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Encouraging Kids to Eat More Veggies and Fruit

Encouraging Kids to Eat More Veggies and Fruit

Strategy and persistence pay off, honestly

There seems to be 3 universally tested Kid vs Veg Strategies:
1. Persist
2. Bribe
3. Make it look attractive

If your kids are picky eaters and won’t eat their fruits and vegetables, you’re not alone but all is not lost; with a little help they may learn to love them. While it is recommended that we should eat five servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit each day, many children baulk at the sight of vegetables and rarely eat fruit. If this is the case in your home, consider your own eating habits before writing off your children’s.

Kids mimic their parents’ habits, so make sure yours are good. Children may be hungry and cranky well before dinner is ready, but discourage snacking at this time; if necessary, cut a piece of fruit for them rather than offer a bag of chips. If they don’t eat well at dinner time, don’t offer a dessert.

Parents have the ultimate control because they are the ones who shop for the food and prepare the meals. Parents that allow their children to be involved in those processes will have more success. Take kids grocery shopping and offer choices that fit the shopping list; for example, let them choose which vegetables to buy. (As opposed to adding chips, chocolate and cookies.) At home, get your children to help prepare the vegetables as it makes them more likely to eat.

Present the food in an attractive way to motivate children to eat them. Growing produce in your own garden is also a great way to get kids truly involved and excited about fruits and vegetables. 

Don't give up if a child refuses to healthy food; research shows that repeated exposure—up to 15 times—may be necessary before accepting that the child really dislikes the taste. Parents can also help by developing their kids’ tastes in-utero by eating lots of fruits and vegetables during pregnancy! For more information on food choices for kids see: Choose Healthy Foods for Kids

Image: Shutterstock

Resources: 
How to get the Kids to Veg Out – TheFoodCoach - Lisa Costa Bir, Naturopath

 
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