Swiss (white stem) and rainbow (colourful stem) are dark leafy greens. Rainbow chard is sometimes known as the leaf beat and both the chard and beetroot contain betalain which gives both vegetables their vibrant pink colour.
Both types of chard are a great source of Vitamin A and C as well as antioxidants like beta-carotene and lutein so similar to carrots eating them will support healthy eyes.
When shopping for chard, look out for crisp leaves and firm stalks.
Keep your chard in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days.
The deep flavours of the chard works well in stews, curries and casseroles or mix-up traditional sides like broccoli when sautéed in olive oil or butter and a bit of salt and pepper.
At Its Best:
June - December
Here are some of our favourite ways to engage kids with chard:
Find your go-to meals in our family favourites section and see what veggies work best with them.
Find out how to add more veg to your suppers here.
The moments before food is offered can be a perfect opportunity for engagement that can help make it more likely a child will eat it!
The first thing to do is remove the pressure. If the veg doesn’t get eaten, it’s not the end of the world. There will be other days, other dinners, other chances. Fun is key here – try not to worry about mess, perfect table manners, or playing with food. Instead, focus on making the process of getting the food to the plates, readying the table, and the actual eating relaxed.
The best principles for success here are the Three Rs (role modelling, rewarding, re-offering) which you can read about here.
But there is one more way you can serve for success, and that is giving your child a role. You don’t have to do this every time, just encourage them in their strengths through it when you can.
Here are some of our favourite ideas:
Design a menu
Come up with a silly name or story for a dish
Help with making a meal plan and choosing veg for dinners or snacks
Help to serve up the meal on dishes, lay the table or create a centrepiece to be involved in the physical ‘serving up’ process
The Wonderful World of Veg
Check out our vegepedia. When to buy in-season. How to store them to keep for longer. How to engage children with each veg, and simple ideas of how to prepare and cook them for maximum taste and minimum waste. Select a veg…