vegetables and Filipino kids.

During my alone time, my thoughts wandered far and wide, especially thinking about new ways to spicen up my cooking.

And I got to this thought: we all know that kids are all born veggie-phobic. Ok maybe most are, but it's no doubt that kids never enter the world looking for a stick of celery.

Maybe candy, milk, cookies, or (in my case) fish, but never celery.

So at what point in life do kids decide to turn away from unhealthy things and start eating vegetables?

is it because of health education in schools? the whole pyramid thing?
is it because fat kids start feeling insecure?
is it because kids simply give up listening to their parents nag about vegetables?

They may all be true, but what popped into my mind is an excessively retarded, yet subtly effective way through which the Filipinos introduce vegetables into a kid's diet.

This is an advertisement on primetime Philippine TV. Below is the direct translation of the song. Enjoy.



Title: Makulay Ang Buhay (Sa Sinabawang Gulay), which means, believe it or not:

Life is Colorful (in a bowl of vegetable soup)

I never dared to taste vegetables before
I always avoided them
But I later realized that vegetables are actually tasty
When they are put into soup!

Life is colorful
Life is colorful
in a bowl of vegetable soup.

Oh vegetable soup, so delicious!
Every sip I take is full of joy!
Oh vegetable soup, so fun to "savor" (def: to let the flavor swirl in the mouth, like wine)
I become stronger and I can do anything!

Life is colorful
Life is colorful
in a bowl of vegetable soup.

It's only soup, but it's healthy by itself
Once added with Knorr (the brand) and vegetables, we're all very happy!
Improving fully in studies and in play
So let's all sip together! (from the soup, of course)

Life is colorful
Life is colorful
in a bowl of vegetable soup.

See? whoever said that the media has adverse effects on children? Even my sister danced and sang to this jingle as a school project! Just throw in a mix of retarded lyrics, catchy tunes, and an easy to follow dance scheme (Enoch, you wondered where I learned dancing from?), and you've got yourself a formula that will get your kids nibbling away on all kinds of greenery!

in soup, of course.

I'M OUT!!!