The school year is starting up again, and with it frequently comes a battle of wills. Parents rush their children to get ready in the morning, to eat their breakfast quickly and get out the door. Dinner times are also frequently rushed, as they are smooshed between homework and sports practices. Some parents hide vegetables in the family meal as a last resort – just to avoid a mealtime battle or power struggle. At least there is the peace of mind that they are eating their vegetables. In our house, though, I am not comfortable with being so sneaky. We celebrate good, healthy, seasonal and sustainable food. The kids might not like it, but I serve it proudly. They get to participate in making meal choices and even in the cooking process – both of which help immensely.

When I saw this article on one of my favorite websites, Culinate, I knew I had to share it. It offers some delicious, fun, and honest ways to serve green vegetables to children. The article was written by Ali Benjamin, who writes a fantastic blog called the Cleaner Plate Club.

I am just including a little teaser here, in hopes that you will take a look at the article and be inspired to have fun while you serve some greens to your family…

Getting kids to eat green foods — ogre-colored Shrek Go-Gurt notwithstanding — takes patience, persistence, and good modeling. Sure, it helps to get them involved with gardening, harvesting, and cooking vegetables. But in the meantime, if you don’t want to go Jessica Seinfeld-stealthy, try these kid-friendly green veggies to jumpstart your wee one’s enthusiasm.

1. Kale chips.
2. Edamame.
3. Dinosaur trees.
4. Peas
5. Beans from a teepee.
6. Zucchini fritters.
7. Artichokes.
8. Homemade ranch dressing.