March is National Nutrition Month: Growing and Cooking Your Own Veggies at Home
Happening annually, March is designated as National Nutrition Month. It was created by the National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to educate the public about eating well. Part of the mission at Ladybug for Girls is to focus on healthy eating, so we thought this month would be a good time to discuss ways to encourage your girls to eat healthy vegetables at home and maybe even grow their own. Let’s take a closer look.
Grow Your Own Vegetables
Gardening is a fun family activity that can teach your girls a valuable lesson about where their food comes from. Some easy vegetables to start with include:
- Green Beans
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Tomatoes
If you don’t have a yard, that’s fine too. These vegetables thrive in raised beds, pots, or hanging planters.
Easy Oven Roasted Vegetables
One of the easiest ways to see the results of your harvest is to roast the vegetables. Green beans, carrots, and potatoes are all delicious when roasted.
Prepare by cleaning the vegetables. Trim the stems off the green beans, peel the carrots and cut into rounds. Peel the potatoes and cut into ½ inch cubes. Preheat the oven to 450. Toss the vegetables in a drizzle of olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper, and roast for 20 to 30 minutes or until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
If your girls have a sweet tooth, these amazing chocolate muffins made with zucchini may be a perfect snack, dessert, or even breakfast food. These muffins are sweetened with maple syrup so they’re not overly sugary like store-bought muffins.
Roasted Carrot Soup
If you want a delicious soup to add to your weekly menu, a roasted carrot soup made with honey and flavored with nutmeg is perfect for all seasons. And you can make a batch ahead and freeze it to reheat when you need it most.
Cheesy Cauliflower and Carrot Macaroni
It can be a major challenge to convince your girls to eat the right amount of vegetables, especially when they’re younger. But most parents agree that macaroni and cheese is a childhood favorite. If you can sneak healthy cauliflower and carrot into this delightful dish, it can be a win/win for everyone.
We want to hear from you. Are you growing your own vegetables? What healthy dishes do you like to make? Share your ideas in the comments.