Evening Edge
What’s For Dinner?
DEL.ICIO.USFIT TO EAT
Survey shows that kids do eat their vegetablesMoms and kids agree on favorite fruits, but differ on their lists of favorite veggies
For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/05/08
Ever hear this one? Kids just won't eat vegetables. According to a survey released by Produce for Kids (www.produceforkids.org), maybe parents should ask their kids what fruits and veggies to toss into the grocery cart before making decisions about what to purchase.
A survey conducted with about 1,500 moms and children — either online or in the grocery store — revealed that kids voted broccoli as one of their three most favorite vegetables, yet moms did not rank it their top five most-purchased.
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Parents buy (in order of top purchased vegetables per week) potatoes, baby carrots, tomatoes, lettuce/salads and corn. Spinach ranked last. When kids were asked their favorites they ranked carrots, broccoli, corn, green peas, and peas in their top five.
When it comes to fruit, moms and kids alike say bananas, apples, grapes, strawberries, and easy to peel citrus fruits (like oranges and Clementine tangerines) top both of their lists.
The survey also showed that dips are hip — 70 percent of kids like using salad dressings as dips for fruits and vegetables. One surprising finding is that cartoon characters might be lucrative tie-ins for fast food or processed foods like cereals or macaroni and cheese, but when it comes to fruit and vegetable parents said they were less likely to buy produce if cartoon characters adorned the packaging.
Dave Grotto, registered dietitian and nutrition adviser for Produce for Kids and PBS Kids Advisory Board chairman, adds, "As parents, I believe we have a great opportunity to inspire our children to eat more fruits and vegetables. Seeing that kids actually like broccoli, bananas and other great-tasting produce items, we should give them a chance to try new things. Parents can create a fun family-bonding experience if they prepare meals at home with their children. Cooking with your kids is the new trend."
RECIPE: Sloppy Turkey Spuds 4 servingsHands on: 15 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
4 large baking potatoes (about 8 ounces each)
12 ounces extra-lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 3/4 cup marinara sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Scrub potatoes with a vegetable brush under cold running tap water. Pat dry. Pierce potatoes several times with tines of fork; microwave on high 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. (For crispy potato skin, place cooked potatoes in the oven at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes after microwaving).
Cook turkey in large nonstick skillet over medium heat for about 6 minutes or until no longer pink. Add onion, bell pepper and mushrooms; cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Stir in marinara sauce; bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt (if desired) and pepper; stir in parsley. Remove from heat.
Place potatoes on four plates; split and fluff with a fork. Top potatoes with turkey mixture and cheese; dividing evenly.
From: www.produceforkids.org and click on "Grown-Ups," then "Recipes."
Per serving: 380 calories (percent of calories from fat, 17), 31 grams protein, 53 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 7 grams fat (1.5 grams saturated), 40 milligrams cholesterol, 640 milligrams sodium.
Nutritional Bonus Points: This easy dinner is kid-friendly but adults will like it, too. By adding veggies to the turkey and sauce mixture, it disguises some healthy vegetables and helps to keep the calories low.
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