St. Patrick's Day a chance to introduce kids to greener diet

On March 17 another St. Patrick's Day will be upon us, and this year the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) is taking the opportunity of celebrating the color green to draw attention to the need for children to get more healthy greens into their diets.

"Green veggies like broccoli, kale, cabbage and dark lettuce pack a lot of health-promoting phytochemicals (plant substances) and fiber - but not a lot of calories," says Alice Bender, MS, RD, AICR's Registered Dietitian, "By including these and other veggies in kids' diets you can help them get on a path to stay a healthy weight for life - which helps lower risk for many cancers as they grow older."

Bender suggests:

Including the Wee Lads and Lasses in the planning, preparation, and selection of foods to be eaten at mealtime and as snacks. Doing so can make them interested in trying new foods, while bringing them to the grocery store can familiarize them with green fruits and vegetables that they may not know about.
Going Green Early, as in early enough for breakfast. Bender suggests whipping up an omelet made with cooked chopped broccoli or basil leaves. Add a green fruit salad on the side - sliced kiwi, chopped green apple with peel and green grapes.

To discover other 'green' suggestions, as well as an easy recipe for green meatballs (and many other easy recipes), check out the American Institute for Cancer Research.