After school, the kids spill in through the front door and for some reason…they are always starving.  I’ve come to realise that rather than just give them a snack and move on, the best thing to do is to ply them with veggies. It takes all the pressure off dinner as the “veggie meal of the day” and is awesome.  This carrot tzatziki is our winning dip at the moment.

Here’s the thing, if you get them when they are hungry, even hangry, you’re already more likely to get them to eat good stuff.  If the second they walk in the door there is an impressive looking snacking/grazing platter for them…they’ll eat it!

Before my kids even ask for food, I have it out and on the coffee table.  It means there’s no arguments, no begging and they just tuck right in.

By putting veggies on the platter, some cheeky snacks like felafel crisps or crackers and some fruit, you’ll be surprised what they will eat.  Dipping is key too, and this healthy dip contains no nasties…and extra veggies!

Cut up whatever veggies your kids are loving right now, add some cheese and you’re good to go.  Having veggies “done” before dinner means there is less stress about what they eat at the dinner table.

It means that anything extra in the way of veggies eaten at the table is like a “bonus round”.  Or if there is less veg than normal in your dinner, it doesn’t matter.  So bring on the pizza!

Afternoon tea grazing platters are also a good time to try and introduce something new.  Kids aren’t as tired at afternoon tea as they are at dinner and therefore it is much easier to introduce something new.

I can also share with you some of my winning dip recipes. Check them out below:

• Cream cheese Christmas bauble
• Tzatziki- kid friendly dip!

Carrot tzatziki

Yield: 6 serves

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Carrot tzatziki-  the perfect way to get kids snacking on veggies after school!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup greek yoghurt
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1/2 cucumber, grated
• 1 handful mint leaves, shredded

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: A pocket full
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 98Total Fat: 3.7gSaturated Fat: 1.7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1.9gCholesterol: 9.3mgSodium: 69.7mgCarbohydrates: 9.4gFiber: 2gSugar: 6.1gProtein: 7.1g

This nutrition information is generated using software. Please check with a nutritionist for any specific questions.