Sneaking veg into your kiddie’s meals

Like going to bed. Or having a bath. 

Vegetables also feature in this category.  

Zucchinis and tomatoes were our childhood nemeses. And now, twenty-something years later, they both feature on our list of “top 4 favourite veg”. 

Although veggies may not entice the kids to the dinner table, we know that their little growing bods need the fibre, vitamins and nutrients that vegetables have to offer. 

So how do we make sure our kiddos are getting that necessary nourishment? 

Our attempts to hide veggies in a bolognaise, have only taught us that we’re no match for a child’s 20/20 vision and their ability to spot a pea from 1 km away. 

Thankfully, there is another option!

Few kiddies resist the sweet smell of baked goods. Or cry about being asked to eat chocolate for breakfast. So why not consider adding some veggies to your next batch of brownies, morning porridge or flapjack stack? Coaxing your child into eating a muffin, will be much easier than spooning pumpkin into their mouth whilst they close their eyes and block their nose. 

You may think this idea is far-fetched. Or wonder how one could possibly do this without compromising the taste, colour and texture of these sweet treats. 

But never fear dears! Macro Mixes has some sneaky solutions to disguise those vegetables perfectly. 

Enter our pre-mixes and porridges.

With a range of yummy thangs to choose from, you should be able to find something that will suit your little one’s tastes. Gluten-free, sugar-free and high-protein, with some vegan options too, they also cater to a variety of dietary preferences. Mixing up some veggies into the batter is easy-peasy and, distracted by our delicious flavours, no one will even know that they’re there! 

Most of our goodies call for the addition of liquid, and some suggest eggs or banana. Nana can easily be replaced with pumpkin, or you could even give sweet potato or cauliflower a whirl! These can be cooked, and then blended with the ingredients of our baking products. Or pureed, and stirred into our oats or porridges for a creamy, dreamy bowl of goodness. Veiled by vanilla or chocolate, these veg will go undetected and be scooped up by the spoonful! 

Carrots are also fab, and a perfect complement to sweet or savoury delights. So are zucchinis, with their mild, nutty flavour. Both can be grated and added to our muffins or pancakes, to create traditional sweet treats or something a lil’ salty. 

And lest we forget the legumes. These are a win if you’re after a fantastic, fudgy consistency. Chickpeas are suggested for our vegan brownies, but could be added to a number of our premixes for a soft, gooey end product. If you’re open to dabbling in the world of beans, you could even replace them with cooked lentils, red kidney, cannellini, butter or black beans. 

Great news is, this is just the tip of the ice-berg! Butternut, beetroot…. the list goes on.

Gone are the days when veggies were confined to stews and stir-frys. 

Now feeding your kids veg, is a piece of cake! 

P.S. Experimenting with these substitutions may require adjusting the quantity of liquid and the cooking time. If you have any questions about how to do this, take a squizz at our Facebook page or Insta account for some recipes. You’ll also find helpful hints and tips from our amazing community of Macro-Munchers, and from our team. Have fun!

Written by Claire Willows