Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Birds Eye Vegetables. All opinions and photos remain my own.
This summer, Birds Eye wants to know how you rewrite the rules with vegetables:
Ninety percent of kids don’t eat the recommended amount of veggies each day and summer is an ideal time to try a new approach. Nickelodeon’s Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy is on a mission to put the play back on the plate. She’s teamed up with Birds Eye Vegetables for a multi-week challenge for families to seize the fun and Rewrite the Dinnertime Rules leading up Nickelodeon’s 10th annual Worldwide Day of Play this fall.
In addition to playing with their veggies and enjoying more relaxed family dinners, this summer kids and parents can also enter for a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to join Jennette McCurdy at Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play flagship event. Through this campaign families have an opportunity to learn new ideas that could help shape a lifetime of healthy eating. Each week kids can follow along online at Nick.com/BirdsEye for veggie-themed games and exclusive behind-the-scenes videos with Jennette. Parents should visit www.BirdsEye.com for easy advice on getting kids to eat their veggies, more dinner “rules” and recipe ideas created for and tested by kids. The sweepstakes deadline is August 26 at noon.
There are so many ways to get your kids interested in eating veggies. Whether you let them choose the vegetables themselves–my kids love doing this, and actually enjoy browsing the farmers’ markets, too, because they can have a say in what I select–or try veggies in a new and exciting way, it’s important to get them eating their vegetables at a young age. I’ve been very lucky that my kids usually don’t balk at the idea of snacking on broccoli and munching on carrots, but I know it’s difficult for many parents to get their kids to partake.
Birds Eye not only makes it easier to get the veggies on the table with products like their Steamfresh pouches, which take mere minutes and no prep time, but they also have some great, imaginative recipes for you, too. How about some veggie smoothies made with carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli? Your kids will ask for seconds without even realizing how much good they’re doing their bodies!
Fall is around the corner–sad to say–and with it comes a very busy sports schedule for us. It’s not always possible to get dinner on the table before soccer practice, but what I’m sharing with you today will hold them over and they can make it themselves. All you need are some English muffins, pasta sauce, shredded cheese, and Birds Eye frozen vegetables. I went with broccoli this time, but their frozen asparagus, spinach, and even green peppers will be sure to please.
To help you out, Birds Eye has given me a $50 Amex gift card to give away so you can get started on your veggie revolution. I also have 10 coupons for free Birds Eye products for a 2nd winner. We want your kids eating right, and this will get you well on your way to that. Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Winners will be contacted via email and will have 24 hours to respond before a new winner will be selected. Giveaway is open to residents of the United States only.
Broccoli Muffin Pizzas
Ingredients
- 4 English muffins split down the middle
- 2/3 cup jarred pasta sauce
- 2/3 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1 package Birds Eye Steam Fresh frozen broccoli
Instructions
- Lightly toast the English muffins.
- Preheat toaster oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Divide the sauce evenly among the muffins.
- Divide the cheese evenly among the muffins, sprinkling over the sauce evenly.
- Pick out broccoli florets from the package and let the kids place them on the English muffins. They do not need to be pre-cooked (serve any remaining as a side dish).
- Place muffin pizzas on the center rack and bake for 7-9 minutes, or until the cheese is melty and the broccoli is warm. (This may take 2 rounds to bake all the mini pizzas, depending on the size of your toaster oven; if you don't have a toaster oven, you can do this is in your regular oven.)
- Serve immediately.
Easy, right? Making vegetables a part of your kids diet doesn’t have to be difficult!
Well, I don’t have kids, but I guess if I did, I’d do the same things my parents did – just make them a normal part of what we ate.
Amen to that! If it’s a part of every meal, then it becomes expected!
For one, these mini pizzas look incredible. And for two, I don’t have kids. But, my 26 year-old boyfriend grew up pretty much on a diet of meat and carbs, because his parents didn’t quite press him when he said “no” to things that are green. So now I’m stuck with the task of making him a veggie lover. Recent accomplishments: he’ll eat spinach, he tried broccoli (though he still doesn’t like it), and he’s tolerating kale in small quantities but definitely not raw. Salads are still out. Oof.
My husband is a REALLY picky eater. Moreso than the kids. I used to practically puree the onions and peppers in chili, otherwise he’d pick them out!
I add yummy sauces or dips
Heck, that’s what I do to eat eggs. 😉 It works!
2 out of 3 of my kids love veggies, the other 1 will not try anything no matter how I try.
How frustrating!
We use dipping sauces.
Everybody loves to dip!
I like to hide fruit and veggies in baked goods! 😀
Muffins and quick breads come to mind. They add a wonderful moistness and you don’t even notice them much!
I don’t have kids, carrie! but I still struggle to eat them sometimes and it is easier if I drink them or hide them under a lot of cheese…which probably isn’t the best idea.
However you can get them in, right?
I like to mix fruit and veggies in a smoothie for delicious hiding.
I could definitely use this AMEX card for my trip to San Francisco!
Murissa
Smoothies are an awesome way for upping the fruit and veggie intake!
I have been blessed with children and grandchildren that love veggies! I need to try the Broccoli Muffin Pizzas this weekend when they spend Labor Day with us. Thanks for the giveaway too!
It’s so much easier when the kiddos take to veggies, but I understand the struggle others go through. My nephew is rather picky. Hope they enjoy the pizzas!
My niece and nephew always turn their nose at veggies. I neglect to tell them that when they eat my homemade pasta sauce, that it’s full of all the veggies they say they don’t like! But they love the sauce.
Nice job sneaking in those veggies! Sauce is a great vehicle for that!