Sweet potato
Sweet potatoes came from deepest Peru and spread to become a popular staple of Native Americans. The first Europeans to sample the delights of sweet potatoes were Christopher Columbus and his crew on their voyage to the West Indies in 1492. They brought them back to Spain and from there they spread all over the world.
Nutrition
They contain fibre which supports digestion and contain vitamins including Bs and C which support our vision and immune system as well as being a good source for minerals like iron and calcium.
Shopping Guide
Look for sweet potatoes that feel firm and appear unblemished. They should feel heavy for their size.
Storage
Store these in a cool dark place.
Preparation
Make the most of that kid-friendly flavour by cutting into fries and roasting or baking them whole as a 1 of your 5-a-day jacket potato in less time than a regular one. And who can resist them cut into wedges or fry-shapes and roasted with oil and a pinch of salt for homemade chips?
Kids in the Kitchen
For a younger child, why not get them to toss sweet potatoes cut into fry shapes with a little oil and salt and lay them out on a tray to roast. They may also like to help you set the oven timer or even the oven temperature to preheat.
For an older child, it could be a great opportunity to teach them some essential knife skills. Show them how to chop using the bridge and claw grips.
Find more ideas for involving kids in the kitchen here.
Sensory
Sweet potatoes are just that…sweet. So if you think they might go for it, this can be a slightly safer one to explore through taste. Start by easing them in through exploring a raw sweet potato through sight and touch. What does it look like? What does it feel like? What does it remind you of? Then bring in some cooked sweet potato (perhaps try sweet potato fries to start) and try them together. Do they taste bitter or sour or sweet? What do they remind you of? How would you describe them?
Find more sensory ideas, tips and videos here. If you get stuck and need a little help with describing words, we have a selection for you here, too!
Serving
Next time you make a meal with sweet potatoes, try to get your kids involved in small ways wherever you can – when serving it up, why not let your child help you plate it up and add any toppings or make it look as attractive as they can!
Find the best ways of involving your own child and their skills and interests on our Roles for Kids page.
Activities
For sweet potatoes, why not try drawing a sweet potato (bonus points if you find a funny-shaped one)? What colours would you use? What shapes do you see?
Kids more interested in science? You can find lots of at-home science fun with veg with our videos from Stefan Gates’ here.
Seasonality
Buying veg in season is not only great for the planet, it can be good for your wallet, too! Try buying sweet potatoes autumn or early winter for the greatest deals and best flavour.
Coming In:
September
At Its Best:
October - December
Your Food
Sweet potato is sweet and soft, so if your child has those preferences, it could be a great place to start. This can be a pretty easy sell for kids – just dice (or cut into fries) and roast, mash, blitz with stock for soup, or bake whole as a sweeter ‘jacket’ that counts as one of your 5-a-day! Want more ideas? Why not try some of these…
Family Favourites
More Recipes
Mel’s Za’atar-Roasted Mushrooms & Sweet Potato Wedges with Halloumi Salad
Melissa Hemsley
Kate & Kay’s Lamb, Rosemary and Sweet Potato Pie
Kate Allinson & Kay Featherstone
Vic’s Sweet Potato Apple Muffins
Vic Borrill (Brighton & Hove Food Partnership)
Gennaro’s Wholemeal Penne with Broccoli & Sweet Potato
Gennaro Contaldo
If You Like Sweet potato…Try
Does your child enjoy sweet potatoes? That’s great! Sweet potatoes are usually soft and sweet, so why not try a similar texture and/or taste…
Serving
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…