5/5 (12 reviews)
Grade this page:
Last modified on: March 9th 2017
For this post: Comment Follow Send to a friend
Children and vegetables
First of all, an observation: our little darlings are very sensitive to appearances. So, if the food does not look “nice” to start with, you've already lost the battle! In other words, if green vegetables don't look attractively green when you put them in front of children, you'll hear, even before they try the food, “It looks yukky, I don't like it!” And who can blame them when “canteen” vegetables are so often a sorry sight: big chunks of khaki-coloured broccoli, cooked to death and still swimming in a pool of murky water – hardly likely to win over adults, let alone children!

Let's stick with broccoli for a moment, as it's a good illustration of the problem we're up against: for even half a chance that children will like it, it needs to be beautifully fresh and green, only just cooked (still with a little “bite”), cut up small, and – above all – good quality.

What to do:

1) Cut up to an appropriate size: the notion of “big” or “small” is different for adults and children. For our purposes, broccoli needs to be cut into small, separate florets – only these tips – about the size of the top joint of your thumb and no larger. Rinse thoroughly.

Brocoli cutted



2) First, boil lightly: Plunge the broccoli into a large pan of boiling salted water or, better still, chicken stock, for 3 or 4 minutes. Watch for the change in colour to a bright emerald green, then check if cooked by tasting. The broccoli should still be slightly firm. Drain and cool straight away in cold (or even iced) water to stop the cooking (very important). When cool, drain again thoroughly – a salad spinner is the best way of doing this.

Brocoli cooked 'à l'anglaise'



3) Add flavour with butter and shallot: Peel a shallot and chop very finely. Melt a generous knob of butter in a pan, add the shallot, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute (without browning either the butter or the shallot).

Shallot in butter



4) Second, very brief cooking: Add the broccoli to the pan and stir well. Heat through (rather than cook any further), salt and pepper lightly, then taste to check the seasoning. Serve immediately, keeping your fingers crossed…
You can also include other food you wish to serve with the vegetables. Here, for example, there are bits of ham added.

Brocoli and ham stripes



Please note: It could well be that when you serve the food, you may need to be firm and use the good old “Taste it first!”

And the last resort?

If all else fails, don't despair! Over time, as we grow up into teenagers, then adults, our tastes change quite dramatically: it was impossible to get my elder son to eat spinach, for example, when he was small. Now he loves it.

You will have realised by now that there is no magic formula to get children to enjoy vegetables, but by making an effort like this, you will at least stand a chance. And, if nothing else, this is the way good restaurants cook and the secret of the colourful and attractive vegetables shown on TV cookery programmes.

To sum up: To appeal to children, vegetables need to be cut up small, look colourful and have plenty of flavour.

Lasts posts
The aromatic power of sugar
The aromatic power of sugar
In the kitchen, sugar doesn't just sweeten, it also has an exceptional ability to capture flavors. Combined with aromatic ingredients, such as citrus zest, it acts as a veritable sponge for aromas. By taking the time to let the sugar soak up the flavors, you can transform your desserts, making...
December 25th 20249285
The little trap of thick cream
The little trap of thick cream
When you need to add cream to a recipe, you might be wondering: thick (heavy) cream or liquid cream? In most cases, there's no big difference: you can use either. But there is one exception, and that's when the cream needs to be cooked, for a sauce for example, and here the difference between...
December 13th 20242,2095
Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?
Sauce and salad: When and how to mix them?
When dressing a salad, there's a kind of golden rule: add the dressing very shortly before serving, especially if your salad contains crunchy elements such as croutons or fresh vegetables, which will retain their crunchiness or crispiness. But, as is often the case in the kitchen, there are...
November 29th 20242,1485
No need to boil gelatin
No need to boil gelatin
Gelatin is a magical ingredient for making light, creamy, structured desserts, yet it's often misused in the kitchen. A common mistake in some recipes is the idea that it needs to be boiled for it to work properly, but this is a mistake indeed: gelatin melts at a much lower temperature, around...
November 21th 20242,0545
Your oven in "proofer" mode
Your oven in "proofer" mode
In the bakery, proofing is a crucial stage in the process of making light, plump breads and pastries. During proofing, the yeast ferments the sugars present in the dough, releasing carbon dioxide which forms bubbles. This process allows the dough to swell and aerate, guaranteeing a soft, light...
September 27th 20245,0115
Other pages you may also like
The painter, the restaurant owners and the opera singer
The painter, the restaurant owners and the opera singer
You might well have noticed that there are recipes involving names that have been so overused (often for any old thing) that they have almost become common nouns.
September 25th 201218 K4.4
Fats for cooking
Fats for cooking
If you need to fry or sear anything a frying pan or saucepan, the temperature is likely to be high. In particular, I have cooking red meat in mind. In this case, what should fat should we use? And at what temperature?
January 23th 201817 K5
Chive flowers
Chive flowers
Did you know that? Chive flowers are not only a beautiful purple color, but they are also edible and delicious.
May 29th 201944 K4.4
Zester like a pro
Zester like a pro
Have you heard of the microplane? It's an extraordinary tool that allows you to grate very, very finely, and therefore zest with disconcerting ease. Here's some information about it.
December 25th 20205,0704.9
 The super powers of cornstarch
The super powers of cornstarch
I start this new year by evoking an old product, that you most probably have in your cupboards, a white powder, often in a small cardboard package with a slightly outdated look, only the "gluten free" is relatively recent, it is simply cornstarch, hence its name of maïzena. It's used for a lot...
January 14th 202210 K
Post a comment or question
Posted by:
I am not a leaving thing
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
I am not a leaving thing
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.

Back to top of page