David and Stephen Flynn, otherwise known as The Happy Pear, know a thing or two about making delicious vegetarian food. We caught up with the pair to find out how they get their kids excited about veggie food and they gave us their top tips.
From the book
The Happy Pear
Fun, feel-good recipes from The Happy Pear
Inspiring vegetarian and vegan ideas
Irresistible yet wholesome cakes and desserts
Do you have any example of your kids’ favourite foods or recipes?
Our kids love making smoothies. We make our smoothie just about every day and it’s become a ritual. We put all sorts of superfoods in ours and it’s a great start to the day for our little angels. We put walnuts, goji berries, cacao powder (gives it a nice chocolatey taste), spirulina, bee pollen, banana and coconut water in the blender! It sounds pretty complex but they love it and it tastes like chocolate milk and is full of good stuff for their little bodies. Their next most favourite food is probably porridge, they are very Irish in that sense!
What would you recommend for lunchboxes made in a hurry?
We usually put in some fruit such as clementines/oranges/passion fruit, some raw veg crudites, a toasted wholewheat pitta with some tahini and honey/banana on it and maybe an energy ball or two. We also have some tips in this video.
What are the best veggie foods for nutrients?
They all have different nutrients. We think now coming into summer that bright fruits are really easy to eat and are packed full of antioxidants to help keep our skin looking good and healthy – all the berries, nectarines, peaches, flat peaches, there are lovely melons starting now too, cherries – all these are great to eat!
What do you teach your kids about food?
Our kids are still young, nearly 3 and 5 years old so I think they pick up a lot from watching us as opposed to directly trying to teach them. Their concentration isn’t the best as they have so much energy! I think the most important thing we’re teaching them is simply sharing our passion for food and all the bounty and variety there is available. They are great and really open to trying new things and we grow some bits in the garden too so they are learning that fresh produce grows in the ground or on trees rather than on supermarket shelves!
Do you involve your kids in the cooking process?
Yes for sure! Most days they are involved in some form of food preparation. Stephen’s son Theo loves to help him bake bread and help with pancakes, David’s daughter Elsie loves helping to make the smoothies and of course they all love to make cakes and treats! Here we are with the kids making energy balls.
Find out more about David and Stephen’s books, The Happy Pear, The World of The Happy Pear and The Happy Pear: Recipes for Happiness.
