With two young boys to feed, meal times can be tricky. Luckily, Knox is a pretty adventurous eater and will eat most anything, but Andrew can be picky. To get him to eat his veggies usually involves bribery for a cookie. 🙂 Andrew also has food allergies, including egg and sesame, so I have to be especially mindful about what he is eating. I’ve gotten pretty creative about sneaking greens into their diets, and I wanted to share a few of my favorite tricks with you. It’s amazing how well these have worked — hopefully you’ll have luck using them with your kiddos!

“Chocolate Shake” Smoothies  

The boys love when I make smoothies in the morning — they call them “chocolate shakes” and don’t even realize when I pack them with spinach or kale! I blend bananas, spinach, and almond milk with Daily Sunshine powder which is loaded with vitamins. These smoothies are the perfect way to start their day off with a boost of energy and nutrients. I also think the boys feel grown up when they get to drink the same smoothie as me in the morning. 🙂

Fresh Juice

We love our Breville juicer and it makes eating greens fun for the boys! They love helping me juice up a sweet blend of fruits and veggies. A few of our favorites are apples, grapes, carrots, celery, and leafy greens like kale or spinach. With the fruit mixed in, the juice is always sweet enough that they don’t even taste the savory veggies.

Soups

Soups are one of the easiest ways to disguise greens. Even if the recipe doesn’t call for it, I will add in a couple of handfuls of leafy greens at the end and they wilt in super easily. This makes your kids’ favorite potato or chicken noodle soup even more hearty and nutritious! We shared a favorite soup recipe in this meal plan.

Omelets

Although Andrew can’t eat eggs, omelets are a great way to add greens to both Knox’s and my diets. Spinach wilts in so easily and two heaping handfuls basically becomes a few bites. I also like adding in tomatoes and mushrooms for extra flavor and vitamins with a side of sliced avacado.

Spaghetti

Spaghetti is such an easy weeknight crowd pleaser and I try to make it as nutritious as possible by adding veggies to the sauce. Sautéed squash, spinach, onion, and mushrooms are all great additions that mix in well with meat sauce — the boys are never able to tell that they are getting a substantial amount of vegetables with their pasta! We shared a favorite spaghetti recipe in this meal plan post.

Veggie and Dip Snacks

One of my go-to afternoon snacks for the boys is a veggie tray with a dip, like a light dressing or hummus (for Knox). You can swap out chips for sliced vegetables like cucumbers, carrots, sliced peppers, tomatoes, and even endive lettuce leaves. The boys are so excited about the dip that they don’t even notice all of the veggies they’re eating in the process!

Do you have any tips for sneaking in greens?? I’d love to hear them in the comments below! xo