by Morgan Medeiros

Created on: February 16, 2009   Last Updated: February 20, 2009

The emerging cultural emphasis of super foods and a healthier diet has led many parents to change not only their own lifestyles for the better, but those of their spouses and children as well. Unfortunately, picky children may have other ideas about menu changes. A recent trend of hiding healthy but "yucky" ingredients into stereotypically unhealthy foods such as cookies, brownies, and cakes is one way to get kids to unknowingly eat their least favorite foods, but this may be a mistake. Hiding healthy foods into a brownie is only teaching a child to like brownies, instead of teaching them that healthy eating can be truly satisfying and delicious, as long as it's prepared properly.

Broccoli is perhaps the most commonly hated vegetable, its bushy, vitamin filled form striking dread into the hearts of children everywhere. The best way to incorporate the food is not to hide it completely, as if the food itself is awful, but to display it in a way that is more palpable, and pair it with an ingredient that the child does enjoy. Macaroni and cheese is an entre of choice for many children, and although cheese has gotten a bad reputation for being high in fat, reduced fat options are available. Broccoli that has been steamed and diced into very small pieces, and then cooked with hot macaroni, skim milk, and a low fat cheese would appeal to a child because of the dish's familiarity, while demonstrating the healthy choice instead of concealing it. This dish would be a calcium champion, as both broccoli and cheese contain high amounts of calcium, aiding bone strength. Additionally, broccoli contains high amounts of Vitamin C, which aids iron absorption, and folic acid, which promotes tissue growth.

Asian countries tend to have a lower incidence of chronic disease, possibly because of the emphasis of fresh vegetables and lower fat proteins, such as soy. Stir-frying is a quick and healthy cooking method, and can be prepared with a large variety of ingredients to suit a family's taste. Begin by coating a frying pan in cooking spray or drizzling with heart-healthy canola oil. Add garlic if your family likes spicy food, or omit it to keep the dish on the mild side of the spectrum. Heat the pan, then add a variety of chopped vegetables: broccoli, carrot, bell peppers, bean sprouts, bok choy, mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, and onion are all delicious in a stiry fry, and using a rainbow or produce provides a variety of vitamins. When the vegetables begin to soften, add diced

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