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.

High fructose corn syrup is a major buzz word these days, especially for that percentage of the population that is health conscious. Defined simply, high fructose corn syrup (also known as HFCS) is a broad name for any corn syrup that undergoes a chemical process to increase its fructose content and is then mixed with pure corn syrup. The main use of HFCS is as a sugar substitute in processed foods and drinks.

Regardless of where you stand on the issue of corn syrups, it isn’t a bad idea to consume less corn syrup in general – the same way that you don’t have to be anti trans fat to understand that avoiding trans fats is a good health decision. Here are some steps you can take to avoid high fructose corn syrup in your diet.

1. Be clear about your reasons for avoiding high fructose corn syrup. Reasons cited for avoiding it are:
   • Beverages containing high fructose corn syrup have high levels of reactive carbonyls which are linked with cell and tissue damage that leads to diabetes, although there is no evidence so far that high fructose corn syrup consumption directly leads to diabetes. No significant metabolic differences exist between high fructose corn syrup and regular sugar.

   
   The corn from which high fructose corn syrup is derived may be genetically modified

   • There are increasing concerns about the politics surrounding the economics of corn production (subsidies, tariffs, and regulations) as well as the effects of intensive corn agriculture on the environment.
   • Some people are allergic to products derived from corn.
   • Although the enzymatic process used to create high fructose corn syrup is a naturally occurring process, it is an additional processing step that sugar refined from beets does not undergo. Some people prefer to avoid additionally processed foods and ingredients as much as possible.
   • Some people believe that sugar satiates, or creates the feeling of “full”, faster than HFCS, which, if true, would likely lead to reduced caloric consumption.
   • Some argue that sugar simply tastes better than high fructose corn syrup.
2. Avoid fast food. Fast food often contains high fructose corn syrup.
3. Read food labels. This is the easiest and most sure-fire way to know if there is high fructose corn syrup in your food. High fructose corn syrup can be found even in products which aren’t sweet, such as sliced bread and processed meats like sausage and ham.
4. Understand what “natural” or “organic” means on labels with regard to HFCS. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate the use of the word “natural”. Foods and beverages can be labeled as “natural” even though they contain high fructose corn syrup, because fructose is a naturally occurring sugar. The word “organic” is heavily regulated, and basically, only foods labeled as 100% organic can be assumed to be HFCS-free. For a more detailed explanation, see the Tips below.
5. Avoid canned or bottled beverages. Soft drinks, sports drinks, lemonade, iced tea, and almost every sweet drink you can think of contains high fructose corn syrup.
   • Buy from small bottlers who use sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. Some smaller brands, such as Jones Soda and Dublin Dr. Pepper, have switched to pure cane sugar.

   

   • Buy soft drinks from across the border. If you must have your fix of certain soda brands and you happen to live near Canada or Mexico, look into buying in bulk from those countries, which use sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup.

   
   

   
   
   

   • Check the Passover section of your supermarket. Some soda companies produce a sugar/sucrose-based version of their products around Passover for Jews who are restricted by custom from eating corn during this time. Coca-Cola produces a version of Coke without corn syrup that can be identified by a yellow cap and is considered by some to taste better than Coke Zero, which is also free of corn syrup but contains artificial sweeteners, not sugar.
6. Lower your sweetener consumption altogether. It’s been suggested that the supposed link between high fructose corn syrup and obesity is not due to the high fructose corn syrup itself, but to the increasing consumption of sweeteners in general, especially soft drinks. In fact, where the fructose comes from doesn’t seem to matter. The fructose found in fruits could be just as bad as that added to soft drinks. The USDA recommends that a person with a 2000 calorie, balanced diet should consume no more than 32 g (8 tsp) of added sugar per day. Here are some sweet foods and the percentage of the daily recommended amount of sweeteners they provide:
   • typical cup of fruit yogurt – 70%
   • cup of regular ice cream – 60%
   • 12-ounce Pepsi – 103%
   • Hostess Lemon Fruit Pie – 115%
   • serving of Kellogg’s Marshmallow Blasted Froot Loops – 40%
   • quarter-cup of pancake syrup – 103%
   • Cinnabon – 123%
   • large McDonald’s Shake – 120%
   • large Mr. Misty Slush at Dairy Queen – 280%
   • Burger King’s Cini-minis with icing – 95%
7. Buy fresh produce and learn to cook it. The real problem is too much refined and processed food, not any one particular ingredient.

1. Read the nutrition labels to see how much trans fat is in a product. Since January 2006, manufacturers have been required to list trans fat content on their labels. Look for the phrases “partially hydrogenated,” “hydrogenated vegetable oil,” or “shortening” on nutritional labels, since they are dead giveaways products contain some trans fat.
2. Cut back on fried, processed, and commercial foods.
3. When you are eating out, ask the server what oil is used to prepare your food. If possible, request a healthier oil. Another option is to skip the deep-fried foods.
4. Remember that a small amount of trans fat occurs naturally in meat and diary products, so chose lean cuts of meat and low-fat milk.



5. A heart-healthy diet means that 30% or less of your total daily calories come from fat, but saturated fat should account for less than 7% of your total daily calories. Monounsaturated fat is a healthier option
6. Choose liquid vegetables oils and soft tubs of margarine that contains little or no trans fat
7. Avoid eating commercially prepared baked foods, such as cookies, pies, or donuts, snack foods, and processed foods.
8. When you can’t avoid foods with trans fat, choose products that list partially hydrogenated oils near the bottom of the ingredient list.
9. Also, if an item in the store says 0 grams of trans fat, it might not be 0. Look for the words hydrogenated oil or hydrogenation and that will mean there is trans fat because they don’t have to label the amount of trans fat if it is less than 0.5 grams.

1. Decide why you want to stop eating too much sugar. Your motivation might be to lose weight, feel fitter, to reduce a yeast infection or simply to set a better example for your children.
2. Identify the sources of sugar in your diet, and decide what to cut out completely and what to cut down on.
3. Go into your kitchen and throw out anything you have decided not to eat or drink anymore. If you can’t do this because you live with your family or you are a child, then put all of the ST (sweet things) in a drawer or shelf out of sight and – hopefully – out of mind!.
4. If you don’t want to give up all the candy, then make a chart of the days of the week. Decide how much sugar you are allowed to eat a day. For instance, on Mondays you need an extra kick in the coffee so you can have 2 sugars in it. Or on Saturday you go out with your friends so you are allowed to have a dessert. You can decide how restricting or not your graph is.
5. Eat a good breakfast of toast or cereal to keep you going through the day. These release energy slowly, so you will be less likely to crave sugar.
6. Replace your sugary snacks with healthy ones. Carrot sticks, nuts and dried fruit are easy to carry around.
7. Eat more fruit. but drink less pure fruit juice, which is high in sugar in another form (fructose).
8. Drink your coffee or tea without sugar. You can add cream to either (not advisable if you want to lose weight), and/or honey to your tea. If you’re used to adding a lot of sugar, then wean yourself off gradually by the teaspoon or packet. Eventually you’ll get used to it and you may discover the more subtle flavors of coffee or tea that were overpowered by sweetness before.
9. Avoid processed foods. Shockingly, sugar is to be found in most tinned vegetables, ready meals and convenience foods.
10. Recognize also the different forms sugar can take: sucrose, fructose, dextrose, palm syrup, corn syrup, golden syrup, honey… they are all sugars, although some are metabolized more slowly.

Tips

• Tell your friends and family what you are doing and why. Chances are, they will be really into it and help you.
• If you have a boyfriend or girlfriend, telling him might be a good idea so they don’t buy you chocolates or are offended when you don’t eat the cake they order.
• Decide on your goals and then hold yourself to those goals. Never permit exceptions!
• Read the labels on all foodstuffs – the most unlikely things have sugar in them: baby foods, tinned vegetables, crisps. These are the “hidden sugars” that do so much damage.
• Putting black pepper on strawberries makes them taste sweeter. There is also a herb called Sweet Cicely – beloved of diabetics – which does the same thing. Strange, but true!
• Another natural sweetener is Stevia, which is popular in Japan and South-America, but hard to obtain in Europe and USA. It is easy and fun to grow your own plants, though.

1. Eat a snack if you’re starting to get hungry but have a few hours till dinner / lunch – especially important around 4pm, when you’re between lunch and dinner. If you wait and starve yourself you will be more likely to overeat or eat too fast at dinner.
2. Do not buy non-diet foods. If it’s not in the house, you cannot eat it.If you need a treat and have earned it (by eating well or exercising, not having a bad day) go out and buy one cookie. Don’t keep a bag of special treat cookies in the house, they only convince you that you deserve one when you don’t. And yes, when you deserve one, have one. Or better yet, think of a way you can treat yourself that has nothing to do with food!
3. Understand that if you are engaging in an activity that you usually snack during, find something to do with your hands instead of eating. Take up knitting, learn to sew, write those thank-you cards, anything to keep you from munching mindlessly while you watch TV, etc.
4. Remember if you eat bar peanuts compulsively, sit away from the bowl. You will be less likely to reach over someone else to get to them. Find fun exercise. Join a cool gym that has fun classes, enroll in a dance class with friends, go somewhere beautiful to walk. Get friends to do it with you so that you have company and moral support and someone to hold you accountable, or, walk a dog if you really need someone to remind you to go outside twice a day.
5. Know that if you are really craving something, like M&M’s, just eat a few. Don’t try to satisfy the urge by eating everything else in the house. You will never feel as satisfied and will probably overeat. If you are compulsive, have a trusted friend dole out two to you and stick to it!
6. Eat more dense foods like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, these foods will curb your cravings. These foods are very healthy for you, so you do not have to worry about gains. Do not eat them cooked, eat them raw.(cooking vegetables removes the density of it.)
7. Make sure to drink plenty of water! 8 glasses a day! Sometimes when you are dehydrated you compensate by eating when really your body just needs water.

TIPS

• Disregard anyone or any ad that says that there is a quick fix.
• Don’t think of it as a diet, think about it as a lifestyle choice.
• Think about how much junk you’re eating on a daily basis; if you eat 5 bars of chocolate a day, cut down to four the first day, then 3 the next, ect. then replace your unhealthy snacks with fruit!

Stay AWAY from the unhealthy sections in the supermarkert. Better yet, if you can, order your food online when you’ve made a list of food and checked with the helpers at the supermarker that they think it’s heathy. They’ll be happy to help, and there’s always websites on the internet to help you too.

• Think about how good you’ll look after, and more importantly- how you’ll feel. If you’re dealing with an unhealthy lifestyle, things are going to be harder ie.

running, blood circulation ,nasty comments and even walking because of your breathing! Yes, if you eat more healthily you will be able to breathe better.

• Take up a sport; eg.

jogging, running, football, tennis, swimming, walking ect. Believe in your self! You’re doing this for YOU. If you’re doing it for someone else you are not doing it for the right reasons.