My 5 year old son thought he was Popeye the other day. He was introduced to Popeye when I rented a cartoon movie for him. Needless to say, he watched it daily until it was time to return it. During this Popeye marathon, he decided that he wanted some spinach. Well talk about music to my ears. I could usually only get him to eat 4 items in the fruits and vegetables food group. I was going to let him have all the spinach he wanted.

Picking out meals and making them has gotten more and more difficult for me with my two picky toddlers. Lunch usually consists of chicken nuggets, pizza, macaroni, or PB & J. Not the best variety or nutritional value in those choices. So when my son is reminding me not to forget the spinach, I am thinking, “Don’t you worry, I won’t.”

After we arrive home from the grocery store, my son wants his spinach immediately. Well, no problem there. I make him a bowl of the fresh stuff and drizzle a small amount of dressing on it. He proceeds to gobble it up like a frat boy with a pizza pie. I was thrilled. A new vegetable on our menu! But then the downside of all that spinach eating reared its ugly head with one giant leap off of my son’s bed. Head first no less. Apparently eating spinach gives you magical leaping powers. Damn Popeye! Thank goodness I witnessed the whole thing and caught my child mid-air. After a brief conversation with him explaining that spinach will make you big, strong and healthy, but over time, and that Popeye wasn’t real, a small tear came out of my son’s eye. Then he whispered to me, “Mom, come into the living room, I’ve got to show you something.” He led me to our large entertainment center and said to me in another whisper, “I tried to lift this.”

Although spinach has lost a bit of its luster for my son, thankfully he will still eat it. I suppose it is up to me to introduce variety into his diet, not a cartoon character.

Check out these recipe sites for menu ideas.

For specific kid friendly recipes, try KidG’s Health, Whole Foods Market, or Vegetarian Kitchen.