Converting carnivore kids with Goodlife

My kids go mad for meat. We’re a family of carnivores and where there’s not meat then there’s definitely fish. One time I suggested a vegetarian lasagne for tea and they just laughed in my face. So when Goodlife asked if I’d like to try their new range of frozen vegetable based foods I wasn’t sure it would work. For one thing, there’s my toddler’s current “I NO LIKE IT! IT ‘GUSTING!” fussy food phase. And for another, my six year old is dedicated to chicken.

Still, I thought I’d give it a go. What did I have to lose, apart from my sanity and potentially any moment of calm during a mealtime, after all? 

First up, it was the turn of the new hero product in the Goodlife range – the mushroom and spinach kiev with a creamy garlic cheese sauce. Now, the fact this contained the six year old’s current veg favourite of mushrooms immediately put it in her good books. She also took one look at the picture on the front of the packaging and assumed it had broccoli in it too – another win as far as she was concerned (FYI: it’s not broccoli, it’s spinach, but don’t tell her that).

The creamy sauce oozed out onto the plate and the whole thing smelled so delicious it was all I could do not to snaffle it for myself. Unfortunately for me, there weren’t even any leftovers to hoover up. She ate the whole lot within about five minutes and then asked for seconds. Luckily for her, her little sister was less keen on the meal and was staging a toddler food protest, meaning there was one kiev going spare. It didn’t last long.

In the Goodlife kiev’s defence, my toddler refused to eat anything other than a yoghurt that evening, and pronounced her tummy “all full” from lunch (which would make sense, seeing as she ate a year’s worth of sandwiches, two bananas and a crumpet).

Spurred on by my partial success I persevered with my veggie campaign. The following evening saw a tea of piccador parsnip and sweet carrot burgers with crunchy cashews.

OK, so no one’s going to pretend this would pass as a steak quarter pounder, but they DID keep my carnivorous family happy (and full). And no one asked, “But where’s the meat?”. Unlike the previous night, Baby Girl tucked in with wild abandon, clearing her plate before trying to steal what was left of her big sister’s portion.

It was SO satisfying to see the girls tucking into a plate of veggies, even if they didn’t realise it. While Frog is an adventurous eater, she’s not always keen on all vegetables, often turning her nose up at parsnips and carrots. But she ate the whole of her burger (much to her little sister’s dismay) happily, before asking for another.

I’m not suggesting this is the beginning of a meat-free existence for us. It’s not. I think we’re a long way (like, forever) off from giving up meat completely. But it IS nice to know I can skip the meat every once in a while and opt for a quick and healthy veggie alternative. These make brilliant mid-week meals and I love that the veggies are the star of the show for a change.

If you’re looking for a freezer staple that will not only be a quick and easy meal solution, but also a hassle free way of introducing more vegetables into your kids’ diet then I (and my girls) heartily recommend the Goodlife range. You can find your nearest stockist here.

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Thanks to Goodlife for commissioning this post. For more details about how I work with brands check out my Work With Me page.