September is “Fruits & Veggies – More Matters Month,” which is a great excuse to add some “FNVs” to breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. To get you inspired, we rounded up advice from some of the nation’s most famous chefs about how they work fruits and veggies into their family meals:
- Chef Emeril Lagasse, a celebrity chef, restaurateur, television personality, cookbook author and father of four, told Delish.com, “I always tried to make cooking a learning experience for my children. I taught them about using local, fresh fruits and vegetables and showed them the process of preparing each family meal. I think getting them involved in the action helped them to appreciate the meal a little more – and kept them busy! Just plan on the kitchen being a little messier.”
- Chef Melissa d’Arabian, a Food Network television show host and mother of four, told Delish.com, “My kids love my green smoothies. In fact, when we were shooting pictures of the smoothie for a cookbook, we suddenly realized we were out of them because the girls drank all the props! I love that my kids are eating raw vegetables in the morning; they’re alert and ready for the day!”
- James Beard award-winning Chef Michelle Bernstein, and mom to a toddler, told MIABites.com when asked about her biggest challenge feeding him healthy food, “I make it meaningful, filled with the sole purpose of giving my beautiful boy nutrition wrapped up in a yummy package. Quinoa and cheese instead of macaroni with tiny nibbles of veggies poached into it; fish broth, I give it to him in a sippy cup (I know it sounds odd but he’s on the run), crispy fish with caramelized onions and of course pasta with tomato sauce and tiny, teeny, tiny bits of filet and broccoli … Give them what they like with good stuff packed into it!”
- Iron Chef Cat Cora, who’s also mother of four, talked healthy kids’ meals with Good Housekeeping: “In my family, we let our boys have a say in what veggie side(s) they want for dinner that night. We list off a handful of options and get them excited about helping to plan the dinner menu. They’re much more inclined to finish their plates when they’ve helped decide what goes on them, and they’re getting their healthy veggies in this way as well. Kids love to dip, too, and a simple way to make sure mine eat their veggies is to set out some carrots, broccoli and celery with a side of light ranch dressing before dinner. In our house, we call this our ‘happy hour’ – the kids have a healthy snack to tide them over until dinner.”
Tell us how you and your family are getting an extra serving of fruits and vegetables a day in the comments below!
