Get them into the fruit and veg habit early. Five a day for kids is easy and has
lasting benefits.
Giving your children plenty of fruit and vegetables every day is a great idea. Once
they've discovered how delicious and satisfying fruit and vegetables can be, children
will carry on happily eating them. Mine have got used to grabbing an apple for a
snack, and the other night I caught my son searching the cupboard for dried apricots
when he had an attack of the munchies.
The health benefits of eating fruit and vegetables daily are well
known, and a UK survey of adults who'd eaten fruit and vegetables regularly in
childhood, showed a lower incidence of cancer. Yet only 39% of UK school kids eat
fruit regularly, and an astonishing 20% never eat fruit. Get them into the five a day
for kids habit now, and you'll be making sure that they get plenty of the essential nutrients that fruit and veg contain.
WHAT IS A CHILD'S SERVING OF FRUIT AND
VEGETABLES?
Portion sizes increase gradually as children become older and more active. By the
time children are 10, they'll be eating the same size fruit and vegetable
servings as adults.
For pre-schoolers and younger children, be guided by your child's appetite. You'll be
doing well if they have four or five servings a day. A typical portion for a young child
might be:
1 small whole fruit, like a plum,
˝ a larger fruit, like an apple or orange, chopped or sliced if necessary,
Children aged from 6-12, and teenage girls need seven portions a day.
Teenage boys should aim for nine portions a day.
FIVE A DAY FOR KIDS: TIPS
Babies: when weaning, at six months, offer a wide range of baby foods. Babies are often willing to accept new foods, where
children of 2+ are often far less adventurous.
For small children who aren't keen on fruit, try blending a little with some milk to
make a fruity drink. Or offer small sandwiches, filled with a thin spreading of mashed
banana.
Some children will only eat one or two types of veg. Don't worry, give them the
ones they like, and offer new types regularly.
Don't give up if a new food is refused first time. Or second. Or third! It can take
eight or more tastings before a child will accept a new flavour, so don't give up. Only
offer a tiny amount each time. Children are easily deterred by the sight of a large
mound of a food they view with suspicion.
Think like a child. Most children are not highly motivated by idea of healthy
eating, and might even be less likely to try something if you tell them it's good for
them. Act casual, and don't ram home the healthy eating message. Let it sink in
subtly.
Children often enjoy fruit juices, but keep these to once a day. Although they're
good on the vitamin front, they're also full of sugar, and drinking too much has been
linked to obesity and bad teeth in children. Water is the best drink to offer your kids.
Present food creatively. A child who says 'Nah,' to a banana, may well eat a
banana spiral, slice by slice. Slice apples thinly and fan them out. Make fruit faces, or
veggie monsters. Little children – and even older ones – love this kind of carry on
and will often reward your efforts by gobbling up the food and demanding more.
Get plenty of colour on those plates. Think of five colours, when you think about
five a day for kids. Reds, yellows and greens are the very best.
Children often find cut fruit more appetising than whole. Slice or chop just before
eating, as fruit loses Vitamin C once the inside is exposed to the air.
