Summer brings an abundance of delicious seasonal fruits and vegetables. Farmers’ markets have farm-grown vegetables that taste so much better than what has been stored and shipped across the country (or the world). Take this opportunity to encourage your kids to try out something new. In the summer months, my kids can’t get enough of seasonal melons, corn on the cob, and more. Having them fresh and readily available encourages me to include more vegetables in our lunches and dinners.
Growing your own vegetables, in a small patch in your yard or even in a couple containers on a deck or balcony, gets kids even more excited about eating vegetables. My four-year-old son Kyle took this picture of our garden (don’t even get me started on the fun value of letting them play with your camera). We are seeing the little broccoli florets begin to form in the center of the big leaves, and it’s exciting. This is our third attempt to grow corn, and the plants are looking green and healthy. I hope it will be our best crop so far (the weeds are certainly thriving).
Hidden Valley Ranch is part of a nationwide school campaign encouraging kids to love their veggies. At loveyourveggiesgrants.org there are some great tips to help your kids love their veggies and get in the two to five cups a day that is recommended for a child under twelve. Another way that they are trying to encourage healthy eating is by publishing the book Henry and the Hidden Veggie Garden. They have enlisted mother and actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley to co-author this book with with her father, professional writer Gurney Williams III.
I have to admit a bias towards “star authors.” However, I’m not sure where exactly my bias lies. On one hand I think, “Kimberly Williams-Paisley–she’s so pretty, and I just love those “Father of the Bride” movies. I would love to read her little book!” On the other hand, I tend to put that book to a higher standard thinking, “I hope that they don’t think I’ll read this book just because someone famous wrote it.” I can honestly say that regardless of who wrote it and why I’m reading it, it’s a charming book!
It’s all about hidden vegetables–starting off with the vegetables that Henry hides on his plate so he doesn’t have to eat them, then learning with him about carrots and other root vegetables that are hidden underground as they grow, and finally his seeing his cousin Huck’s own little hidden garden which encourages him to start a hidden garden of his own.
I read this book to my son Kyle. Then the next day he asked me to read it again. The book has been out on the table in the living room because I needed to keep it out as a reminder to write this up. At least once a day he picks it up and asks me to read it to him. My nine-
year-old daughter Amanda picked it up and read it to herself. It’s a great story, but what’s more–the not-so-subtle message about eating vegetables seems to be working.
This morning a couple hours after breakfast I heard Kyle scrounging in the refrigerator and I asked him what he was doing. “I’m hungry. Can I have a snack?” was the reply. Before I could answer he said, “How about some salad? Some salad with a little bit of dressing,” he said as he got the balsamic ranch dressing out of the fridge. “I can’t argue with that,” I thought as I prepared him a little salad. I asked him if he wanted tomatoes or anything else in his salad, and he said, “Just some carrots, cut up.” I put the carrots beside his bowl of salad, and he said, “No, I want a little bowl of dressing to dip the carrots in.” That’s when I knew that he was taking his cue from Henry, the boy in the book who learned to eat his veggies, because that’s exactly what he had for lunch one day!
Five of you (U.S. or Canadian Residents) will win a copy of Henry and the Hidden Veggie Garden. If you’d like to buy a book (U.S. residents only) they are available to purchase for only $5.00 through September.
To enter, spread the word about the Creative Summer Days giveaway event taking place here on 5 Minutes for Mom. Then leave a comment here. Just for fun, tell me your kids’ favorite vegetables (my daughter loves raw peppers–orange and yellow the best, and the veggie my son is most likely to eat without a fuss is grape tomatoes).
The winners will be announced on June 24 with the others from the Creative Summer Days event.
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{ 260 comments… read them below or add one }
my son is a big veggie eater, carrots are probably his favorite! We’d love a chance at this book.
This is definitely a book we need at my house!
Believe it or not, my 21 mos old eats salad leaves plain! His favorite, though, is probably sweet potatoes or peas.
Both of my kiddos probably love corn-on-the-cob better than any veggie (and I’m pretty sure that’s a starch and not a true veggie). They do love baby carrots, too.
actually my kids fave veggies are potatoes but I dont’ know if they really count since they taste good LOL
My kids will only eat corn (on the cob) and peas…thanks so much for the chance!
My baby loves sweet potatoes and my toddler loves broccoli!
My picky Princess doesn’t like any vegetables, so I’d love to win this book! (the other two love their carrots the most)
My girls eat veggies well. We will see about my little Henry. We would love this book!
We’d love this book – our newest baby boy is named Henry
My kid’s favorites are Bobs. No that’s not a typo. They will tell you and then run and get one out of the fridge and get one or two and eat them just like an apple.
now can you guess where they came up with that name from!
My kids will eat their veggies first, even before their pb sandwiches. And then they ask for more. Don’t know where they got that from!
So far my son’s favorites are carrots and broccoli.
Spinach if it’s on a pizza!
Broccoli is definitely all three of my kids’ favorites, along with baby carrots!
My daughter LOVES tomatoes (or pomatoes as she calls them). LOL!
My son loves baby carrots, peas, raw peppers like your daughter, broccoli, he’s pretty much a veggie eater! This is a great giveaway and what an awesome book. We’re growing a garden and our son loves to tromp through it and listen to us talk about the different veggies popping up! He’s loves to water the garden…but his favorite thing to do is get his shovel and dig up the dirt. Thanks for the opportunity. Will be linking up!
My kids like cooked brocolli best!
My daughter loves cooked winter squash- she will eat that over anything.
(My post with your button is here: http://www.livinwithme.com/2008/06/fabulous-giveaways/)
my son loves kohlrabe
My post is up!
My son loves grape tomatoes
cool
Sounds like something I would like to win! My kids favorite veggie is olives. lol are olives veggies? my baby loves broccoli… my oldest likes peppers.
God bless-
Amanda
COUNT ME IN! The kids would love this!
This book might actually help my family eat their veggies! Sounds like a great book!:-)
One daughter loves broccoli the other green beans. Book looks great!!
My kids love Potatoes, Carrots and Zucchini!
I have your contest link on my blog! Thanks!
I have a really picky eater, but my daughter loves corn and carrots. My son, on the other hand, loves any fruit or veggie, you put in front of him.
Squash is their fav veggie right now but they like most foods!
my boys’ favourite veggie is the carrot. But we are branching out into fresh snap peas lately.
My weirdo 2 year old loves salad with blue cheese dressing. I guess he likes his veggies hidden in plain sight; some of the things he likes in salad, he’d never eat in a pile on his plate. He and his 5 year old brother both love peas and corn straight from the freezer.
my daughter loves tomatoes
I am a vegetarian and think this book is super! I see it is written by the actress that played “Dana” on the “According to Jim” television show. She is married to a country western singer. My sons eat most vegetables. One tends to like fruit more and one likes veggies more, though! Please enter me in your book drawing. Thanks,Cindi
Great book…hope more kids eat more veggies
my grandson loves summer squash
My daughter likes well-cooked broccoli. Struggling to get the other stuff down her . . .
My kids have always loved corn on the cob.
My daughter likes corn
my grandkids favorite is carrots…great giveaway
My kids are veggie lovers, my 3 year old son will sit and eat a whole bell pepper like it’s an apple !!!
Believe it or not, when my kidlets were tiny their fav veggie was asparagus. It was easy to pick up and they loved it!
carrots
my son loves tomatoes
My kids love green beans – but they have to be fresh from the garden and canned by granny! And, I love ‘em too!
cucumber
My son Gabriel’s favortie veggies are Sweet Potatoes/Yams (same thing to me,LOL) and potatoes! He’s a spud type of boy!
http://kristiniac.blogspot.com
We’ve blogged about the Summer giveaways at Loving Heart Mommy, be sure to check it out!
all 4 of my kids will eat grape tomatoes and cucumbers w/o complaining!
Vegetables…. always tricky. My 16 year old likes cucumbers; my 4 year old grated zucchini; my 3 year old loves raw broccoli
gkstratos @yahoo.com
One is a carrot and squash eater. The other loves green beans.
We’d love a chance at this! I have one great veggie eater…and ONE veggie challenged child!
My daughter likes corn and cooked brocolli
I would love this book for my little one. Thanks,Anne
My youngest son loves vegetables. He will cry if he does not get a salad with his food (and the adults do). Both of the boys favorite vegetalbes are corn on the cob
My kids both love peppers.
My children love corn on the cob
My daughter LOVES onions…and garlic too.
Green Beans!!! They are pretty picky eaters so I’m happy with this one. Also, corn on the cob – yeah for summer.
Wish my boys had a favorite vegetable that they ate….:-)
they both love carrots
My daughter loves green beans and broccoli (even better with cheese sauce). Thanks for the giveaway!
Sweet corn on the cob is always a favorite!
My daughter loves brocolli.
My son loves carrots.
potatoes
What kind of vegetables does Henry eat?
My grandson loves broccoli and beets the best although he finds other vegestables tasty as well. My granddaughter, now, that’s a different matter. I once saw her bite into a carrot stick. I think she thought it was some kind of weird meat stick–like a hot dog. she needs this book.
My daughter likes carrots
My son likes potatoes
my lily loves peas. I love them too.
Lately the favorite vegetable is cucumbers. I have several plants growing in my garden to help feed these hungry kids!
Broccolio or carrots.
My kids love corn the most
My daughters would love this book. It’s hard to choose a favorite veggie. My girls love them all, if Ihave to choose probably zuchinni, or broccali.
TRICIACUS76@YAHOO.COM
son loves it all except aspsagus as he calls it
Her favorite vegetable is green beans.
they love all veggies
favorites are cauliflower, cherry tomatoes and spring onions!
I’d love this book for my neohew!
Thanks
fresh corn on the cob is a great hit in our house!
I sure hope I win thanks. Beleive it or not the favorite veggie in our house is Broccoli with cheese.
Carrots!
carrots (cooked)
Apsaragus. It’s the only veggie that all three of mine will eat and actually ask for seconds of. Can’t say that I blame them, it’s one of my favorites too!!
My boys favorite is zucchini as long as it is in my zucchini bread. Thanks for the chance.
carrots & peas
My two year old grandaughter loves carrots-cooked or raw.
My Abby Jo loves green beans. But there really isn’t a veggie she doesn’t like…so far!
I love a good book!
My 6 year old used to LOVE broccoli but now his favorite is a basic side salad.
My 4 year old is in the I-hate-everything phase right now. Last I remember her favorite veggie was cooked carrots.
My 2 year old is anti-veggie. He has only ever eaten 1 veggie. Cut Green Beans. What is the worst I can’t make them fresh or prepare them anyway other than straight from can to microwave! He also loves a pasta dish that has squash in it, but he doesn’t know that.
only corn
My son love Italian cut green beans.
My 3 year old son’s favorite veggie is raw carrots (not cooked!) and he loves dipping them in ranch dressing!!! My daughter is 9mo old and seems to like her pea’s the most :O)
My kids are not in love with vegetables but their favorite is potatos.
I need it for my salsa vegetables, thanks
corn and peas
Everone loves carrots when I back them and they get sugary and carmelized!
Believe it or not, they love all veggies, but then again, I’m vegetarian, so I brought them up on veggies!
My son’s favorite veggie is potatos, my grandson it is corn.
We definitely need this book here, as corn is the only thing i can get my kids to eat.
corn
THANK YOU GOD BLESS
My kids like sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, raw peas, swiss chard, and just about anything if it’s baked in quiche, and my daughter loves asparagus. This sounds like a really neat book- thanks for the give away!
Our children will eat any vegetable equally.
What a wonderful prize!
I am so blessed to have a son who loves veggies! He has always loved corn, carrots, broccoli, green beans and cauliflower. I can’t get him to eat cooked carrots, but hey, I can’t complain!
My daughter loves broccoli, mashed cauliflower, carrots, grape tomatoes (although every time she eats one, she has to inform me that they are indeed fruit) and cukes (our cool nickname). We encourage her to try new things, so artichokes are next to try. I just need to find a good recipe.
We love veggies here so that would be great for our book collection.
Veggies? My kid will not eat any. Well, he’ll have corn if I’m lucky…
My son loves potatoes! I really wish I could get him interested in other types of veggies.
SQASH
My son, Henry (age 5), prefers his veggies frozen. When I pull out broccoli or green beans from the freezer, he would rather have a bowl of that then once they are cooked.
we love all vegetables at our house – except for beets. Thanks for the contest!
Melissa Neece
http://melissaneece.blogspot.com (lots of pregnancy and natural living links)
http://melissasreviews.blogspot.com (holistic reviews for the practical person)
http://bookretrospects.blogspot.com (book reviews by a voracious reader)
My ten year old daughter just loves Brussels Sprouts. She and I are the only ones in the family that love them.
Gotta be carrots! Thank you.
potatoes, thanks for the contest
They both love green beans and carrots cooked. My girl loves fresh veggies and ranch dip. She’ll choose that as a treat before candy or other sweets
Alexa loves carrots. Eats them as quick as the easter bunny can devour them.
Kids are grown! my son is eating a lot more veggies and my daughter loves salad!
My grandkids:
Tyler; green beans
Dylan: cucumbers
Lauren: cucumbers, broccoli
Emma: corn
Abby: carrots
My little ones LOVE green beans. In fact, my almost 5 year old complained that she only got 3rd at lunch today!
my kids love, believe it or not broccoli. thanks
My kids love carrots, onions, broccoli, cabbage, any sort of lettuce, corn, potatoes…they love just about every vegetable.
My son likes salads the best believe it or not! He doesn’t like the tomatoes but he gobbles up the lettuce and the carrots I put in there!
My kids both go crazy for corn on the cob. It’s just not the same out of a can.
cant get my kid to eat cooked vegetables…will eat anything raw, but don’t you dare cook them
Luckily my children like eating their veggies, esp. cherry tomatoes and corn, but my eldest is starting to eat less vegetables. Hopefully this book will help encourage him more.
all my kids love salad with broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, YUM!
my kids like the Father of the Bride movie and we’d love to win Kimberly’s book
My two year old twins just love green beans and carrots if they’re soft.
All three kids love corn and really whine if I try to give them something different!
Right now, my kids’ favorite vegetable is asparagus. We grill it and put parmesan cheese on it and the kids eat it right up.
Broccoli has actually always been our favorite…cooked or raw…we ALL love it…thanks for great contest
my little guy is 20 mos, and right now you can hardly get him to eat a veggie…drives me crazy!
Hey Jenifer, do us a great favor and take a look at our new pre-school DVD ’123 it’s a fruity abc’ – we’re getting great feedback from parents with kids as young as 15 months asking for fruit while they interact with it. There are clips on our website http://www.123fruityabc.com, You tube, myspace and Amazon. Enjoy!
What a cute idea!!!
My kids favorite veggies are beans…and I hate them!!
I’d love this because my older girl loves veggies, yet my youngest really struggles to eat them. They do both love carrots, and my older girl loves broccoli! Thanks for offering this – it’s a great giveaway!
~Tanya
the4moyers(at)msn(dot)com
My daughter loves broccoli, green beans, and spinach. Thanks for the sweepstakes!
Corn on the cob…I think it is because they can eat it with their hands.
Sweet peas are her favorite.
corn
My kids love broccoli
The only veggie for my 21 month old son is corn on the cob
Green beans, believe it or not
My daughter loves broccoli, green beans, and spinach. Thanks for the sweepstakes!
Veggies are so more popular with the kids today. Mine love them and will eat them over treats.
My daughter cannot get enough of pickles. Any kind, whether it’s Dill or mustard she devours them. She has loved them since she was 6 months old
my kids both love corn, I can never make enough of it!
Corn is his favorite!!!
My daughter loves string beans and corn on the cob.
My baby loves veggies, but my 9 year old has a tough time with them. He’d rather eat mud than a carrot. Perhaps this book can help me help him!
This book would be great for my little nephews who are picky eater
How cute! My daughter loves to go to the farmer’s market on the weekends so I think she would love this book!
Jen, if you’d like to review the 123 it’s a frutiy abc DVD and run a competition with some dvd’s as prizes we’ll gladly send you some.
Just reply to info@123fruityabc.com
PS we’re bringing out a fruity numbers and counting DVD next…
Still trying to sneak veggies into my daughter’s food….
My daughter’s crazy for broccoli – raw or cooked.
Little’s favorites are corn on the cob and tomatoes. She would really enjoy this book. Thanks!
My son is just now starting to eat a few veggies…it only took 4 years to accomplish. We would love to read this book.
owatz (at) telus (dot) net
My 8 month old loves squash and my 2 year old’s favorite is Zuchini.
We are a family of four and we planted our first large garden this year. Strawberries, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, artichokes, beans and peas and lots of different types of tomatoes. My oldest will eat any veggie. My six year old is the pickiest eater I have ever met and swears that mushrooms are the only veggie he likes. My 3 year old will eat any veggie in moderation and the baby is still on breast milk only.
Their favorite veggie is corn on the cob if it’s in season. Otherwise, frozen corn and one of my children really likes lima beans.
Brocolli is best!!
We’d love to have a copy!
I blogged your contest on Prize-A-Tron!
http://www.prizeatron.com
My girls need a little help in the veggie dept and this sounds so cute. Please enter us!
Oh this would be nice!
carrots seem to be the hit
Help me feed my kids with veggies.
potatoes
What a cute book! And $5 is not bad to pay, if I don’t win. My kids’ fave veggies are green beans and squash. They’re good eaters, esp. in the veggie and fruit department!
My kids’ favorite vegetable is corn.
raw veggies work best in this house-carrots, peas and broccoli
My childrenwill not eat vegetables very good. They won’t eat carrots at all. They like broccoli though which is their favorite.
My daughter who is 3 loves olives, avocados and cherry tomatoes
My daughter loves broccoli and my son loves corn on the cob!
wow
My oldest likes mashed potatoes, that is it in the veggie dept. My youngest will eat any and all veggies. She gets excited when I bring a bowl of cauliflower or broccoli to the dinner table.
enter me
My kids like the more startchy veggies – corn, carrots, etc. I do try to get them to eat more green veggies. They do love Broccoli raw so I try and serve that. I am also trying to get them hooked on salads (like me!)
just to cool
the kids love all vegetables. hard for me to believe since i’m the picky one. i guess i need this book.
Carrots and, believe it or not, broccoli are the faves around here.
Passed your link to my friends in my “mommy group.” My son’s favorite veggie is celery with peanut butter on it right now, and my daughter’s is cherry tomatoes. We had to put in 3 plants to keep up with her!
My son loves sweet potatoes, peas, and green beans!
My kids love baked beans,carrots and peas.They will eat other vegetables but those are their favourite.Thank you for the contest.
Unfortunately, my kids’ favorite vegetables are potatoes. (We don’t eat healthy enough).
My daughter likes sweet peas best!
My kids love potatoes (of course), lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, etc. They have their moments when they really eat their veggies and others no so much!!
My son’s favorite vegetable is green beans.
My son loves broccoli. If I gave him a plate of chocolate and broccoli, he would probably eat the broccoli first!
Broccoli and cauliflower.
My infant son loves all veggies thus far; however, his 3 year old brother was the same way and now will only eat baby carrots!
tfisher83 AT myexcel DOT com
broccoli and avocado, wait, that a fruit or veggie??
I’d love to win this book!
My 7 yr old has always LOVED brocolli.
We still call them “trees”. Pass the trees please.
My daughter’s favorite vegetables are asparagus and broccoli.
Peas are the favorite at our house.
potatoes, thanks for the contest
What a great way to inspire kids to eat veggies.
My boys love carrots the most!
I wish my 3 year old liked at least 1 veggie, but he doesn’t. I need something this this to boost the veggies likeability factor!
Would love this book
son loves carrots
Corn on the cob!
My kids love corn, esp fresh corn on the cob!
My sons favorite is broccoli
corn
sweet peas
Cabbage
My grandson loves corn and peas but hates brocoli and asparagus.
Planting your own vegetable garden is a great way to get your kids to eat there vegi’s. I know that it worked for me growing up– I can remember thinking it was so cool that the vegi’s we were eating came from our own backyard!
Thank you for the chance to win!!!
my son loves carrots!
My youngest son thinks dill pickles are the best “green” vegetables in the world.
corn ty 4 the great contest!
My girls love carrots, broccoli, peas, corn. I can only get my son to eat corn & cooked carrots.
Carrots and corn on the cob are my two girls favorite veggies…
mixed veggies that way they can all pick out the ones they want to eat
My three yr old loves chewing on the tops of raw broccoli.
I LOVE YOUR SITE, KEEP UP THE AWESOME WORK!!!
Thanks for the great contest & please enter me.
Thanks
clemensrhonda@hotmail.com
My little girl loves veggies!
Sweet niblets!
Believe it or not my daughter loves onions
Carrots for my kids though they actually like all kinds of veggies!
Sounds like a great book! My 4 year old likes broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and corn on the cob!
cute book! My son is only 13 months,but he actually loves veggies! His favorite is sweet potatoes.
My little guy loves carrots and green bell peppers
So curious about this book!! My little guys favorites are green beans (only fresh or frozen though…Lol) and Carrots!!
This book is a must have!!!
My daughters favorite veggie is cucumber – especially with ranch dip, of course.
My kids like cucumbers and peas.
My children like green beans.
My children have always liked brocolli (the little green trees.).
Both my 10 year old and 2 year old seem to like brocoli.
saw this on tv tonight then found sweeps o yeah
My son loves peas, especially the freeze-dried ones that you can get at Whole Foods.
Anything to get kids to eat vegetables gets an A+ in my book. My family’s favorite vegetable is asparagus! Isn’t that weird that they love it? I grill it or broil it in the oven with a little bit of olive oil and garlic. And, belive me it is always a hit!
Corn (on the cob and smothered in butter)
Our family favorite is spinach. My kids like it so much they even make spinach sandwiches!
baby carrots
Carrots….are there any other vegtables??!! Thanks so much for the giveaway!
broccoli is our fav
My daughter loves most vegetables but her favorite, by far, is carrots. I feel very lucky that she does like her veggies. We would love to win this book. Thanks for the chance!!
We’d love a chance at this book.
My kids absolutely love carrots! Thank you so much for the great contest!
My boys both love carrots
My son loves corn, but everything else is a battle. My daughter is eager to try them all. Right now, squash is her favorite.
My granddaughter would love this book.
My daughter loves sauteed mushrooms.
The five yr old loves baby carrots and his 4 yr old sister loves any green veggie. She will down a huge salad before eating anything else.
Thanks for the contest.
Sliced cucumbers with Ranch dressing
Roasted brussell sprouts…and I’m not kidding!
My son loves carrots!
My daughter loves cherry tomatoes, and my son loves roasted cauliflower.
Green Beans rule my household. The kids love them.
My granddaughter loves green beans and carrots!
Amazingly enough, my daughter’s favorite veggie is broccoli. I have to pretend it tastes good for her sake.
my youngest son likes canned green beans
‘magic’ spinach
Green Beans
My daughter LOVES green beans..She often will even ask to have them for breakfast!
onions
my daughter loves corn!
Corn, carrots, beans, peas, and broccoli! My dd doesn’t like lettuce or bell peppers.
Love the radishes followed by the onions; thanks SW
one of my kids eats them all, but his fave is broccoli!!
What a nice book for children. Thanks for entering me in the contest!
Half of my kids dig green beans and the other two do corn. They all like onion rings – LOL.
I love Kimberly Williams-Paisley! When my daughter was eating strained foods, she loved anything orange- carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, etc. She ate so many orange things that she turned orange. LOL Next she fell in love with fresh artichokes! How’s that for a shocker? Thanks for the chance to win!