Getting kids to eat spinach is a trick...but an easy one at my house. Every week when I do my grocery shopping, I buy a bag of baby spinach and a "bunch" of green leaf lettuce. I don't use iceberg lettuce for two reasons...it browns quickly and looks nasty and it really has very little nutritional value.

But spinach does...so I chop spinach and leaf lettuce (about 50/50) and premake my salad for the week. Mix it all up and stuff it into plastic zip bags. Smash the air out of it. The salad mix will last the entire week.

BTW, don't use the word "spinach" around your children...I don't know what it is, but somehow they just hear that word and shut down! So don't mention that you put in the salad, or on the homemade pizza, or in the stuffed chicken, and they will NEVER know! If they ask what the "green stuff" is, just change the subject (always have a "change up" handy for when kids ask questions you do not want to answer! Always....)

Sometimes I will add mushrooms or carrots to the mix and just serve it as a salad. With the raw spinach in it, it makes a great "vegetable" serving!

Sometimes I brown ground beef, dump in can of red beans, throw in some salsa or picante sauce, and make "taco salads." Just put some crumbled tortilla chips on a plate, top with salad, seasoned meat and some cheese. Add your favorite dressing. If you use the spinach mix salad, you have a complete meal!! Easy!

Which brings me to another hint....I precook a LOT of ground beef and chicken. I can use the precooked ground beef (frozen after cooked) for chili, taco salads, tacos, etc., and the precooked chicken can be used for all kinds of easy meals...chicken salad, chicken chili, chicken enchiladas, etc. A whole roasted chicken will make at least 3-4 meals for us.

PRECOOK AND PREMIX as much as you can! It will save you a ton of time and cut down on the temptation to eat out as much!!! Save money and eat better!

Beckwith's Treasures