Grocery Pick-up

This is a very small portion of my recent grocery pickup order from Walmart

I might be in the minority but I am one of those people who actually enjoys grocery shopping. As a meal planner, I make my meal plan and corresponding grocery list the night before I shop. Then I can have a easy and efficient shopping trip while enjoying my time out of the house without kids.

BUT ... there are times (like these crazy days of COVID-19) that your available time is short, or you have a cranky toddler or you don't feel well or the weather is bad or you simply don't like to grocery shop. And in those times, grocery pick-up can be a lifesaver! Typically, I only use grocery pickup either from Walmart or our local City Market (a Kroger brand store) when life is crazy and I really need the extra time in my day. But with all the Corona virus "stuff" going on, I've found myself using it regularly in the last few months. Not only has it kept me from spending so much time in the store but it has also allowed me to grab my groceries quickly first thing in the morning (I usually choose the 8-9am pickup slot) so that I can get home and help get my kids started with school.

Here are a few tips I've found:
1. Download the app for the store you use most regularly for grocery pickup. Most stores have their own app so find it and keep it handy.
2. Know if your store has a minimum amount needed for grocery pickup or charges a pickup fee so that you're not surprised when you go to place your order.
3. This may take a few weeks to figure out but know how far out you need to place an order to reserve the pickup time slot that works best for you. Depending on demand or your particular store, it could be anywhere from 1-5 days.
4. With most pickup orders, you can edit/add to your order up until the day before or even a few hours before (find out for your particular store). This will allow you to put in an order several days before your pickup date (which you might need to do to reserve a time) with just your regular staples and then add to it later based on what your family needs and the following week's meal plan.
5. Know that there may be a few items that you cannot find within the grocery app. For me, I usually have 4-5 items that I have to go into the store to grab myself. If you have a baby or toddler with you, you may decide that you'd rather go without those items than wrestle the kids into the store. In these recent times, I have found that I can't put toilet paper on my pickup order but the toilet paper aisle is once again stocked to full capacity.
6. Lastly, there will be substitutions when the original item you ordered is not available. In my experience, the substitutions are usually acceptable but you can usually decline the subs if you're not happy. For instance, I've had cream of mushroom soup subbed when I order tomato soup and cabbage subbed for lettuce!

If you have a Walmart near you and haven't tried grocery pickup yet, you can use my affiliate link - http://r.wmt.co/v/stacy_1658  to get $10 off your first order (and I get $10 off too when you use my link!)

Let me know in the comments if you've used grocery pickup before and what you thought of it at your store. Share a tip you've found helpful to you!

This post contains affiliate links which means if you decide to use Walmart grocery pick-up using my link, I get a little bonus (and you do too!). There is no additional charge to you. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below!

Fear Is Not the Boss of You Book Review

So I know that this blog has nothing to do with books, business, parenting, marriage or even life in general but I wanted to let you know about an amazing book that can help women (my main audience here) especially in the season were in right now.

In full disclosure, I received a advanced digital copy of the book and am a part of the launch team for Jennifer Allwood's new book, Fear Is Not the Boss of You, which releases on April 7th. (There was no monetary compensation.) I just finished reading it this last week and I can't wait for my physical copy to come this week. I will be reading it again and so I can underline and highlight all the goodness in there!

This book is for any woman who has ever felt STUCK! And who hasn't felt that? Whether it's stuck in life, parenting, your marriage, your business, your own thoughts, your faith, whatever, this book will speak to you. Jennifer gets right to the heart of how we feel as women and the lies that we allow to hold us back. She writes like a friend who isn't afraid to give us a little kick in the behind when we need it.

Filled with Godly wisdom, I loved how this book spoke to me like I was having a conversation with a friend. Jennifer gives us practical ways to move forward when we feel scared, stuck and overwhelmed. She helps us dive into why we feel that way and what we can do to move to where we need to be. This book should be on every women's bookshelf and will be a gold mine of wisdom for years to come!

To order your copy, go to JenniferAllwood.com/Book or find it on Amazon, Target, Barnes & Noble and the like. Then let me know what you think after you've read it!

Taste of Home $5 Cookbook Sale

As I have said before, I love Taste of Home Cookbooks! Well, Taste of Home is having their $5.oo cookbook sale now though November 18th. If you've never had a Taste of Home cookbook, let me assure you that they are high quality books and most include excellent pictures as well. The sale just started today and they currently have 28 different cookbooks available at the $5.00 price. Several of those have a regular price of $24.99 or higher. Most of the cookbooks cover a variety of recipes but they also have a Pasta and a Vegetarian cookbook available as well as my all-time favorite - Quick Cooking.

In my opinion, cookbooks make wonderful Christmas presents. Here is the best deal: Choose 4 $5.00 cookbooks and use coupon code "LST02" which will give you free shipping! This translates into 4 great cookbooks for a total price of $20.00 including shipping. Don't forget that the $5.oo cookbook offer ends next Thursday, November 18th.

Also, if you love healthy cooking, enter my giveaway to win an excellent vegan cookbook.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links but all opinion are my own. No compensation was given for this post.

Best Recipes with Brownie Mix

I love boxed brownie mixes. They are great to keep on hand for a quick, easy family dessert. One of my all-time favorite ways to enjoy brownies has to be a warm brownie with french vanilla ice cream on top and hot fudge. Yum! So today we are going to highlight a Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix which you can find a clipless coupon for at Cellfire.

We just tried Butterscotch Swirl Brownies from the Betty Crocker Cookies & Bars Magazine. Awesome! I see so many different possibilities for these brownies. At Christmas you could use the red and green chips mix them up individually and swirl them into the top. It would be so festive! Okay, now for the recipe:

Butterscotch Swirl Brownies
Makes: 18 brownies

1/2 c. butterscotch chips
1 small package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 c. sugar
3 eggs, divided
1 box (1 lb. 5.2 oz.) Betty Crocker Supreme Chocolate Chunk brownie mix
3 T. water
1/2 c. oil

In small microwavable bowl, microwave chips uncovered on high for 30 seconds, stir until chips are melted. Stir in cream cheese, sugar and 1 egg until smooth; set aside. In a medium bowl, stir brownie mix, water, oil and 2 eggs about 50 strokes or until well blended. Spread 2/3 of the batter in a greased (bottom only) 13 x 9 pan. Spread butterscotch mixture over batter in pan. Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls over butterscotch mixture; swirl lightly with spatula for marbled design. Bake 30-35 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely.

I want to hear your favorite recipes using a boxed brownie mix. You have two options for sharing. If you have a blog with a recipe that uses a box of brownies, then you can link up below (please link directly to your brownie mix post). If you do not have a blog, then let us know your recipe in the comments section. Anyone who participates will be given an extra entry into the $100 grocery gift card giveaway. Please make sure your link or comment gives us your entire recipe so that other can enjoy the yumminess! And don't forget to go to Cellfire and load the coupon for the Betty Crocker Supreme brownie mix. (If you are not familiar with the Cellfire program, read my previous Cellfire post.)

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* This post is in conjunction with Cellfire's sponsorship of the $100 grocery card giveaway at Recipes for Moms. All opinions are my own.

I also shared this post at We Are THAT Family's Works-For-Me Wednesday & 11th Heaven's Homemaker Monday.

Stand-by Meal Planning

Weekly meal planning is very important to me both for organization and saving money. I take the time each week to pick out recipes, plan our meals and buy whatever extra ingredients I don't already have in the pantry. However as every busy mom knows, even the best laid plans sometimes fall through. So you're having one of those days - kids forgot their lunches, late for soccer practice, five different errands to run and you get home and realize that the meal you put in the crock pot that morning is completely uncooked because you forgot to plug it in. Ahh!! What's for dinner?!

This is where stand-by meal planning comes in. Stand-by meals are the quick, easy meals your family enjoys that you can go to when time is short or you are tired. Usually these are not meals that you schedule into your weekly meal plan but you make an effort to keep the ingredients on hand for whenever they are needed. They are just there to give you another option to eating out on a crazy night.

For our family these meals include: 1. Pasta with jar sauce, 2. Baked potatoes with canned chili on top, 3. Bean burritos, 4. Hamburger Helper. Now I know that these meals fall into the "quite processed" category but compared to greasy fast food I think they're at least a few steps up. Plus there are ways to make all of these meals a little healthier (i.e. whole wheat pasta, vegetarian chili, fat-free refried beans or ground turkey).

I bring all of this up to help you along on those busy nights and to remind you about the great coupons Cellfire has available right now for you to load onto your grocery store card. They have a Hamburger Helper coupon available for 75¢ off 3 boxes, which includes Chicken Helper and Tuna Helper also. So what are your family's stand-by meals? Anyone who leaves a comment will be given an extra entry into my $100 grocery gift card giveaway sponsored by Cellfire. (If you are not familiar with the Cellfire program, read my previous Cellfire post.)

* This post is in conjunction with Cellfire's sponsorship of an upcoming $100 grocery card giveaway at Recipes for Moms. All opinions are my own.

I also shared this post at 11th Heaven's Homemaker Monday & We Are THAT Family's Works-For-Me Wednesday.

Home Depot Garden Club

I consider gardening part of my food-blogging efforts because so many awesome fruits and vegetables can be grown right in your own backyard. We've moved since last summer so I have less room to work with this year and am having to plant less vegetables and do more in pots. Although I'm a bit sad to have to downsize I am glad that we will still be able to have fresh tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, zucchini and cilantro a bit later in the summer.

If you are a backyard gardener, whether you favor vegetables, fruits or flowers The Home Depot Garden Club is something you should be a part of. When you join the Garden Club, you will get money-saving offers and time-saving tips. You have the opportunity to ask the experts questions, get savings delivered right to your inbox and find the latest timely tips and regional advice. I also get a mailer about once a quarter in my mailbox with several coupons and tips included.

Here is an interesting tip included in the latest one I received: To clean your barbecue grill, cover the rack with aluminum foil while it's cool, then close the lid and heat up the grill. After about 15 minutes, turn off the grill, bunch up the foil and run the racks with it to remove residue. Sign up now for free and see what deals and tips you can find for your summer gardening and grilling!

The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook Review

If you like to cook, you are probably always intrigued by new cookbooks. (I know I am!) So you pick one up and thumb through it and try to get a sense of whether or not it is your type of cookbook. For me, "my type" of cookbook is basically anything that goes along with the theme of this site. That means quick, easy and uses everyday ingredients usually found in my pantry. I'm always bummed when I get a new cookbook or check one out from the library only to get it home and realize that it's not "my type". What a waste of time!

So if your favorite "type" of cookbook is similar to mine, especially if you're on a budget, let me introduce you to The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook. Written by Erin Chase of $5 Dinners.com, this cookbook has over 200 dinner recipes all for $5.00 or under. The amazing thing about the $5 is that includes your main dish as well as a side dish! Erin even breaks down the prices of each item so you can see how she came up with the cost. These recipes typically feed 4 people and depending on the appetite of your kids, you might even end up with leftovers.

Here are a few of the recipes we've tried so far: Garlic Pork Chops with Garlic Mashed Potatoes on the side, Lentil-Mashed Potato Bake, Red Pepper Rotini and Basic Vinaigrette. As you can see by some of the comments these recipes have received, people are excited about making these dinners.

Let me put aside a couple concerns you may have. First, Erin does a great job using wholesome ingredients and avoiding a lot of processed foods. She even has recipes for homemade breads and sauces in order to cut down on costs and increase nutrition. Second, there truly is a breadth of variety in this book. After her first few chapters on grocery shopping, couponing and meal planning the recipe are broken down as follows: Pasta and Pizza Dinners, Chicken and Turkey Meals, Beef Meals, Pork Meals, Fish and Seafood, Soups and Stews, Vegetarian Meals and Homemade Recipes.

If you are looking for a new cookbook to add to your stash, I highly recommend The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook. Right now it is on sale at Amazon for only $8.24 plus shipping. I don't know how long that price will last but there's no time like the present!

Disclosure: I received one copy of The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook for review. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions are my own.

Join the National Consumer Panel

Last summer I joined the National Consumer Panel (know previously as Nielsen Homescan) because I am a self-proclaimed "grocery nerd". I like answering surveys, clipping coupons, shopping the sales, etc. With NCP I like the opportunity to make a difference with companies and marketers by letting them know what I buy and why.

By joining the National Consumer Panel, you make a difference in the products you see on store shelves, pricing, coupons and more. The way it works is simple: Once approved, NCP will send you a handheld scanner to record your retail and online purchases. After shopping you simply scan the barcodes on the items and then submit your information once a week. Not everyone in every area will be eligible but they will let you know after you answer a few questions.

NCP has a great rewards catalog which includes brand name electronics, accessories, kitchen tools and more. Right now I am saving up the points I earn for a new DVD player. Our current DVD player is about to die and we are huge movie watchers. In a few months I should have enough points for it and that is having only been a part of the panel for about a year. They also have sent me some small items as a thank you such as a reusable shopping bag.

If you want to make your preferences know to retailers and manufacturers, I invite you to join me on the National Consumer Panel! I'd also be glad to answer any questions you have about the panel or about joining.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I was not compensated in any way for writing this post. All opinions are my own.

Taste of Home $5 Cookbook Sale

As I have said before, I love Taste of Home Cookbooks! Well, Taste of Home is having their $5.oo cookbook sale now though May 7th. If you've never had a Taste of Home cookbook, let me assure you that they are high quality books and most include excellent pictures as well. As of right now, they have 12 cookbooks available at the $5.00 price and several of those have a regular price of $24.99 or higher. And...if your purchase is over $20.00 then use code LST02 to get free shipping as well!

I don't know if these would get to you in time for Mother's Day but if you have women in your family who love to cook this can give you a great jump on Christmas presents (or just give yourself a little treat). Just do the math - 4 cookbooks for $20.00 and free shipping! Don't forget that this offer ends next Friday, May 7th.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links but all opinion are my own. No compensation was given for this post.

Time to Plant Your Garden

I love this time of year because I get to turn the soil in my garden box, buy my plants & seeds and start our garden. If you live in a warm winter climate you have probably been able to plant for awhile now. However if you live in a cold winter climate, the time to plan is coming closer. I want to encourage you to consider planting a garden no matter how big, small or non-existent your yard is. It is such an accomplishment to be able to eat fruits and vegetables that you have grown yourself and to be able to teach your kids about healthy eating and being outside.

If you are new to vegetable gardening, here are some tips:

• Start small. Find a small plot in your backyard or even just a few large pots. This will keep you from getting overwhelmed as your summer gets busier. If this year goes well, you can always expand the operation next season.
• Choose fruits and vegetables that are easy to grow and enjoyed by your family. For your first year, choose plants that produce quickly and are first-year producers. Plants such as zucchini, squash, lettuce, spinach, radishes, tomatoes and melons are easy and allow kids to watch the progress of their plants. However, don't plant lettuce and spinach if your family turns their noses up at the sight of salad.
• Find a book to use as a guide. Of course there are countless number of online gardening resources to take advantage of. I suggest a book because you often want to look up a small piece of information as you're planting, such as planting depth or spacing. If you are already in your yard with your gloves and muddy shoes on the last thing you want to have to do is go inside to Google "plant spacing for tomatoes" and have to weed through the results to find that the answer is 1 1/2 to 4 feet apart. I use Sunset's Vegetable Gardening but it is no longer available. You can find some basic vegetable gardening books at Amazon.com.
• Order online or find a local nursery that carries the varieties you want. There are advantages to both avenues. First, online you can often get a better description of the fruit or vegetable you are looking for as well as the option of several varieties. However, your plants often arrive very small and it will take awhile to get them going. Your local nursery will allow you to purchase your plants in the morning and have them in your garden by dinnertime. Be cautious about the advice given by nursery employees. Some can be very knowledgeable and extremely helpful in your garden endeavors and some are there just to get a paycheck and really have no gardening knowledge whatsoever. I use both avenues to pick the plants I want. I have had a lot of success with Gurney's for vegetable plants, vegetable seeds and small fruit. Also check out their sale plus get $20 off a $40 purchase.
• Wait for the last frost, then start planting. Most plants need to be planted after the last danger of frost has past. However, some plants and seed such as lettuce, spinach, strawberries, radishes and carrots can be planted several weeks earlier. There are many other vegetables that can be planted early these are just the ones I have experience with. Depending on where you live, your soil might need to be amended to make it nutrient rich and productive. Talk to someone at your local Lowe's or Home Depot to determine what they recommend. Usually a few bag of garden soil, compost or top soil can do the trick.

Getting your garden started will take a weekend or two. After your garden is set, all you have left to do is water and harvest! If you want to go organic, look for soil amendments marked organic and use natural methods of weed and pest control. Unless you have irrigation set in your garden area, I suggest watering with a soaker hose to cut down on the work of daily watering.

Good luck and I would love to hear how you and your family have benefited from your garden!

This is my small garden from two summers ago. It will look a bit different this year since we moved but I'm going to do my best with the space we have.

I also shared this post at We are THAT Family's Works-for-Me Wednesday & Tidymom's I'm Lovin' It Fridays.

Taste of Home Cookbook Sale

Taste of Home cookbooks are my absolute favorite places to find recipes. I have several Taste of Home cookbooks and the Quick Cooking Annual Recipes book is the best for a busy mom (or anyone who wants easy yet not boring recipes). You've probably seen these cookbooks referenced often as the source of many of the recipes I post.

Right now Taste of Home is offering 18 of their cookbooks for only $5.00! One of them is even a Quick Cooking book. Here are the details: "The 2008 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes Cookbook gathers all 653 recipes from the 2007 issues of Taste of Home's Simple and Delicious magazine. You'll find family favorites like "Dijon Chicken and Spinach" and "Steak Sandwich Kabobs" in this hardcover book. All recipes are indexed two ways, and special-diet recipes are noted. 336 pages, hundreds of full-color photos. 8-3/8" x 11-1/8"." There are also several cookbooks available with specific themes such as Christmas, Chicken and Diabetic cooking.

I know we're only 2 months past Christmas but cookbooks make great presents so start planning ahead for the holidays, birthdays or Mother's Day! Of course the best is just to give yourself a little present that will make your meal planning easier and give your menu a boost.

Shipping costs $5.99 for one cookbook (not sure what is it for more than one) but that still gets you an awesome $25.00 cookbook shipped to your door for just over ten bucks. Combine that will the discounts available (see ad box on the right sidebar for the code). This sale ends on March 5, 2010 so don't miss out!

Disclosure: I am an affiliate for Taste of Home but was not compensated for writing this review. All opinions are my own (I truly love these cookbooks!).

10 Things Every Kitchen Needs

Here are the 10 items that, in my opinion, no kitchen should be without.

1. Crock pot/Slow-cooker - If you have never made a crock pot part of your regular dinner routine, you don't know what you're missing. A crock pot allows you to start it early and forget it until dinnertime. It also allows you to dine on lower priced cuts of meat that because they have been slow-cooked come out juicy and tender. I use a 5-quart crock pot because you can usually cook smaller meals in a larger pot but you'll have trouble squishing big meals into a small pot. If you need some motivation to cook in your crock pot, check out my selection of slow-cooked crock pot recipes. The two crock pot cookbooks I use regularly are 365 Favorite Brand Name Slow Cooker Recipes & More and Southern Living: Slow-Cooker Cookbook.

2. Food Chopper- This item is similar to a food processor just smaller. I have never owned a food processor so I cannot make a true comparison. However I have had my Black & Decker Food Chopper since I was in college (and it was my grandma's before that) and it is still running like new. It chops quickly and I do everything from nuts to salsa to beans to milkshakes in it. I use the smaller1-1/2 cup chopper but Black & Decker makes a 3-cup chopper as well.

3. Spice Rack - When I first got married, I had almost no spices and quickly realized how expensive spices are when purchased individually. Thankfully I had received a nice revolving spice rack as a wedding gift. Some of these spices I use regularly and some I rarely use but it great to have them in my kitchen. Usually a spice rack is also a space-saver so you don't need to find room for 20-30 different little containers.

4. Baking Stone - A few years ago, I purchased a Pampered Chef Baking Stone because of all the rave reviews I had heard about them from my friends. Well, now it is my turn for the rave review. These stones come is various sizes and shapes but mine is a typical bar pan/cookie sheet size. The stone cooks evenly, cleans easily and burns nothing. I do cookies, biscuits, chicken fingers, you name it on my stone and they all cook great.

5. Bread Maker- Whenever we used to go visit my husband's grandparents they would always have a couple of loaves of fresh homemade bread at their house. When his grandpa passed away, his grandma gave me her bread maker and I am happy to carry on the family tradition. If you have never baked a homemade loaf of bread, the smell is intoxicating. Also, knowing how to pronounce every ingredient in your bread is very comforting. I love the varieties of bread you can make and bread machine recipes abound both on and off the internet.

6. 13 x 9 Glass Dish - A 13 x 9 pan is used for everything from casseroles to cakes and baking them in glass is always my preference. If something has to be cut in the pan, I don't worry about scratching the non-stick finish. If food is crusted onto the bottom of the pan, I can scrub as hard as I want without damaging the dish. A pan with a lid is a plus and makes it easy to transport your food for potlucks or just for covering your leftovers. Also you can see through the pan to see how you food is cooking. A square glass dish (8x8 or 9x9) is also very handy.

7. Kitchen Spritzer - This is another Pampered Chef item that I cannot do without. I hated the price I had to pay for non-stick cooking spray every time I was out. I also didn't like the extra things that were added to the spray. Then I found out about the Kitchen Spritzer. You fill it with regular vegetable or olive oil and pump it to create the pressure to spray. The spritzer comes with two pump tops so you have an extra when the first wears out. That being said, I have been using mine for about 2 years and it is still doing fine.

8. Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Cookbooks - These are far and away my favorite cookbooks ever. All of the recipes come from Taste of Home Quick Cooking Magazine and are compiled at the end of the year into one large cookbook. They are also broken down within the book into great chapters such as "Give me 5 or Fewer", "30 Minutes Until Mealtime" and "Fast, Delicious and Nutritious".


9. Garlic Press - I love using fresh garlic when I'm cooking. There are so many health benefits from garlic and the taste is so much better then garlic from a jar. There was a time when I had no garlic press so I would mince the garlic cloves with a knife when I needed fresh garlic. Very tedious and flavor does not come through as well. It is worth it to pay a little extra for a sturdy, preferably stainless steel garlic press. I went through 2 five-dollar Wal-Mart garlic presses in a short period of time because the pressure of pushing eventually broke the front out.

10. KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Okay, I admit that this is not absolutely necessary in every kitchen - but it is so wonderful to have and it is one of my favorites. If you have to start saving up now or put it on your Christmas wish list, do it! I mix up cookie dough, meatloaf, meatballs, cakes, just about anything that needs electric mixing. If you shop around or online, you can pick from a plethora of different colors.

I just wanted to share with you the favorite items in my kitchen. Maybe this list will help you as you select kitchen items for a wedding gift, wedding registry, house-warming, college student or just someone starting out on their own. I also shared this list at We are THAT Family's Works-for-Me Wednesday. What is your favorite item in the kitchen?

Recipes for Moms on Facebook

I have finally moved into the 21st century and got myself and Recipes for Moms on Facebook. Up until now I have been working with dial-up internet. Since we moved I finally have high-speed and thus decided it was time to branch out. So I invited you to become a fan of Recipes for Moms on Facebook. I promise not to post endless messages, only items pertaining to kitchen-related things and Recipes for Moms. If you enjoy what you see regularly on Recipes for Moms, please share this with your friends as well. Thanks!

Free Warm Delights Minis

(Sorry, this offer is no longer available)

Who doesn't want free dessert? Betty Crocker is offering a free sample of their Warm Delights Minis just for signing up for their e-mail newsletter. The sign-up is simple and so is unsubscribing to the e-mails later if you don't want to continue receiving them. Their e-mails often give you recipe suggestions or links to coupons so they're worth taking a look at. Enjoy!

20 Ways to Raise a Veggie Lover

You beg. You bribe. You turn forks into airplanes. If you feel like you've done everything but stand on your head to get your kids to eat something green, try these sanity-saving tips.

1. Make it fun. A pile of cooked spinach won't excite a preschooler -- but a forest of broccoli "trees" might. Serve older kids stir-fry vegetables, then teach them how to use chopsticks.

2. Keep the crunch. Kids hate mushy food, so avoid overcooking. Instead of boiling veggies, steam them lightly, microwave or serve them raw -- you'll preserve more vitamins this way too.

3. Take them shopping. Cruise the produce aisle with your child and look at the different fruits and veggies. On each trip, let them pick out something new for the family to try that week. "Children love to see their choices become part of the meal," says Keecha Harris, DrPH, RD, a spokesperson for the ADA.

4. Set a good example. Be sure to fill your own plate with produce too. Research shows that the amount of vegetables on kids' plates is directly related to the amount on Mom's. "Even if you don't like beets, for example, you should still serve them to your kids -- without making any negative comments about them," adds Jeannie Moloo, PhD, RD, a spokesperson for the ADA.

5. Be patient - and don't nag. It can take 10 exposures to a new food before kids will try it (and hopefully like it). If your child turns their nose up at a veggie, don't make a big deal about it -- but do try to introduce it again in a week or two. "My 8-year-old son just started eating sliced tomato on his sandwich," says Dr. Moloo. "He finally came around."

6. Plant a garden. Whether you have a plot in your yard or a window box on your fire escape, your child will love planting seeds, watering plants and munching on what they've grown. Or tour a local farm to teach them where veggies come from. Note from Stacy: Check out Gurney's for an excellent selection of seeds, plants and trees for your garden.

7. Get 'em in the kitchen. Even young children can tear lettuce, husk corn, shell peas and wash produce. Older kids can operate the salad spinner. They may even nibble while they work.

8. Give choices. Put a small amount of two or more vegetables on your child's plate. "Variety is the key to getting lots of different nutrients," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, a spokesperson for the ADA. "Eating one spoonful of three different vegetables is better than three spoonfuls of one."

9. Let them dunk. Offer them baby carrots, cucumber circles and pepper strips to dip into salsa, hummus, low-fat ranch dressing, homemade yogurt dip or guacamole. Try serving the veggies on a party platter. Check my coupons post to see if there are any coupons available for dips or dressings.

10. Get creative. "Invent a story with your preschooler that involves vegetables, like taking a trip through an asparagus forest," says Lalita Kaul, PhD, RD, a spokesperson for the ADA. Make up a silly song about carrots or dress up in green shirts and pretend you're string beans. Note from Stacy: Check out Veggie Tales DVDs and CDs. They are a cute way to get excited about veggies and have a great message for your kids. Two of our favorites are: Are You My Neighbor? and Dave and the Giant Pickle.

11. Top it. Give your child a plain lettuce salad and let them "decorate" it from containers of different chopped-up veggies. Do the same with individual pizzas (use pitas or frozen bread dough).

12. Serve a first course. You may get more produce into your hungry kids if you serve them a vegetable "appetizer" (such as a tossed salad or raw veggies) to munch on while you finish fixing the main meal. The exception: A new, unfamiliar vegetable may frustrate and overly hungry young child.

13. Eat together. Make family mealtime a priority in your home. Research from Harvard Medical School has found that children actually consume more vegetables (in addition to more fruit, calcium and fiber) when they eat along with their parents.

14. Downside demands. Even a spoonful can seem like a mountain to a child who's wary of tasting vegetables. When you're serving a new one, ask your child to try just a bite. If they don't like it, don't tell them to eat more.

15. Make it easy. Keep washed, cut-up veggies in clear plastic containers in the refrigerator for your kids to see and grab. Pack raw veggies in a small cooler for car trips.

16. Serve solo. Many children don't like foods that are combined together, so place two or three veggies on your child's plate separately instead of serving mixed vegetables.

17. Give 'em props. Praise your child for trying a new veggie. But don't promise toys or TV time, because these types of rewards can promote and unhealthy relationship with food, says Dr. Gerbstadt. And don't use desserts as leverage either; food should never be a prize or punishment.

18. Mix it up. "Introduce the same vegetable in different ways," suggests Dr. Kaul. It sounds silly, but shape can make a big difference to little kids. Your child may not like carrot sticks, but they'd love carrot coins. Maybe they'd prefer straight-cut green beans to French-cut ones -- or they hate cooked peas but would go gaga for frozen ones (wait until your child is 4 years old before serving uncooked frozen veggies).

19. Throw a BBQ. Grilled vegetables kabobs can be as fun to make as they are to eat. Try serving tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, green peppers and onion on a stick.

20. Jazz them up. As a last resort, add a drizzle of melted cheese or olive oil, says Dr. Moloo. The little bit of fat won't hurt -- and it's worth it if your child gobbles up his veggies.

List by Sally Kuzemchek, RD

Feel free to leave a comment and share how you get your kids to eat their veggies. I also shared this post at We Are THAT Family's Works-for-Me Wednesday.