Turn the veggie tables

It’s easy to get your kids hooked on the natural goodness of fresh veg by getting them involved in growing their own – so join the campaign

Since its launch last year by ITV, Channel 4 and Sky, the Eat Them To Defeat Them campaign has encouraged 650,000 children to enjoy healthy vegetables.

On ITV1 yesterday, I joined James Martin on his Saturday Morning show to explain how veg boosts the health and wellbeing of our youngsters.

Focusing on a different vegetable each week, the campaign aims to encourage kids to put on their superhero capes and munch vegetables into submission.

So let’s look at each of these vegetables and what goodness they offer.

Carrots

Carrots are a health heavyweight, packing in a whole array of antioxidants and vitamins. Their most important punch is beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A once eaten. This contributes to lung and brain health, and may also protect kids’ eyes. Carrots are easy to grow. From February onwards, you can sow early varieties in deep, loose soil in a sunny location. They’ll even grow in pots and containers. They’re ready to crop from July to September and can be blended into soups to deliver a nourishing and tasty dish, or will serve as a raw snack on car journeys.

Peas

Green peas are a powerhouse in the nutrition department – full of minerals such iron, as well as B vitamins. This means that eating peas gives the body the nourishment it needs to keep transporting oxygen around the body to make you feel more energised. Early peas can be sown in an open, sunny location with good drainage from March. Peas will be ready to pick in just 11-13 weeks and are a versatile addition to the plate – from Sunday lunch to fish and chips. They’re sweeter when first picked as, with time, the sugars turn to starch – which is the normal pea taste.

Sweetcorn

Sweetcorn is full of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, which helps to regulate muscle and nerve function and plays a part in building the body’s DNA, which helps us to recover from setbacks more quickly. Easy-to-grow varieties can be sown in late spring in a sunny and sheltered position. As sweetcorn is wind-pollinated, it’s best to plant in blocks rather than rows. The plants will be ready to harvest later in the summer and will taste delicious in tuna sandwiches or with butter on the cob.

Broccoli

Vitamin K is the vigorous vitamin – and broccoli is chock-full of the stuff. It improves bone metabolism and enhances blood function, helping wounds to heal properly. Just one cup holds 116 per cent of your recommended daily intake of vitamin K. You can plant out from May, allowing space between each plant. They’ll be harvest-ready from July onwards.

Broccoli is easy to grow and chock-full of healthy vitamin K

Broccoli is so much more than just a side veg. You can blend the florets into smoothies, or add them to salads and Sunday lunches.

Tomato

The fruit contains a red carotenoid called lycopene, which can boost heart health, protect the skin from sun damage, and even prevent illness through its antioxidant qualities. To count as one of your kids’ five a day, it’s recommended that they eat one medium tomato or seven cherry tomatoes. The ones you grow for yourself always taste the best.

Sow seed from late March and later transfer to a grow bag when the first truss (flower buds) appears. The plants will produce fruit for harvesting in July. You can make your own tomato puree at home for pizza bases and pasta sauce, and the children will really enjoy picking them fresh off the vine when they’re lovely and tangy.

Peppers

Peppers are powerful veg warriors – and so are the people who eat them! Red bell peppers can hold up to three times more vitamin C than an orange, believe it or not. All this vitamin C helps maintain a healthy immune system to fight off colds and other invaders. Sow seeds from May in containers, in grow bags or on open ground – they’ll be happy as long as they have a spot in the sun. Each colour of pepper is the same vegetable at different stages of ripeness, turning from green to yellow, orange and then red. They’ll be ready to add into dishes from July to October to pop into stir-fries for a lovely crunch.

Superfruit ‘n’ veg

For me, growing your own fruit and vegetables has always been at the heart of getting my children into grow-your-own food and enjoying a healthy diet. Now you know just how easy it is to tap into homegrown goodness to deliver these superpowers to your own children’s plates.

See eatthemtodefeatthem.com