My three sons are fairly healthy eaters, believe it or not. I buy oranges, and they’ll eat them. I’ll buy apples, they’ll crunch them. I bring home grapes, they’ll devour them within a half hour. However, I have yet to see them really enjoy snacking on celery sticks, let’s say, or raw carrots, or any other raw veggie, for that matter. It’s a shame, really, as vegetables in their raw form are packed full of nutrients and cancer-fighters. We should all try to consume more, right? I know I should.
“Raw vegetables are a wonderful source of vitamins A, C and E, a well as B-complex vitamins, potassium and calcium. Vitamin A is essential to vision, skin health and disease prevention. B-complex vitamins perform myriad tasks, including aiding in red blood cell production and the prevention of neural tube birth defects. Vitamin C plays an important role in collagen production and iron absorption, and vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. Potassium can help regulate blood pressure, and calcium is essential to healthy bones. Cooking vegetables at high temperatures or for long periods of time can significantly reduce their content of vitamin C and B-complex vitamins.” (source: http://www.livestrong.com, “What Are The Benefits of Eating Raw Vegetables”)
Get it? Auntie Oxidant? 😉
MamaSteph’s Easy Coleslaw
One bag cole slaw mix (raw cabbage/purple cabbage/grated carrots, or even a bag of broccoli slaw mix) or shred your own
For the dressing:
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup light or fat free sour cream
1/3 cup Splenda or other non-caloric sweetener (I plan to try this with natural sweeteners ASAP)
2 TBS red wine or balsamic vinegar (red wine gives the best flavor and brighter color)
salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
Rinse the shredded cabbage mixture (even though the bags always say “rinsed and ready to eat,” I always rinse anyway. I always taste a little something there that I’d rather rinse away) and drain in a colander.
In a small mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, Splenda, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the cabbage mix in a large mixing bowl. Stir in until cabbage is coated completely. Cover and place in refrigerator for several hours before needed.
I am very open to hearing your ideas about how to get my family to eat raw veggies; what tricks have you learned, besides the standard, “dip them in a bowl of ranch dressing?” I’d love to have some new ideas! Thanks in advance, friends, and thanks for reading.
In Mama Steph's Kitchen 
No children, but my husband isn’t a fan of many raw vegetables. I find that starting every meal with a salad helps. I can add any fresh veggie to the mix and (aside from raw tomatoes…that he only eats in salsa) he will eat them.
The salad does help get more in, you’re right. And sliced tomatoes on their own are usually received well by my guys.
Coleslaw is always so yummy. We often put raisins in ours too.
🙂 Mandy
Raisins are a good idea! I’d like that, personally, though my husband would hate it. lol
Hi Steph –
I had a good and reasonably healthy coleslaw at the Fish City Grill in Tyler yesterday — “Virginia’s Apple Cider Slaw.” They skip mayo/sour cream entirely, and make a sweet cider vinegar dressing. I think that idea is a keeper. I would use Stevia for a sweetener.
For a creamy dressing, I generally use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and mayo. Much healthier, less calories, more protein, and tasty. I love Greek yogurt and use in many different dishes.
I like your idea of adding coleslaw onto pulled pork sandwiches. One way we have had success getting our kids to eat raw vegeys is through cole slaw, but NOT the creamy-mayonaise type. It is just white vinegar and oil and sugar blended together and poured over cabbage,onion, green bell pepper and carrots. I wrote out the full recipe at today. And I linked to this article.
I like your idea of adding coleslaw onto pulled pork sandwiches. One way we have had success getting our kids to eat raw vegeys is through cole slaw, but NOT the creamy-mayonaise type. It is just white vinegar and oil and sugar blended together and poured over cabbage,onion, green bell pepper and carrots. I wrote out the full recipe at viewfrombippus.wordpress.com today. And I linked to this article.