Hidden Valley's 'Search for Veggie Champions'

I’m lucky, I have a daughter who thinks peas, corn, broccoli and the like are pretty tasty foods to chomp on. She hasn’t yet learned that she’s supposed to balk at these foods, and I’m going to keep her from this kid truth for as long as possible!

However, I do know that as we become more comfortably ensconced in toddler hood, it is entirely possible that the day will come when she won’t let a vegetable cross her pursed lips. Not to worry, I am prepared for this. My weapon of choice? Ranch dressing! See, I love my veggies too and I never have to be persuaded to munch on them, but throw some ranch dressing into the mix and I get downright piggy about things. I'm thinking that if there is ever a danger of veggies becoming passé in our home, a potentially more picky Pudding Pie will be no match for the tasty combo of veggies and ranch dressing!

In fact, the makers of Hidden Valley® Salad Dressings launched the Love Your Veggies™ campaign soon after a 2006 study by the University of California Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and the Butte County Cooperative Extension revealed that kids ate 23% more vegetables when they were served with ranch dressing.

The Love Your Veggies™ campaign teaches families how to eat healthfully, purchase and grow the best veggies, and find innovative ways to serve them. The campaign has a site full of information at http://www.loveyourveggies.com/, and is offering a school grant program to provide students with better access to fresh produce. The campaign is also offering a mom retreat hosted by celebrity chef, Art Smith!

OK, Contest Alert! As part of the Love Your Veggies™ campaign, Hidden Valley has created a “Search for Veggie Champions” contest. They are inviting Moms to submit their brainstorms for a community garden and this garden can be at a school, religious organization, neighborhood park, etc. and would ideally help to get the community involved in and excited about eating and enjoying more vegetables.

The ten lucky winners will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Chicago for classes and lessons on selecting and cooking the best vegetable dishes, dinner at Chef Smith's restaurant, Table Fifty-Two, lots of pampering, and $5,000 to create or maintain their community gardens.

What are you waiting for?! Click over to loveyourveggies.com and find out more about how you can be a Veggie Champion!

Review courtesy of Mom Central