5 hacks to get your family eating more fruit and vegies
Time to read: 5 min
Published in: Family eating, Adding fruit & veg, Fussy Eating
Fruit and vegetables are an important part of a healthy, balanced diet. However, the current NSW health statistics show that children are not eating enough fruit and vegetables with 60% eating enough fruit and only 5% eating enough vegetables. As many parents can attest to, getting children to eat more fruit and vegetables can be a challenge. Small changes to the way we present and incorporate fruit and vegies into our child’s everyday diet may help make them more appealing.
Hack #1: Disguise vegies
For picky eaters, try finely chopping or grating vegies into a meal. This will help disguise the vegies and is a useful way to increase vegie intake. Pasta bolognaise is a popular dish amongst children where you can successfully hide some nutrient-packed vegetables. Try our bolognaise sauce which contains 2.5 serves of vegetables in each serve!
Hack #2: Make a face plate
Make meals fun by creating faces or objects from vegetables can help to encourage children to eat and enjoy them. This is especially true when children are involved in the process. From cutting the vegetables, through to creating the picture, involve your child every step of the way. Using a variety of vegetables will help make the picture more appealing and will also ensure that your child is getting a range of nutrients.
Hack #3: Fruit platter with a difference
Cutting fruits into different shapes can help turn an ordinary fruit platter into a much more enticing treat. Try using sticks to create fruit lollipops, cutting watermelon slices into the shape of ice-blocks and using cookie cutters and melon ballers to create unique shapes. Again get your kids to help!
Hack #4: Chargrilled fruit kebabs
For something different, try chargrilling fruit kebabs and serving alongside some natural yoghurt for a healthy dessert.
Hack #5: Go digital – build a lunch box
Let them choose what fruit and vegetables they would like to try by getting them to build their own lunch box on our interactive Lunch Box builder.
Most importantly – keep offering! Just because they reject a fruit or vegetable one day, doesn’t mean they will do the same tomorrow.
