How to Get Your Child to Eat More Fruits & Veggies

​​​​We all know that eating fruits and vegetables is important. How many vegetables or fruits should you eat each day? But how do you get kids to eat more of these foods? This week’s topic is for parent Foodies. There are some tips for you. Let’s check it out. You’ll love it!

Eat the rainbow

Focusing on colour can be a fun way to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables. Teach your child about the benefits of different coloured fresh foods with colouring in activities, or have them create an ‘eat a rainbow’ colour chart to track what fruit and veggies they’ve eaten each week.

Kids in the kitchen

Teaching your children how to cook by letting them help with age-appropriate activities in the kitchen can help them to learn to love different foods and develop healthy eating habits.

Give food a disguise

For really picky eaters, some families swear by grating or cutting up vegetables into fine pieces and cooking them into a meal their child likes. Spaghetti Bolognese, for example, can be packed with grated carrot, celery and zucchini that little ones won’t even notice. It’s also important for children to see the fruit and veggies they are eating, try making them the star of the show. Making food look fun can encourage your child to eat and enjoy it. Try cutting fruit into interesting shapes, or encouraging your child to make a picture or story out of fruits and veggies as they put them on their plate.

Use Foods as any time snacks

The easiest way to get your kids to eat more fruits and vegetables is to use them as ‘anytime snacks’. Try grapes for a healthy anytime snack the kids will love.

Mash it up

Mashing is an easy and delicious way to make veggies easy for kids to digest. Add mashed vegetables to rice dishes for the kids and let them enjoy!

Blend fruits and vegetables in a smoothie

Colourful smoothies are another great way to hide fruits and veggies. Kids won’t mind eating them veggies if they look like this cheerful green kiwi smoothie.

Be a role model

Healthy habits begin at home, so take the time to fill your plate with delicious vegetables and your kids will soon start doing the same.

Be a Little Sneaky

Hiding fruits and veggies in dinners is a great way to get kids to eat these foods. Add spinach, mushrooms or zucchini to spaghetti sauce or add broccoli or carrots to pasta or potato salad.

Don’t Give Up

Children can be very picky. It may take as many as 10 to 15 tries with a new food before a child is willing to accept it. Be a positive role model. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Encourage your child to try new foods.

Children learn how to live by mimicking what the adults around them do. Setting up healthy habits during childhood is a great way to help children grow into healthy adults who continue to live a healthy lifestyle. Show your children that you enjoy reaching for a healthy snack. Not using food as a reward or punishment for kids can also help them to develop a healthy relationship with food.

Stay healthy and take care o yourselves and yout children.

Love you all ❤

Your Foodie.