Struggling to get your child to eat their fruits and vegetables? Check out these practical and creative ways to encourage your child to eat a healthy diet.
All vegetables and fruits are great food options for your child.
They are good sources of fiber, which can help maintain a healthy gut as well as prevent constipation and other digestion problems. They also contain antioxidants, natural substances that prevent or delay some type of cell damage. You should include a variety of vegetables and fruits in your child’s diet because different types have different combinations of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients.
Ways to ensure that your child eats fruits and vegetables.
It sounds easy but for most parents, ensuring that their child is taking adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables in their daily diet is not easy.
Involve your child in the preparation of fruits and vegetables
Including at least one fruit and some vegetables with each meal and snack will help to achieve at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. You can involve your child in planning and cooking family meals with vegetables. They likely want to eat what they helped prepare.
You can let your child choose vegetables for dinner and wash vegetables and fruits. Older children can help with chopping and grating vegetables. You can also go shopping with your child once in a while. Seeing the variety and different types of vegetables in the market can make them curious and want to try them. Another trick is to have them pick their fruits and vegetables for lunch and snacks. Challenge them to choose different types of fruits and vegetables every trip.
Blend to vegetable smoothies and fruit juices
Most children are not fond of vegetables and fruits. Blending is a good way to add them to your child’s diet. Vegetable smoothies and fruit juices help you fit in more servings of fruits and vegetables. Blending keeps the fiber and nutrients you would get if you eat a whole fruit or vegetable.
Smoothies can serve as healthy snacks or even as a meal. Adding ingredients like nuts/seeds and yogurt can help keep your child full and satisfied. Alternatively, add the membranes of citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges to incorporate phytonutrients that can boost your child’s immunity. Having a variety of vegetables and fruits in your smoothie will help your child get different vitamins and minerals.
Give fruits and vegetables as snacks
Rather than giving your child unhealthy snacks such as crisps, biscuits, and soft drinks, giving them fruits and vegetables is beneficial to their health. Make fruits and vegetables available and ready to eat. Keep clean and chopped fruits and vegetables handy for easy grab-and-eat options instead of unhealthy snacks. Children tend to eat what’s readily available, so stock up on fruits and veggies to make it simple for your child to choose what they prefer.
You can keep it interesting by mixing fruits such as berries, pineapple chunks, and banana slices into yogurt. Fruits and vegetables cut into different shapes of letters and numbers and packed for school snacks can also make things a little interesting for your child.
Set a good example
How and when do you eat your fruits and vegetables? Your child will likely do as you do when it comes to eating fruits and veggies, just like in many other things that your child will copy from you. Encourage the entire family to explore new foods together. When children observe other family members trying a new vegetable, they’re more likely to give it a try as well. Lead by example by opting for a vegetable salad or an orange instead of reaching for a packet of crisps. Drink vegetable smoothies and fresh fruit juice with your children instead of sodas and fruit-flavored drinks.
Try different varieties and taste
Different preparation methods can alter the taste and texture of vegetables. For instance, if your child isn’t fond of raw carrots, consider cooking and mixing them with other vegetables. Alternatively, you can make carrot juice and blend it with fruits to enhance the flavor.
Oh! And one last thing: don’t give up easily!
Don’t get discouraged when your child refuses to eat vegetables during meals. Keep offering them especially when they are hungry. Sometimes they have to be presented several times before they are accepted. Encourage them to eat but do not force them.
Try all the 5 ways and see if they work for your child. It may take some time for him/her to catch on and develop a taste for fruits and vegetables but it will be worth it in the long run.