Cooking With Kids: Easy, No Bake Veggie Pizza Recipe
How do you get kids to eat their vegetables?
Many parents complain that their kids won't eat vegetables. I was at a baby shower recently with my daughter and the lady next to me asked me how in the world I was able to get my daughter to eat the broccoli soup that she was eating. My answer, I started them from the beginning. I always fed my children vegetables from the time that they could eat regular food and never gave up. I also found it important to give my kids unusual vegetables like asparagus, cauliflower, eggplant, and parsnips. Children will not just wake up one day at the ripe old age of eight and want to eat every vegetable that you place in front of them. It must be done early and consistently.
So what happens if you haven't been doing that? Don't worry it's not too late! There are many ways that you can get your kids to eat their veggies, it will just take a little more creativity and probably more attempts on your part as the parent.
Easy Vegetarian Pizza
Making vegetables fun to eat is one of the easiest ways to get kids to eat them. Sure you can "hide" the veggies in various other foods but I have never been a big fan of that to be quite honest with you. I think that it is ok sometimes, but my personal belief is that children should learn the taste of veggies and how to eat them so that they will continue to have healthy eating habits as they become adults and no one is there to "hide" their veggies for them.
One way that we like to get our daily dose of vegetables is to make vegetarian pizza for a snack. I have seen a recipe similar to this one but it involves cooking the 'dough'. The thing that I like about this recipe is that it is quick, does not involve any baking and can be used as a light lunch or for a healthy after school snack.
How did you enjoy this kid friendly vegetarian pizza?
Cook Time
Vegetables for the Pizza
There are many vegetables that you can add to this pizza. Try to put out some veggies that you know that your children will enjoy as well as some that are new to them and encourage them to give it a try.
- carrots
- avocado
- red, yellow, or green peppers
- broccoli
- cauliflower
- green onion
- chopped spinach
- tomatoes
Ingredients for Vegetable Pizza
- about 1/4 cup cream cheese
- 1/4-1/2 cup various chopped vegetables
- 4 small whole wheat tortillas
Instructions for Veggie Pizza
- Chop the veggies into small, bite sized pieces. Remember that this should be done by an adult or by a responsible, older child under adult supervision.
- Take the small whole wheat tortillas and spread a thin layer of cream cheese on it.
- Sprinkle the veggies over the top of the cream cheese and cut into "pizza slices." Enjoy the veggie pizza!
Photos of making our pizzas.
Click thumbnail to view full-size
Eating the Vegetarian Pizzas
Not only did my kids have a great time making their own veggie pizzas, but they loved eating them too. There was not one vegetable left behind. In fact my kids are not particularly fond of tomatoes but they each tried them on their pizza creations. My daughter stayed with her dislike but my son decided that he really does like tomatoes! Here's to getting your kids to eat their veggies and like them too!
