How to Get your Kids to Eat Brussels Sprouts

For many people, the concept of getting their kids to eat Brussels sprouts is something which they have long since abandoned. There are jokes made about Brussels sprouts, they are often named as peoples' least favourite foodstuff - or at least vegetable - and they are traditionally very difficult to get kids to eat.

So what is it about these incredibly nutritious vegetables that so many kids - big and little! - find so off-putting? This page is about exploring those reasons and finding effective ways in which to address the issues, helping you to get your kids to not only eat brussels sprouts but eat a healthier diet in general.

Brussels sprouts are not only delicious when prepared and cooked correctly, they are also extremely nutritious. They are especially high in Vitamin C and can thus be an excellent component part of any balanced diet.

The principal problem that we are likely to encounter with Brussels sprouts is that they are both prepared and cooked in an inappropriate fashion, which makes for them not only losing all their nutritional value but also being extremely unpalatable.

It is therefore essential to look at the basics for preparing Brussels sprouts in the first instance, prior to considering any variations on the theme.

The first step in how to get your kids to eat Brussels sprouts is in the preparation of the Brussels sprouts for cooking. There are a couple of common mistakes made in this respect which must be avoided at all costs if the Brussels sprouts are to be properly presented on the plate.

The first step to cleaning Brussels sprouts properly is to simply peel away any withered or damaged outer leaves. It is important not to go overboard in this respect as simple dirt will be removed in the subsequent washing process. The sprouts should then be washed thoroughly in warm water.

When cutting the excess stalk away from each Brussels sprout, it is important not to cut away too much that some of the leaves become detached or are likely to do so during cooking. Enough stalk should be left that the outer leaves are still very firmly attached.

There is a very common belief with Brussels sprouts that making a large "+" shaped incision in the base will assist in the cooking process. In reality, all this cross will achieve is to increase the likelihood of leaves becoming detached during cooking and a pan of single leaves being the result, as opposed to solid and firm Brussels sprouts.

The most important factor when cooking Brussels sprouts is not to over cook them. This is probably the one most common single reason as to why kids - or adults - won't eat Brussels sprouts. The sprouts have essentially been cooked in to an approximation of pigswill and are technically not fit for human consumption.

The first step to cooking Brussels sprouts properly is to ensure that the sprouts go in to boiling and not cold water. The way I like to do this safely is to fill a kettle with water and put it on to boil as I prepare the Brussels sprouts. I then put the sprouts in to the cooking pot, season them lightly with salt and pour in enough boiling water from the kettle to comfortably cover them. The pot should then be put on to the stove and the water rapidly brought back up to boiling point.

When the water begins to boil again, the heat should be turned down so that the water is barely simmering and the Brussels sprouts should be cooked for eight to ten minutes in this way, depending on their size - no longer! They should then be drained and an optional little knob of butter added prior to serving.