Homemade Tips for Parents

Fruits and vegetables (Photo credit: nutrilover)

By Juvy S. Iliwiliw


For the more hands-on parents, here are a few quick homegrown tips  shared to me by an expert mom on making children's meals more nutritious yet fun.



Incorporate vegetables into their favorite. ("It should be deceptively delicious"):

• Include cauliflower in scrambled eggs.
• Put fruit bits/veggie shreddings inside burger patties.
• Sprinkle grated or pureed carrots to spaghetti.
• Make soups out of food stock.

Incorporate fruits in their diets:

• Include fruit slices like Del Monte Fiesta Fruit Cocktail into ice cream servings.
• Serve as frozen fruit popsies or fruit ice candies.
• Serve as mini fruit gels.

Substitute meat toppings with chicken, fish or tofu toppings:

• Substitute ground pork for meatballs with ground chicken or tofu.
• Use ground chicken or fish as pizza toppings.

Create fun ways of serving fruits and vegetables:

• Cut veggies in various shapes like stars.
• Arrange fruits on dishes to form their favorite cartoon characters.

Serve a variety of foods in smaller portions and varying textures. (Balance and combine dry and wet dishes and colors.)

Don't overcook veggies. Their colors must be vibrant and enticing.

Overall, make meal time a pleasant experience.

Try this favorite dish that tickles the palate.

VEGETARIAN SOFT TACO

You will need:

2 tsp               olive oil

1/2 cup           corn kernel

1/2 cup           diced carrots

1 tsp               Maggi Magic Sarap

2 cups             spinach leaves, blanched

6-8 pcs           pita bread

2 pcs               tokwa, diced and fried until crispy

                       Nestle Cottage Cheese

Here's how:

1. Heat olive oil. Stir-fry corn and carrots. Season with Maggi Magic Sarap. Add in spinach leaves and remove from heat. Set aside in a bowl.

2. Heat pita bread on a bread toaster until soft and pliable. Put 2-3 tbsp of the corn and carrot mixture. Top with fried tokwa and cottage cheese. Roll into a log and arrange on a platter.

3. Serve with the prepared salsa on the side.

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