Can you name five vegetables that your kids like to eat? If that’s a little difficult, then here is an easier one: name five vegetables that your kids don’t like to eat? The ones where when they see it on their plates, all sorts of acting skills will appear till they deserve to be given an award for outstanding acting or most original screenplay.

It is important to get your children to eat their greens at a young age to encourage a healthy and balanced eating habit and of course, provide them the vitamins and nutrients that are found in vegetables. So how can we get our kids to eat their greens without having to bring out the inner Asian parent in us? Here’s our very simple guideline for you to try and also two easy recipes to try and trick your little sprouts into eating their vegetables.

1. Hide them! - What they can’t see definitely won’t hurt them in this case. Chop them into tiny pieces, puree them, add sauce to hide their colors, change into a master of camouflage.
2. Mix it up – Add vegetables into your children’s favorite meals. Use greens as pizza toppings, in pasta sauce, vegetable fries, nuggets, burger patties and more. Heard of tofu burger? Mix that patty up with some minced greens.
3. Re-introduce – If they didn’t like broccoli when they were 2 years old, maybe they’ll like it when they’re 3, 4 or more. The key is to keep re-introducing and exposing your kids to vegetables. You can change the way you cut, cook or present it, just as long as you try a different way.

So to all the moms and dads reading this, we hope this guide will help with your little picky eater at home and remember, the most important thing is to keep trying. If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. Here is a hidden veggie recipe to try out!

Aloha Veggie Pizza

Ingredients :

• 1 store bought pizza base or tortilla wrap
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stick
• 3 button mushrooms
• Spinach
• 1/2 zucchini
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 cloves of  garlic
• 750 g tomato purée
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1 can pineapple cubes
• 200g shredded mozzarella
• 7-8  basil leaves (optional)

Steps :

1. Place chopped veggies, onion and garlic in Turbo Chopper and pull till finely minced.
2. Place a Black Series Frying Pan 28cm over medium heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Add your minced vegetables and fry until they are soft and aromatic.
3. Add tomato purée, salt and sugar to the pan. Simmer until sauce has reduced by about a quarter and thickened up a little. Add a splash of balsamic and simmer for another five minutes.
4. Pour sauce out and wash pan. Place it back on the stove and turn to medium heat. Once pan has dried out, place your pizza base and spread it with the delicious hidden veggie sauce, then add pineapple cubes and shredded mozzarella.
5. Cook for 10 - 12 minutes with the lid on until the cheese melts and bubbles a little bit.
6. Remove from stove and slid over a chopping board. Scatter basil leaves, slice into wedges and serve.