At Pots For Tots, we know that it's pretty normal for toddlers to become fussy eaters, especially when it comes to vegetables. That's why we've included five veggies in our Hidden Vegetable Pasta Sauce recipe (tomatoes, carrots, onions, celery and red pepper!), which counts as two of their five daily portions. We've also blitzed it to be super smooth in texture, making it easier for even the pickiest eaters to enjoy.
In addition, this healthy tomato sauce is low in sugar, low in salt, and a good source of protein. And did we mention it contains two of your little one's five a day?
“Refusal of vegetables is one of the most common concerns that parents discuss with me, especially for children in their toddler years. Whilst there are lots of things you can do to support children to rediscover their love of vegetables, this takes time and parents are often keen to have what I like to call ‘nutritional peace of mind’. We’ve packed in five different veggies into this pasta sauce, to help deliver a nutritional punch to even the fussiest of children” - Lucy Upton, our resident Children's Dietitian
You might be thinking, 'A veggie tomato sauce!, I can make that myself!'. And you are right, you definitely could, as after all, we only use ingredients you would use at home yourself. But, we know how time consuming it can be to peel, chop, cook, prep and portion up sauce, let alone cook everything else! That's why we've done the hard (and messy!) work for you, so you can have mealtime in minutes.
Whilst we call it our 'Hidden Veg Pasta Sauce', this versatile sauce can be used in so many delicious ways…
FIVE WAYS TO USE OUR HIDDEN VEG SAUCE
- The OG as a pasta sauce
- Combine with mince or red lentils for a bolognese or lasagne filling
- As the tomato base for pizzas - on pizza bases, pitta bread, naan breads, half a baguette or tortillas
- Make your own baked beans - combine a tin of beans e.g. kidney beans, berlotti beans with a pot of our pasta sauce and bake
- Use as a tomato base for baked eggs or shakshuka
TOP TIP FROM LUCY UPTON, OUR CHILDREN'S DIETITIAN
Whilst ‘hiding’ vegetables in things like the Pots For Tots pasta sauce is a great way to support acceptance of foods we’d like children to eat, it’s super important to keep exposing children to the vegetables in their ‘native’ form too!
So offer up options like…
- Carrots: As cooked batons, ribbons, or even grated.
- Tomatoes: Chopped into a salsa, quartered, thinly sliced or tomato purée to spread onto bread or mini pizzas.
- Peppers: Diced, thinly sliced, as wedges loaded with extras like hummus, cream cheese or mashed avocado, cooked and sliced or diced, blitzed to make a pepper dip.
Remember: Always cut vegetables safely for children, as many, such as plum or cherry tomatoes can be a choking hazard. And please note, avoid giving chopped raw peppers or carrots to young children where it may pose a choking risk, instead, cook until soft.
But don't just take our word for it, try it out for yourself! Make sure to add our Hidden Veg Pasta Sauce to your next box, and let us know if you try out any of our recipes ideas - just tag us on Instagram or drop us a DM. Love, Team Pots For Tots.