How to Get Kids to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
We know the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, but tell that to your child and they’ll probably turn up their noses. Sometimes it’s even hard for adults to eat their daily servings. No worries, below are some helpful tips to get your kids to eat more fruits and vegetables. Introducing a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables at a young age is best and being consistent with it will ensure good eating habits.
5 tips to get your child eating more fruits and vegetables
1. Have fruits and vegetables available in your home all the time. It includes dried fruits or frozen vegetables. Place them where it’s visible and accessible. A bowl with fruits placed on your kitchen counter or table is an easy reminder to grab something that is quick, nutritious and filling.
If it’s easier for your kids to grab grapes or cherry tomatoes from the fridge, then wash them first and place them in a bowl. Be careful as certain fruits tend to spoil quicker when washed.
For a treat, freeze some seedless grapes or other seasonal fruits like cantaloupe, strawberries, honeydew, pineapple, blueberries etc. that can be used for fruit smoothies too.
2. There are a lot of great recipes for using fruits and vegetables in your everyday cooking or baking. Think of zucchini bread, blueberry pancakes, in casseroles, sauces,fruit kebabs, and the likes.
3. Grow a vegetable garden with your kids. When your kids are involved in caring and nurturing a garden they are more likely to eat what they have grown. Carrots, green beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and radishes are good choices.
4. Make eating fruits and vegetables fun. It takes a bit of creativity to come up with ways to present theses foods to your kids who rather eat unhealthy foods. Go for colors when you make dinner like carrots, broccoli and corn. Mix fruits and vegetables together, for example, in green salads. You can use pear, apple, mandarin orange slices, jicama, dried cranberries, dried cherries, avocado, tomatoes, grapes.
5. Keep it interesting by offering different textures and different ways to eat. Purée vegetables and fruits for use with soups, meats and in baking; diced for fruit salsas, dried for trail mixes or granola bars or simply eating on their own.
Be creative. Find different ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your family’s diet. Try lettuce wraps made with lean meats or all veggies. Make it fun and be persistent. Take an active role and make sure you’re eating your fruits and vegetables too. You can’t preach to your kids and expect them to eat healthy if you don’t. The will follow your example–good or bad.
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Great tips!!! Thanks for these helpful notes….I am blessed that my kid’s love fruits and veggies : ) We eat a lot of them and I have to say that I am happy to pass these tips on to some of my friends. Thanks!!!
It wasn’t always so easy and sometimes it still isn’t. But what has helped the most is shopping for our veggies at the farm with our daughter, letting her help and helping me juice the veggies too! I make her own special juices and she drinks them right up.
Thankfully my son (3 years) loves fruits and veggies! I just hope it stays like that lol! Great tips. I love the idea of growing a vegetable garden with the kids =)
I like the idea of leaving some out and available all the time! I agree that growing a garden is a great way to encourage healthy eating. They will eat something that they usually won’t if they had a hand in growing it! :)
I read somewhere a long time ago that statistically it can take some children 20 or more experiences of exposure to a new food before they might even TRY it. This has always encouraged me to keep putting the “green” stuff on their plates. It seems to be working as my (previously) very picky almost six year old is not so picky anymore :). Thanks for the great tips!