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There’s no other way to put it — getting kids to eat veggies is not for the faint of heart. While some children love fruit and vegetables, many more do whatever they can to avoid putting fresh produce on their plates.
That’s why it’s never a bad idea to sneak veggies into the foods they already love (without them knowing, of course). Recently, Heinz joined a few other food companies in figuring out a way to include more vegetables in their products — in this case, their beloved ketchup.
Heinz’s new tomato ketchup with a blend of veggies is made with their usual ingredients, plus pureed carrots and butternut squash. It has 25% more added veggies, 25% less sugar than regular Heinz ketchup and contains no high-fructose corn syrup.
But don’t worry — Heinz says it’s just as thick and rich as the ketchup kids are already dunking their fries into.
“If we were going to add extra veggies to a new recipe, it was important to maintain the same distinctive taste, appearance and texture that have been loved by generations of families for 150 years,” Dalia Adler, associate director of marketing for Heinz, said in a press release. “We went through countless recipes to land on the perfect blend and can’t wait to share the end result: a blend that we think will have your ketchup-loving, veggie-hating kids asking for more.”
The new ketchup is available in select stores now and online, including at Amazon and Walmart.
Of course, kids are going to want something to dip in the ketchup, but luckily, there are hidden-veggie options there for that, too.
You can buy cauliflower ranch fries at stores nationwide. This option from Birds Eye sells for under $3 at Walmart.
You can also make cauliflower “tater tots.” This recipe from Baking Outside The Box doesn’t even use any potatoes! All you need to whip them up is cauliflower, Parmesan, butter, egg yolk and onion powder.
But of course, ketchup isn’t limited to fries. If your kids love dipping their chicken nuggets in ketchup, there’s a healthier version for that, too.
Perdue now has chicken nuggets with 1/4 cup of vegetables mixed into the nuggets. The hidden ingredients are cauliflower and chickpeas (providing 11 grams of protein!). They’re also made with 100% all-natural ingredients and antibiotic-free chicken.
Even with these added bonuses, Perdue says they taste just like the nuggets that even picky eaters know and love. And the best part for kids? They’re shaped like dinosaurs!
The eat-your-veggies battle just keeps getting easier for parents!
Will you be heading to the store to pick up some veggie-blended ketchup?
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
