Do you need this blog for yourself?

Here's the good news and the bad news (depending on whether you like vegetables): You must eat the vegetables too. If you are not eating them, your children will likely not eat them. You may need this blog yourself in order to start your vegetable consumption. And as an added bonus, you will have a healthier diet.

I grew up in a household that served vegetables from a can. And only a few at that: peas, green beans, and corn. Even as an adult when I did my own grocery shopping, I bought canned vegetables. That’s what I knew. Then I met my husband. He grew up in a much different food culture than I did. He was appalled that I had canned vegetables in the cupboard (of course he didn’t say that at first). So then I began my journey of fresh vegetables. And wow! They actually tasted a lot better. To this day, I’m shocked at how much better a fresh green bean tastes compared to the canned version I used to eat. It doesn’t even taste like the same vegetable.

Start with the vegetables that you know you like. Then branch out. Like I said, my vegetable menu consisted of peas, green beans and corn. I remember once being served brussels sprouts as a kid. I gagged and refused to eat more than one…that was a long night at the dinner table. The first year we had the CSA share, there were fresh brussels sprouts one week. At first I didn’t know what to make of them. I believe those eventually went into the trash. The second time around, I thought what the heck, I’ll make them and see if I like them now. Low and behold, I loved them. It could be the preparation or that my tastes have changed, but brussels sprouts are now one of my favorite vegetables. There are also many others that I’ve come to love over the years. So branch out, try new vegetables.

If you eat them, your kids will too.