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Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Kids Learn to Love Vegetables - with 100 Easy Activities and Recipes
Your kids can learn to love vegetables—and have fun doing it!
So long to scary vegetables; hello to friendly new textures, colors, and flavors! Here is a foolproof plan for getting your kids to love their vegetables. Just follow the “Three E’s”: Expose your child to new vegetables with sensory, hands–on, educational activities: Create Beet Tattoos and play Cabbage Bingo! Explore the characteristics of each veggie (texture, taste, temperature, and more) with delectable but oh–so–easy recipes: Try Parsnip-Carrot Mac’n’Cheese and Pepper Shish Kebabs! Expand your family’s repertoire with more inventive vegetable dishes—including a “sweet treat” in every chapter: Enjoy Pears and Parsnips in Puff Pastry and Tropical Carrot Confetti Cookies! With 100 kid–tested activities and delicious recipes, plus expert advice on parenting in the kitchen, Adventures in Veggieland will get you and your kids working (and playing!) together in the kitchen, setting even your pickiest eater up for a lifetime of healthy eating.
So long to scary vegetables; hello to friendly new textures, colors, and flavors! Here is a foolproof plan for getting your kids to love their vegetables. Just follow the “Three E’s”: Expose your child to new vegetables with sensory, hands–on, educational activities: Create Beet Tattoos and play Cabbage Bingo! Explore the characteristics of each veggie (texture, taste, temperature, and more) with delectable but oh–so–easy recipes: Try Parsnip-Carrot Mac’n’Cheese and Pepper Shish Kebabs! Expand your family’s repertoire with more inventive vegetable dishes—including a “sweet treat” in every chapter: Enjoy Pears and Parsnips in Puff Pastry and Tropical Carrot Confetti Cookies! With 100 kid–tested activities and delicious recipes, plus expert advice on parenting in the kitchen, Adventures in Veggieland will get you and your kids working (and playing!) together in the kitchen, setting even your pickiest eater up for a lifetime of healthy eating.
499 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 6, 2018
42 people are currently reading
706 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 13, 2019
I copied so many recipes out of this book from the library that I should probably just buy myself a copy.
October 14, 2017
Never mind the kids, *I* am not the best at eating vegetables so I'm always on the lookout for recipes. This book is amazing. It's got loads of interesting recipes for a range of tastes, including sweet ones (I've got a massive sweet tooth...). The tips and tricks for getting children involved in the kitchen are great too. I'm totally getting a hard copy!
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 2, 2018
Nearly every parent has experienced a fussy eater. Children, for the most part, will tend to be very picky when it comes to their food. In her introduction to Adventures In Veggieland, author Melanie Potock explains the science behind the “Three E’s”.
With the Three E’s (expose, explore, expand), you can help teach your children how to learn to love all kinds of food, even vegetables. An explanation on how to use the book, the science behind the Three E’s, when to say yes, when to say no, are all covered. You will learn how to use the Three E’s inside and outside of the kitchen.
With this book, you needn’t start at the beginning with the vegetables. You are encouraged to simply begin with a vegetable that is in-season when you begin. So if it is Spring, start with the Asparagus or Broccoli, and so on.
Sections include:
Part One: Winter Vegetables
Beets
Butternut Squash
Parsnips
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Part Two: Spring Vegetables
Asparagus
Broccoli
Carrots
Peas
Spinach
Part Three: Summer Vegetables
Bell Peppers
Corn
Cucumbers
Green Beans
Tomatoes
Part Four: Autumn Vegetables
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Kale
Pumpkin
The idea behind the Three E’s is not rocket science but implementing it is hard. Inspiration can be difficult, how does one get a finicky eater to like beets when they can be kind of strong and odd tasting the first time? Who would think of Beet Tattoos as a way of introducing veggies into your child’s diet?
After all of the recipes and ideas comes Addressing Feeding and Sensory Challenges. This helps to address additional concerns and ideas to help. After this is a Resources And Suggested Products list with website addresses included.
Innovative And Fun
I was very impressed with the ideas in the book. There are lots of good ideas and recipes with good explanations on how to use them and why they work.
There are a lot of pics throughout the book of the recipes’ end results and many of the various steps along the way as well. It is all very easy to follow and lots of fun too.
This would be the first book you want to get for any parent once their kids hit the toddler stage. I am entirely sure every parent will have more success expanding their child’s palate with this book.
See the full review and the recipe for Chocolate And Asparagus Fondue at The RecipesNow! Reviews And Recipes Magazine. This review is written in response to a complimentary copy of the book provided by the publisher in hopes of an honest review.
With the Three E’s (expose, explore, expand), you can help teach your children how to learn to love all kinds of food, even vegetables. An explanation on how to use the book, the science behind the Three E’s, when to say yes, when to say no, are all covered. You will learn how to use the Three E’s inside and outside of the kitchen.
With this book, you needn’t start at the beginning with the vegetables. You are encouraged to simply begin with a vegetable that is in-season when you begin. So if it is Spring, start with the Asparagus or Broccoli, and so on.
Sections include:
Part One: Winter Vegetables
Beets
Butternut Squash
Parsnips
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Part Two: Spring Vegetables
Asparagus
Broccoli
Carrots
Peas
Spinach
Part Three: Summer Vegetables
Bell Peppers
Corn
Cucumbers
Green Beans
Tomatoes
Part Four: Autumn Vegetables
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Kale
Pumpkin
The idea behind the Three E’s is not rocket science but implementing it is hard. Inspiration can be difficult, how does one get a finicky eater to like beets when they can be kind of strong and odd tasting the first time? Who would think of Beet Tattoos as a way of introducing veggies into your child’s diet?
After all of the recipes and ideas comes Addressing Feeding and Sensory Challenges. This helps to address additional concerns and ideas to help. After this is a Resources And Suggested Products list with website addresses included.
Innovative And Fun
I was very impressed with the ideas in the book. There are lots of good ideas and recipes with good explanations on how to use them and why they work.
There are a lot of pics throughout the book of the recipes’ end results and many of the various steps along the way as well. It is all very easy to follow and lots of fun too.
This would be the first book you want to get for any parent once their kids hit the toddler stage. I am entirely sure every parent will have more success expanding their child’s palate with this book.
See the full review and the recipe for Chocolate And Asparagus Fondue at The RecipesNow! Reviews And Recipes Magazine. This review is written in response to a complimentary copy of the book provided by the publisher in hopes of an honest review.
November 30, 2017
"Adventures in Veggieland" is about proven ways to help children (ages 3–8) to learn to enjoy eating veggies. The author covered beets, butternut squash, parsnips, sweet potatoes, turnips, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, peas, spinach, bell peppers, corn, cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and pumpkin. With each recipe or game, she provided cooking tips, tips for parents on how to make the experience successful, and how this activity benefits your child.
For each vegetable, the author started with a game involving that food, like making temporary tattoos using beets or playing with little plastic toys in mashed potatoes. The intent is to get the child familiar with the food through seeing, touching, and tasting it. She then provided 3 recipes for main or side dishes that use the vegetable. The intent is for the children to help the adult make the food as they're more likely to eat what they help to make. These recipes are pretty simple to do, and she suggests what parts young children can help with and what parts older children can do. The final recipe in each section is for a desert that has some of the veggie in it.
She isn't necessarily making healthy foods so she often added veggies to or made them into more familiar foods, like fries. She used bacon in several recipes (but suggested that you only use a little and use bacon that doesn't have preservatives). But the recipes may not be suitable for children with dietary restrictions as she used dairy, eggs, wheat flour, and such. However, the overall method for getting picky eaters to enjoy their veggies sounds like it should work well.
I received a free ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
For each vegetable, the author started with a game involving that food, like making temporary tattoos using beets or playing with little plastic toys in mashed potatoes. The intent is to get the child familiar with the food through seeing, touching, and tasting it. She then provided 3 recipes for main or side dishes that use the vegetable. The intent is for the children to help the adult make the food as they're more likely to eat what they help to make. These recipes are pretty simple to do, and she suggests what parts young children can help with and what parts older children can do. The final recipe in each section is for a desert that has some of the veggie in it.
She isn't necessarily making healthy foods so she often added veggies to or made them into more familiar foods, like fries. She used bacon in several recipes (but suggested that you only use a little and use bacon that doesn't have preservatives). But the recipes may not be suitable for children with dietary restrictions as she used dairy, eggs, wheat flour, and such. However, the overall method for getting picky eaters to enjoy their veggies sounds like it should work well.
I received a free ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
November 10, 2017
While reading this excellent book, my thoughts kept going to adults that I know that are so picky about eating their vegetables. Apparently, they came from a home that didn't energize them to eat vegetables. As a social worker, I've found that kids often start being picky about vegetables and then expand their pickiness as adults to a variety of other foods and preparation types. This book is multi-purpose: cookbook, educational book, parenting book, arts and crafts book. It is well written with clear and careful directions, excellent pictures, and fun facts. I tried a number of these recipes and they were all great. While I could not get all of my adult picky eaters to eat everything, I did convince a few to give the veggies a try. I, of course, ate them all. This is a timely format for parents, and other adults, as we live in a time where food is more expensive and sometimes of lower quality, genetically modified, or poorly ripened. There should be no food waste in our nation when there are people going hungry. An engaging, encouraging, and tasty method to prepare good food, such as this book, can help to reduce vegetable waste and improve health. I definitely recommend this book for a wide range of readers. Beyond it's educational application, it is also fun, unique, and makes some really terrific, yum yum, can't wait to eat veggies. It's for you and all your picky eaters. I was fortunate to receive this as an advance reading copy from the publishers and NetGalley and I thank them for this enjoyable book.
October 5, 2017
This is an absolutely brilliant book, no doubt about it. Aimed at encouraging children to try new vegetables and learn to love them, it's based on author Melanie's three-step programme of exposure, which starts with exposing your child to veggies by using sensory, hands-on, and educational activities. The activities and recipes she has included here mean that children are introduced to textures, tastes, temperatures, and various other aspects of new foods. Split into sections and covering 20 vegetables, there are various recipes and activities for each, including a sweet treat - showing children that vegetables aren't just a chore but they can also be fun and a treat!
The book starts off with a very thorough and informative introduction on parenting strategies for exposing children to new food, explaining some of the science behind introducing new foods and incorporating them into a diet, and how to address exposure to food when you are outside the family home.
My favourite element of this book is that you can go to the contents and pick a vegetable, and from there you'll find a selection of activities or recipes. That way you can tackle one new food item at a time.
The ideas are all great with plenty of clear photographs as well as follow-up information at the end of the chapter as to what your child will benefit from the chosen activity. All in all, this is a brilliant book for parents of young ones. 5-star!
The book starts off with a very thorough and informative introduction on parenting strategies for exposing children to new food, explaining some of the science behind introducing new foods and incorporating them into a diet, and how to address exposure to food when you are outside the family home.
My favourite element of this book is that you can go to the contents and pick a vegetable, and from there you'll find a selection of activities or recipes. That way you can tackle one new food item at a time.
The ideas are all great with plenty of clear photographs as well as follow-up information at the end of the chapter as to what your child will benefit from the chosen activity. All in all, this is a brilliant book for parents of young ones. 5-star!
March 12, 2021
Sadly, I just skimmed through this one, but I wanted to log it anyway so as not to forget it. This is a beautiful, creative book that takes an exploratory and celebratory approach to vegetables. We made “cauliflower caramel corn” as a snack, and all of us (mom, dad, 7-year-old, 4-year-old) wanted to eat another three bowls of it!
Many of these recipes require some generosity in terms of time or “wasting” of food, in the sense that kids will be piping fillings into cherry tomatoes and using toothpicks to create vegetable sheep. These are creative, colorful projects that expose kids to a variety of vegetables but may not be the most efficient use of food or method for getting dinner into bellies at mealtime. Assuming one has the time and budget to play, however, I can not imagine a more fun and colorful way to be introduced to vegetables!
Many of these recipes require some generosity in terms of time or “wasting” of food, in the sense that kids will be piping fillings into cherry tomatoes and using toothpicks to create vegetable sheep. These are creative, colorful projects that expose kids to a variety of vegetables but may not be the most efficient use of food or method for getting dinner into bellies at mealtime. Assuming one has the time and budget to play, however, I can not imagine a more fun and colorful way to be introduced to vegetables!
May 15, 2018
This seemed wonderful but quite intensive. There are many veggies in this book, there are activities in the book that go along with the veggie, it gives a list of tasks that small children can do as well as a list of tasks that bigger children can do by themselves. There are tips that the author give for each recipe and there are parenting moments in the kitchen as well. The recipes seem easy enough, and not too gross. I think that it also takes a special kind of child that would eat these veggies. Most children that I know do not have this type of food preferences. This is a true adventure.
June 22, 2018
A book filled with different ideas to get veggies into your kids' (or your husband's) diet. I wish there were more pictures of the finished product. I'm a very visual person, and a few more photos would have gone a long way. Especially if you need to show your kiddo what you will be making together.
June 8, 2022
I like how this books is divided by seasonal vegetables, as well as how it encourages the parent to expose the child to the vegetable gradually using different techniques. The tomato seed spitting activity was probably the most interesting one that I think my child would enjoy. However, some of the recipes would be a stretch for me as an adult.
October 19, 2017
Awesome cookbook!
+great variety of recipes
+easy ways to get the kids involved in making them
+nice breadth of veggie varieties
-some recipes that are a bit too involved
-some recipes that are a bit ambitious (sweet dishes with veggies just aren't that appealing)
+great variety of recipes
+easy ways to get the kids involved in making them
+nice breadth of veggie varieties
-some recipes that are a bit too involved
-some recipes that are a bit ambitious (sweet dishes with veggies just aren't that appealing)
March 8, 2018
Great ideas, especially for little kids! I took away a few ideas that were simple (like scooping out the inside of a cucumber and filling it with cottage cheese!). I can see this being extremely helpful to a parent who has the time and desire.
June 12, 2021
Still working through it, but bought our own copy so we could write edits. Favorite recipe so far is the beet cupcakes. If you make them and aren't vegan, use buttermilk, also vegetable oil works better than coconut oil for this one. My picky eater has really engaged well with this book.
May 15, 2018
Fun in the kitchen w kids. Check it out. Example: tomato squirting contest, then measure
May 21, 2018
what a super cute kids cookbook! (but in all honesty the recipes are spot on great even if you are an adult.)
December 26, 2018
Amazing book! The illustrations are bright and colorful. It is packed with great activities and recipes to introduce your child to vegetables.
December 12, 2018
I’m sure the author is a kindhearted person with children’s health in mind, but this book was a bit over the top in places. “Reroute brain pathways by having children snap apart raw broccoli to replace the crunch of chips.” Seems like a stretch to me. However, I do appreciate her dedication to her philosophy, as similar types of statements are found throughout the text.
The low score is given in part to this philosophy that seems a bit far fetched. The second reason for the low score is because there aren’t enough photos to go with the recipes. Obviously that is personal opinion, but I think there needed to be a bit more photographs to get a sense of what the finished product should look like, especially if it is to be geared toward young eaters.
The low score is given in part to this philosophy that seems a bit far fetched. The second reason for the low score is because there aren’t enough photos to go with the recipes. Obviously that is personal opinion, but I think there needed to be a bit more photographs to get a sense of what the finished product should look like, especially if it is to be geared toward young eaters.
October 9, 2017
This is a great book to help young kids explore new vegetables & also has some great recipes! I love how it is broken into sections with each vegetable. The vegetables included in the book are beets, butternut squash, parsnips, sweet potatoes, turnips, asparagus, broccoli, carrots, peas, spinach, bell peppers, corn, cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale & pumpkin. In this current generation, most kids are being fed fast food & pre-packaged/boxed foods. While this may take a little extra work, in the long run it is so beneficial for a child to learn to love the foods that bring health & nourish the body!
August 9, 2018
Eh... the pictures were nice...but nothing that my son would enjoy. It’s not worth my time.
October 24, 2018
Great intro to help families get started in better eating. Recipes and crafts with veggies throughout the year!
December 25, 2021
Broccoli Tots are rolled steamed potatoes with crushed broccoli baked.
Corn kernels in salad.
Shredded cucumbers in salads.
Cauliflower with maple syrup, oil and cinnamon balked for caramel corn.
Corn kernels in salad.
Shredded cucumbers in salads.
Cauliflower with maple syrup, oil and cinnamon balked for caramel corn.
Currently reading
December 25, 2017I absolutely loved this cookbook from the second I opened it up.
It's neat that she organized the vegetables based on the season, but what I really love is how each vegetable is separated into it's own section within the season. This makes it easy if you're craving a specific vegetable so you can go to that section and plan out your shopping and meal schedule easily. It also makes it easy if you have some vegetables in the house that you really need to use and you can easily check the book for fun ideas to use them up. Primarily this book is for teaching your kids to enjoy food which really shows in the section as she divides it into exposing your kid to the veggie with an activity, exploring the vegetable, and then expanding on that framework.
I love all the images included in the book that help to explain her already straight forward instructions. I could see buying the hardcopy of this book, not only to enjoy myself, but could see having it lay around so your child can look through it and maybe request an activity or a meal based on the images alone.
Quote from my toddler while working with beats: "wash hands... no wait. I can lick my arms and hands because there isn't any eggs"
It's neat that she organized the vegetables based on the season, but what I really love is how each vegetable is separated into it's own section within the season. This makes it easy if you're craving a specific vegetable so you can go to that section and plan out your shopping and meal schedule easily. It also makes it easy if you have some vegetables in the house that you really need to use and you can easily check the book for fun ideas to use them up. Primarily this book is for teaching your kids to enjoy food which really shows in the section as she divides it into exposing your kid to the veggie with an activity, exploring the vegetable, and then expanding on that framework.
I love all the images included in the book that help to explain her already straight forward instructions. I could see buying the hardcopy of this book, not only to enjoy myself, but could see having it lay around so your child can look through it and maybe request an activity or a meal based on the images alone.
Quote from my toddler while working with beats: "wash hands... no wait. I can lick my arms and hands because there isn't any eggs"
January 16, 2018
Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Kids Learn to Love Vegetables with 101 Easy Activities and Recipes by Melanie Potock is currently scheduled for release on February 6 2018. It features a year’s worth of family-friendly recipes along with strategies for helping kids learn to become more adventurous eaters over time. Parents will learn how to introduce a new vegetable every week, plus creative and engaging ways to expose their kids to new foods. The book features 20 vegetables, organized by season, each with activities and recipes highlighting the program’s three phases to vegetable love: expose, explore, expand. The kids are involved in every part of the activity process from washing the vegetable to eating delicious food they helped make.
Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Kids Learn to Love Vegetables with 101 Easy Activities and Recipes is a valiant attempt to help parents with children that boycott vegetables to give them a try, and to have some fun along the way. I like that the book is organized by season, which makes getting started and planning that much easier. I like that some of the activities give the chance for kids to feel, taste, and smell the veggies before eating them even becomes part of the conversation. I also liked the idea of getting the kids involved in the preparation and cooking of the veggies. I find that being included in the work and discussion makes most kids more willing to give something a try. I can see how it can, and would, work with many children. I also see how parents that are willing to go to these strides are already on the path to kids willing to try and do new things. However, I feel like there are too many kids that this will not work with, such as those with sensory issues. Of course, that being said my daughter would adore these activities, and some of the recipes, while my husband and son would run in terror since my husband is not a veggie fan and my son is very sensitive to flavors and likes things as bland and boring as possible.
In short, for those that are willing to go all out in getting their families to eat better, particularly in the vegetable department this would be a great addition to a home library. For those just looking for some tools to get a few more veggies, and break down some barriers, I would suggest borrowing the book from the library and trying the suggestions that might work in your home.
Adventures in Veggieland: Help Your Kids Learn to Love Vegetables with 101 Easy Activities and Recipes is a valiant attempt to help parents with children that boycott vegetables to give them a try, and to have some fun along the way. I like that the book is organized by season, which makes getting started and planning that much easier. I like that some of the activities give the chance for kids to feel, taste, and smell the veggies before eating them even becomes part of the conversation. I also liked the idea of getting the kids involved in the preparation and cooking of the veggies. I find that being included in the work and discussion makes most kids more willing to give something a try. I can see how it can, and would, work with many children. I also see how parents that are willing to go to these strides are already on the path to kids willing to try and do new things. However, I feel like there are too many kids that this will not work with, such as those with sensory issues. Of course, that being said my daughter would adore these activities, and some of the recipes, while my husband and son would run in terror since my husband is not a veggie fan and my son is very sensitive to flavors and likes things as bland and boring as possible.
In short, for those that are willing to go all out in getting their families to eat better, particularly in the vegetable department this would be a great addition to a home library. For those just looking for some tools to get a few more veggies, and break down some barriers, I would suggest borrowing the book from the library and trying the suggestions that might work in your home.
February 7, 2018
I was given an ARC of this book for an honest review.
From the moment I opened this wondrous and ingenious guide I wished I had, had a copy of this book when my children were small and absolutely hated the sight of any vegetable. This book should be a must gift for all new parents, to receive even before a child is born. Parents face so many obstacles that trying to get children to eat vegetables is usually an uphill battle for most parents. This guide gives advice, ideas and the all important information on how healthy the said vegetables is. The icing on top is the recipe and some of the recipes are very tasty and not just for the children but for the very parent who needs a the healthy foods as well. A big 5+ stars and an I would make them gold stars. I recommend this book
From the moment I opened this wondrous and ingenious guide I wished I had, had a copy of this book when my children were small and absolutely hated the sight of any vegetable. This book should be a must gift for all new parents, to receive even before a child is born. Parents face so many obstacles that trying to get children to eat vegetables is usually an uphill battle for most parents. This guide gives advice, ideas and the all important information on how healthy the said vegetables is. The icing on top is the recipe and some of the recipes are very tasty and not just for the children but for the very parent who needs a the healthy foods as well. A big 5+ stars and an I would make them gold stars. I recommend this book
June 9, 2018
#NetGalley #Veggies #Vegan #Children #Family
Children naturally hate veggies and love sugar. Melanie shares her creative techniques to introduces veggies to kids not only by preparing delicious meals but by making them participate in the kitchen. Useful books for any new parent.
Children naturally hate veggies and love sugar. Melanie shares her creative techniques to introduces veggies to kids not only by preparing delicious meals but by making them participate in the kitchen. Useful books for any new parent.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews