Salad is one of the healthiest foods a family can have as part of their daily menu. Many children balk at the thought of eating vegetables. For some reason, kids reject vegetables without even tasting them because their peers say they don’t like them. Fortunately, the same isn’t true about salad. Kids will often eat salad because it’s cold and crunchy. For the child who hesitates to punch his or her fork into a crisp piece of lettuce, adding their favorite topping or a sweet dressing often does the trick.

While salads are generally very healthy, the dressings many people use aren’t really good for them. They tend to be loaded with fat and sugar that isn’t good for young, growing bodies. There are a couple of ways to get around this problem. The first is to top the salad with something other than dressing. Fruit is a good topping for salads because it is sweet and juicy. This option is great for young children who might need the extra vitamin C anyway.

Another option is to use a healthy salad dressing like Hampton Creek’s Just Italian Dressings. Choosing these products might be best for kids who don’t need the added sugar from the fruit or the fruit doesn’t add enough flavor for their taste. A tasty dressing like Hampton Creek won’t add unnecessary calories or fat from animal protein. Italian dressing is typically healthier than ranch and other commercial salad dressings. However, most brands have a lot of sugar and fat that just aren’t a problem for people who eat Hampton Creek products.

Feeding children salad is a good way to help them get the recommended amount of vegetables and fruits in their diets each and every day. By serving salads with only fresh vegetables and fruits but not fatty dressings and sugary treats like dried cranberries, parents can help their kids develop a love for healthy foods and ensure they are prepared for life as an adult. Making healthy choices is an integral part of parenting and these salad dressings can make a parent’s job a lot easier.