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As a seasoned mother of four and early childhood educator with more than twenty years of experience, I can personally attest to the challenge of convincing little ones gastronomic pleasure exists in the often-avoided vegetable.
In honor of the recently celebrated National Eat Your Vegetables Day (June 17th), please allow me to introduce you to spunky Lola and her brother Charlie. Lola refuses to eat her vegies until they evolve into “moonsquirters” and other delightful specialties. “I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato” by Lauren Child is a wonderful read for the child with a choosy palate. It’s also perfect if you’re exploring gardening or vegetable units.
I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato (Lauren Child)
Stone Soup (Marcia Brown)
The Carrot Seed (Ruth Kraus and Crockett Johnson)
Eating the Alphabet (Lois Elhert)
How Are You Peeling (Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers)
The Vegetables We Eat (Gail Gibbons)
L M N O Peas (Keith Baker)
Sylvia’s Spinach (Katherine Pryor and Anna Raff)
Eat Your Peas, Louise (Pegeen Snow and Mike Venezia)
Sophie’s Squash (Pat Zietlow and Anne Wilsdorf)
Extension Activities
1) Plant fast-growing vegetables with your child or class. Lettuce and carrots are simple options.
2) Visit a farmer’s market and encourage your child or students to choose the vegetables.
3) Make Vegetable Soup or Gazpacho (see recipe below) with the vegetables purchased at the market.
4) Once you have used the stalks of a celery bunch, use the remainder to create a print (looks like a rose) or slice potatoes in half and dip in paint (add details to make funny faces/people).
5) Print the free coloring sheet featured below.
V is for Vegetables Coloring Sheet
Click here.
Looking for a little grown-up enjoyment? Why not try this tasty Low Fodmap Gazpacho? If you and your child or students purchase the vegetables at a farmer’s market or grocery store, this simple soup might even tempt the wee ones in your life to try something new.
Easy Low Fodmap Gazpacho
Ingredients
4 cups tomato juice
1 tsp. garlic infused olive oil
1 green bell pepper, minced
1 cucumber, chopped
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 green onions (tops only), chopped
1-2 tsp. garlic infused olive oil,
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
h1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Method
In a blender or food processor, combine tomato juice, bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, green onion tops, garlic infused olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, tarragon, basil, parsley, sugar, salt, and pepper. Blend until well-combined but still slightly chunky. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)
What other veggie related books do you recommend? I’d love to know!
May your teaching and mothering be full of unexpected blessings,
Tammy