Roasted Carrots

Hands down this is my very favorite way to fix carrots for my family.  Everyone loves them and the kids eat tons and tons.  What Mama would complain about their kids eating lots of carrots, right?  These really are super yummy.  Try them and you will see!

1 16 ounce bag carrots
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Wash and trim ends of carrots.  Place in a pan alternating big and small ends to ensure even cooking.  Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper evenly on each carrot.  Bake carrots until fork tender.


Do your kiddos get their recommended amount of fruits and veggies each day?  It's really important to see to it that they do.  Kids need the vitamins and minerals and fiber plus it helps to train their appetites to eat a variety of foods.  One of my pet peeves is when parents let their kids eat what they want to eat...which usually ends up being pizza, chicken nuggets, cheese doodles, sweets and maybe some chocolate milk.  YUCK!  Get your kiddos eating grapes, apples, oranges, bananas, and raw veggies at every single meal, every single day, and for snacks too!

Here are some healthy and delicious ideas:

Cut up celery and spread with natural peanut butter.
Instead of popcorn with a movie, how about grapes?
Dip some carrot sticks in low fat ranch dressing.
Make a raw veggie tray with dip at snack time rather than cookies or chips.
Peel a banana each morning for the kids to eat with their cereal or other breakfast item.
Replace juice boxes with an orange.  It's just as juicy but much healthier!
Place a bowl of blueberries on the table and allow the kids to snack at will.
Resist the temptation to sprinkle sugar on strawberries.  They don't need it.
In the summertime make a bowl of melon balls for the kids to snack on...fun & good!
Work spinach into your children's diets.  It's very good in salads and they won't even notice.
At least once a week have salad bar for a meal.  Let the kids build their own.
Ban the candy and chips on road trips and pack veggies and fruits to snack on.
Make a fruit tray and provide low fat yogurt for dip.
Eat raw as much as possible and when not raw, frozen.  Canned vegetables and fruit aren't nearly as healthy.
Don't peel apples.  You are throwing away the healthiest part if you do!
Keep a box of raisins with you and offer them when out running errands and such.

Encourage (or make them if you have to) your children to eat things that are good for them.  Yes, you read that right, I said make.  I'm a believer in making children do what they should.  Make them use their manners, make them eat healthy, make them brush and floss, make them obey rules.  Despite what our culture may tell you, it is every parent's job to make (teach, train) their children do things they don't want to do.  Of course be gentle, and be very consistent and encouraging, but yes, make them.  They really do want to know that you will!  :)