How to Get Kids to Eat Lentils

Lentils are a type of legume or bean that grow in tiny oval or heart-shaped pods. Lentils are high in nutritional value, as they help to lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar, according to WHFoods.com. Yet getting your kids to eat lentils may be a challenge, especially if you have a picky eater. There are ways you can get around that. The key is in the preparation of the lentils.

Instructions

• 1

  Dissolve red split lentils in your child's tomato soup. Split red lentils completely dissolve in soup, so your child will never know they are there. Be sure to stir in a tablespoon in while the soup is heating up. Stir until they have completely dissolved. The lentils will slightly thicken the soup.

• 2

  Mix split green or yellow lentils in with your meatloaf or casserole dishes. Add a few to broccoli and cheese casserole, shepherd's pie or chicken pot pie. If your children already eat these meals, they will heartily dig in even if lentils are included.

• 3

  Prepare a special themed dinner one night a week. A Mexican dinner night is an opportune moment to add lentils to some of your dishes. Add a tablespoon of split green lentils to green chili quesadillas or a sprinkle of yellow lentils to a skillet of chicken enchiladas.

• 4

  Make garden burgers one night and add a teaspoon of lentils to the recipe. They will barely be noticeable in the burgers. You can even go a step further and blend the lentils to create a puree and add the puree to the garden burger mixture. Most garden burger recipes call for bulgur wheat, mushrooms, oats, diced onions, and a few spices and herbs.

• 5

  Blend up a smoothie that contains a teaspoon of red split lentils. Since smoothies are supposed to be thick, the thickening properties of lentils will go unnoticed by your children. Try a strawberry banana smoothie or a peach mango smoothie. They can be enjoyed any time of the day