Children’s diet – fruit and vegetables

Colourful and crunchy fruit and vegetables can be an enjoyable part of your child’s life. Most babies eat fruit and vegetables as one of their first solid foods. After the first year, you may notice your child become fussier as they become more independent eaters. Often this fussiness may include fruit and vegetables. If children start to eat less fruit and vegetables from time to time, this may worry parents, but usually it causes no harm. It is not possible to force children to eat more fruit and vegetables. The best way is to set a good example for them. If you eat and enjoy fruit and vegetables every day, your children may eventually follow your lead. It may take time, but this is how children learn best.
So keep trying.

The benefits of fruit and vegetables

There are many reasons for everyone to enjoy eating a wide variety of vegetables and fruit. Vegetables and fruit provide important vitamins such as vitamin C and folic acid. They also have other plant substances that are thought important to help prevent some diseases. Any amount is better than none All US ppl, are encouraged to eat two fruit and five vegetables each day, but most children and adults do not eat this much. Sometimes children may learn to expect ‘tastier’ high fat and sugar snack foods instead. Perhaps parents give up offering vegetables or fruit because it seems children often leave these on the plate or in the lunchbox.
Remember to offer children a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. Children’s serving sizes
may be small and will depend on age, appetite and activity levels. Remember that any amount is
better than none, and always be on the lookout for ways to include more. Focus on lots of different
vegetables and fruit, not the amounts.
Encourage your child to eat more fruit and vegetables
The first step is for you to eat and enjoy vegetables and fruit every day. It is important to keep
offering vegetables and fruit in a variety of ways, as children learn to eat what is familiar to them.
Never assume that your child dislikes a particular fruit or vegetable; the next time you offer may
be the day they decide to try it. Children’s tastes do change with age. The five key steps to success
include:

1. Involve your child in food preparation and planning
2. Make eating good food enjoyable
3. Pay attention to presentation
4. Include fruit and vegetables wherever possible
5. Keep trying.

Involve your child in food preparation and planning
Tips:

6. Involve your child in choosing which fruit or vegetables they would like.
7. Take your child fruit and vegetable shopping and let them see, smell and feel the fruit and
   vegetables with you.
8. Ask your child to draw a picture and describe the food to you.
9. Let your child help wash and prepare fruit and vegetables. Use this opportunity to explore
   new colours and shapes.
10. Encourage their skills by letting them make a simple salad to serve themselvesli.
11. Count out grapes or berries together into a bowl.
12. Grow some vegetables or herbs in the garden or pot. Let your child water and nurture the
    plant.

Make eating good food enjoyable
Tips:

13. Remember to enjoy meals together with your children whenever possible. If children see
    you eating and enjoying a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, they are more likely to join
    in.
14. Sometimes children may prefer their vegetables raw to cooked.
15. Children may refuse new foods if mealtimes are stressful, so try and focus on the positives
    about the meal and avoid arguments.

Pay attention to presentation
Tips:

16. Keep a bowl of fresh fruit handy, and vegetables such as peas, cherry tomatoes, baby
    carrots and mushrooms in the fridge to grab for a quick snack.
17. Make vegetables and fruit look great on the plate. Serve different coloured fruit and
    vegetables, chop them up for a change, or serve them on a special plate. This doesn’t
    mean you need to make rocket ships or faces, although that can be fun sometimes.
18. For reluctant eaters, try a new fruit and vegetable once a week. Keep trying the new food
    to get used to the taste.

Include fruit and vegetables wherever possible
Tips:

19. Include vegetables and fruit in a range of ways, and at most meals and snacks. Many times
    vegetables can be part of the meal without children even realising.
20. Rather than searching for new recipes, try to increase the variety or amount of vegetables
    added to your favourite family recipes such as pasta sauces, soups or stir-fries.

Snack suggestions
Include vegetables and fruit in snacks too. Try these ideas for snacks:

21. Corn on the cob
22. Jacket potato
23. Plain homemade popcorn
24. Cut-up vegetables with salsa or yoghurt dips
25. Muffins, pikelets or cakes made with added fruit or vegetables
26. Frozen fruit or vegetable segments
27. Skewers of fruit
28. Stewed fruit
29. Fruit crumble
30. Tinned fruits in juice
31. Fruit salad or a fruit platter.

Keep trying
Tips:

32. Children need a chance to learn, or sometimes to re-learn, to enjoy fruit and vegetables.
    Your job is to make them available. Remember that children may need to see a fruit or
    vegetable 10 or more times before they are ready to try it.
33. Always include a small serving on children’s plates; encourage them to try but let them
    decide whether or not to eat.
34. Perhaps offer some crunchy, raw vegetables before the main meal, when children are often
    most hungry.

Healthy choices
All vegetables and fruits are healthy. Fruit and vegetables may be any colour, shape, texture or
variety. They can be fresh, frozen, tinned or dried. They may be raw, cooked, steamed, boiled,
microwaved, stir-fried or roasted

Variety is important. Try to choose different coloured fruit and vegetables, particularly yellow, green and red. Some examples are melon, carrot, pumpkin, stone fruit, broccoli, spinach, leafy greens and tomato. Sometimes vegetables and fruit can seem expensive. To keep down the cost, choose those that are in season, and use frozen or tinned varieties as well.

Other issues
Common fruit and vegetable related issues include:

35. Fruit juices are not necessary. It is better to eat the fruit instead and have a thirstquenching
    glass of water. Fruit juices may be a good source of some vitamins, but the
    downside is they are high in natural sugars and low in fibre.
36. Potato chips are not the best way to eat potato. Chips and crisps are made from
    potatoes, but are prepared by cooking in oil. They are high in fat and salt, and best left for
    special occasions.
37. Fruits bars and fruit straps are high in sugar. Even though they usually contain some
    fruit, they are low in fibre and stick to children’s teeth, so are best avoided. Children will
    enjoy a fresh fruit platter or frozen fruit pieces if offered instead.
38. Wash all fruit and vegetables. Research shows that the amount of pesticides on fresh
    vegetables and fruit is very low and no reason for concern, even in very young children and
    breastfeeding mothers. However, vegetables and fruit should still always be washed before
    eating. This will reduce the risk from any microbial contamination.
39. Follow the seasons. When vegetables and fruit are out of season and more expensive,
    save money by using frozen, tinned or dried vegetables and fruit. These have vitamin
    contents similar to fresh products.
40. Organic and conventional are both healthy. Research shows that both organic and
    conventionally grown produce is equally nutritious. Buyers can make a choice based on
    their personal preference.
41. Supervise young children. To reduce the risk of choking, toddlers and young children
    should always be seated and supervised while eating all foods, including chopped raw fruit,
    vegetables and all ‘hard’ foods.

Where to get help

42. An accredited practising dietitian, contact the Dietitians Association of US
43. Maternal and child health nurse
44. Local supermarket
45. Greengrocer
46. Your doctor

Things to remember

47. Remember to offer children a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
48. Focus on serving lots of different vegetables and fruit, not the amounts.
49. Children’s serving sizes may be small and will depend on age, appetite and activity levels.

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