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Macaroni Kid Cooks a Saucy Zucchini Recipe Kids Will Love

Tips to Get Kids to Eat Veggies

By Laura Miller, Publisher of Macaroni Kid Appleton-Waupaca-Oshkosh, WI January 5, 2020

My kids love vegetables and my friends always want to know how I get them to eat such healthy meals. This zucchini dish is one of our favorites and dresses up the veggies so it looks more like the pasta kids know and love. The yellow squash and peppers make it a pretty rainbow of a meal.

And here's a secret... this is how my kids learned to like zucchini! Up until just a few short months ago zucchini was one of only two veggies my 10-year-old daughter did not like to eat because she said it was too slimy. The other one was asparagus, which we also found a recipe for that she loves!

This zucchini dish is also a really quick meal to prepare because the sausage is precooked and the zucchini, yellow squash, and peppers only need to cook for a couple minutes (make sure you don't overcook it or it turns to mush). 

Also, I know spiralizers are a trend in the kitchen to create zucchini "noodles," but they're totally not necessary. In fact, the veggies are a lot easier for my 5-year-old to eat in bigger pieces sliced with a knife.

If you're like many parents this time of year and want to get your kids eating healthy, this zucchini dish is a great place to start. 

I have one more tip to help you get your kids eating more veggies: Be persistent! Keep serving your kids a few bites of veggies every time you make them. And keep trying new ways to serve them until you find the one that works.

Ingredients:

  • Oil (we love avocado oil)
  • Onion
  • Green pepper
  • Zucchini
  • Yellow squash
  • Chorizo or spicy Italian sausage (pre-cooked)
  • Spaghetti sauce
  • Cheese (optional - Parmesan or cheddar taste great)

Directions:

  1. Chop the onion and pepper and start cooking them over medium heat in some oil. We like to leave them bigger, but dice them if you prefer.
  2. Slice the sausage and add to the pan.
  3. Slice the zucchini and yellow squash and add to the pan. Depending on the size, I will either cut in half lengthwise or quarter them before slicing.
  4. Cover the pan and let the veggies steam to your liking, but I suggest not letting them get too mushy.
  5. Mix in the sauce and serve with cheese, if desired.