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One of the biggest challenges that parents of young kids usually face is getting enough fruit and veg into those tummies every day. We know how much they need good foods for health and wellness but sometimes those little people are hard to convince and can be surprisingly stubborn about it too! Still we must persevere so here are some of my best tips.

Sarah's Tips

• Limit Junk Food: I've always tried very hard to limit the junk food (sweet stuff) my kids eat. In my opinion it definitely helps their appetite for other healthier foods. When my kids have had junk foods in between meals they are much less likely to eat their veggies or snack on fruit. To make sure they feel satisfied we have "Treat Day" every Friday when the boys get to choose some treats and enjoy them any time they like. This helps us limit the nagging and encourage them to eat fruit and vegetables every other day. We do have days where we go easier on this rule but the more we try to stick to it the healthier our kids will be so that keeps me motivated.
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• Start as You Mean to Go On: ah that good old hindsight. "If we only knew then what we know now" eh?! To go a bit easy on myself I will say I always did my best with my kids from the start with the knowledge I had at the time. Looking back there are things I would do differently and in terms of getting more vegetables into my kids I would promote it a lot earlier on in their lives. Trying to convince a four year old that cucumber is nice is not an easy feat so make sure you start giving those foods early on in life (according to weaning guidelines) so that they see them as normal foods.
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• Trick Them: it turns out that we can do everything humanly possible to promote healthy eating but our kids either just resist us straight up or they are seeing what other kids eat and want to be the same. Instead of spending my time arguing with my kids I have ways that I get those veggies into them no matter what they say or think! Below is one way I trick my kids that you mind find helpful!
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Veggie-Loaded Tomato Sauce

What You'll Need

• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 4-5 large tomatoes or 500g cherry tomatoes diced
• 1 spoon sweetener (we use xylitol)
• 1 drop Oregano Essential Oil or 1 teaspoon dry herb
• 1 drop Basil Essential Oil or 1 teaspoon dry herb
• 1 handful spinach
• 1 red pepper
• any other veg you like - courgette, aubergine, yellow pepper, kale

Method

1. In a saucepan melt your coconut oil.
2. Add the onion and cook until the onion is a bit see-through
3. Add the garlic and the diced tomatoes.
4. Add sweetener.
5. Add your solid veg now too (for example peppers, courgette, etc)
6. Simmer until the tomatoes start to break down adding water as necessary to keep the mix moist.
7. Add your leaves towards the end and simmer until they wilt.
8. Leave to one side for 5-10 minutes until it cools slightly.
9. Add your essential oils.
10. Whizz with a blender or a smoothie maker until smooth.

If you've added too much spinach or kale to this recipe you'll notice the sauce has a greenish colour. My kids are used to this but be aware you might hear some complaints if your kids are used to red sauces! Keep going with it.

Don't give up. I BELIEVE in you!! x

I use this sauce on pizza bases, for spaghetti bolognese, a dip for breadsticks, really anywhere you would use a tasty tomato sauce!

Enjoy and let me know in the comments what you think of this recipe or how you make yours! Sarah x