Getting kids to eat vegetables can be challenging. Many refuse, even though veggies are crucial for a healthy diet. However, with a cunning strategic approach, it’s possible to encourage schoolchildren to consume more greens.

Here are 10 general tips to consider when trying to get schoolchildren it eat more vegetables:

1. Camouflage the Veggies: Incorporate vegetables into popular dishes like pasta, pizza, and sandwiches. Grate or finely chop vegetables and mix them into sauces, soups, or fillings.
2. Make it Fun: Create interesting and colourful vegetable presentations. Think rainbow salads, vegetable skewers, or veggies cut into fun shapes.
3. Cook Creatively: Roast, grill, or sauté vegetables to enhance their natural flavours. Use herbs and spices to make them more flavourful.
4. Encourage Self-Service: Allow children to serve themselves. They’re more likely to eat vegetables when they have control over their choices.
5. Offer Dips: Many kids enjoy dipping their food. Offer healthy dips like yoghurt, or low-fat dressings alongside raw veggies.
6. Include in Snacks: Use vegetables in snacks, such as vegetable muffins, veggie chips, or blended into smoothies.
7. Foster a Positive Environment: Promote a vegetable-friendly environment. Encourage children to try new veggies and praise them when they do.
8. Educate: Teach kids about the benefits of eating vegetables. Use visual aids, interactive activities, or school garden programs.
9. Regular Variety: Regularly rotate the vegetables on offer to keep things interesting and prevent boredom.
10. Involve Kids: Involve children in meal preparation where possible. Kids are more likely to eat something they’ve helped to prepare.

Encouraging students to consume their daily recommended servings of vegetables can be an uphill battle. However, as culinary professionals, we possess the power to turn this challenge into a delicious opportunity. One particularly effective strategy is the artful disguise of vegetables in pasta dishes – a universally loved food across various age groups.

The process begins with selecting suitable vegetables that can blend seamlessly into the texture and flavour profile of pasta dishes. Options like carrots, bell peppers, zucchini, spinach, and tomatoes are excellent choices. These can be finely chopped, grated, or puréed, then mixed into a variety of sauces, ranging from classic tomato to creamy alfredo.

The trick lies in balancing the flavours – the aim is to ensure the taste of vegetables doesn’t overpower the dish but subtly enhances it. This can be achieved by slow-cooking the veggies in herbs and spices that complement the overall flavour of the pasta dish. Roasting vegetables before adding them to the sauce can also intensify their natural sweetness and add depth to the dish.

Pasta shapes and types play a crucial role too. Opting for whole-grain pasta increases the nutritional value, and interesting shapes like bow ties, spirals, or shells make the dish visually appealing to students.

Lastly, remember to regularly rotate the vegetables used and introduce new variations to keep the menu exciting and prevent ‘veggie fatigue.’ This way, students not only learn to appreciate different vegetables but also look forward to their next meal with anticipation.

Through these strategies, we can ensure that our students enjoy their meals while unconsciously consuming their necessary daily vegetable intake. It’s a win-win situation, proving once again that a bit of culinary creativity goes a long way in promoting healthier eating habits.

BROCCOLI PESTO PASTA

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 4-6 CHILDREN

• 35g pine nuts
• 350g broccoli (1 medium head)
• 30g fresh basil leaves
• 2 garlic clove
• 2 tbsp lemon juice + zest of ½ a lemon
• 4 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil – for a slightly healthier option, use water or a reduced salt stock

METHOD:

1. Heat up a small pan on a low heat, then add pine nuts and dry roast them until golden and fragrant, stirring regularly – set aside.
2. Divide the broccoli into florets
3. If possible, use a steamer to cook the broccoli, to retain the nutritional value. Otherwise, place in a pan with a little water and boil until cooked – but not too soft.
4. Place the steamed florets in a food processor, pulse them a few times until chopped small, then add in the toasted pine nuts, basil leaves, garlic, lemon juice, zest, parmesan, a little pepper (salt optional as it’s children), before you pulse the mixture some more. 
5. Finally, trickle in some olive oil and process again – if you don’t want to use too much olive oil, leave the texture as desired, then when using as a sauce with pasta, mix with some of the pasta water after cooking. 
6. Combine with pasta of choice, top with cheese and crispy breadcrumbs – optional.

FIVE-A-DAY BOLOGNESE

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 4 ADULTS (6 CHILD PORTIONS)

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 300g beef mince
• 3 onions, finely chopped
• 3 leeks, finely sliced 
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 red peppers, seeds removed and chopped into small pieces
• 2 large courgettes, chopped into small pieces
• 2 cans chopped tomatoes
• 4 tbsp tomato purée
• 100ml veg or beef stock
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 300g spaghetti
• 50g grated parmesan

METHOD: 

1. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, add the beef and fry until well browned. 
2. Tip out into a dish, set a side, discard the fat, then replace the same pan on a low heat, and add 2 tbsps of oil.
3. Cook the onions and leeks for 8-10 mins or until very soft, then add the garlic, pepper and courgette. 
4. Fry until the veg is starting to char at the edges and any water that’s been released has evaporated.
5. Tip the meat back into the pan and add the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, stock and oregano. 
6. Stir everything together, cover and simmer over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes. 
7. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti following pack instructions.
8. If the sauce looks too thick, put a spoonful of the pasta water into the sauce to loosen it.
9. Drain the spaghetti and tip into the Bolognese, mix through half the parmesan.
10. Serve with the remaining parmesan.

CAULIFLOWER MAC ‘N’ CHEESE

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 4

• 1 small cauliflower (roughly 500g-600g) – trimmed and cut into florets
• 265g macaroni pasta
• 28g butter
• 9g flour
• 250ml milk
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 145g cheese
• 25g panko breadcrumbs (or make your own breadcrumbs)

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 200c.
2. Remove the base and outer leaves from the cauliflower, then break into florets and wash – you could save the leaves and roast them with a little oil and salt and pepper for a crunchy side or topping!
3. Place the florets into a pan of boiling water and boil for roughly 8 minutes or until soft.
4. Drain the cauliflower and blend.
5. Cook the macaroni pasta in a saucepan of boiling water, as per pack instructions.
6. Meanwhile, make your sauce.
7. Add the butter to a saucepan, melt, then add the flour to form a roux, stir continuously for about 2 minute to cook out the flour.
8. Add milk – a little at a time – keep stirring or whisking continuously between each pour – stir out any lumps before adding more milk. 
9. Continue adding the milk little by little until all the milk is incorporated and the sauce is thick and glossy.
10. Take off the heat and stir in the mustard and around ⅔ of the cheese (115g), reserving the rest for the top.
11. Add the cauliflower puree to the sauce and combine – if the sauce seems too thick, add a little more milk or touch of veg stock.
12. Add the sauce to the drained pasta and mix well.
13. Pour into a large baking dish and top with the remaining cheese and panko breadcrumbs.
14. Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, until the top is crisp and golden.