Today I am handing MMM over to the fantastic Kerry Secker again. Kerry’s post “Feeding your Fussy Eater” was so popular I asked her to write another piece for us. Little Lady is a fruit fiend and would happily eat a bowl of fruit for every meal if she could but (and this won’t shock you) The Boy hardly eats any at all and I need all the help I can get to get him to even try a tangerine. Here are Kerry’s tips on getting your fruit hating children to love it!
“Kerry Secker – Kerry Cares Parenting”
Recently I have had a lot of parents seeking my help with their little fussy eaters. Their main concern was that they weren’t getting enough fruit and vegetables into their little ones tummies every day. Does this sound familiar? This is very common so I have put together my all-time favourite top tips to make even the most reluctant of fruit avoiders gobble up their five a day!
Children need a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables in their diets for the same reason as us adults as they:
– Provide us with essential nutrients that are very important for health, growth and development. Even more in the early years as all children do A LOT of these!
– Are a great source of fibre that is needed to help with another thing little ones are good at: pooping and lots of it! They maintain a healthy and regular bowel.
– Boost vitality and make us feel good which is important for busy little ones that are constantly on the go.
– Can reduce health risks such as heart disease, strokes and some cancers.
Five is the magic number…
We all know that current NHS guidelines are that adults should aim to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day but did you know that it is the same for children as well and that research in the UK shows that the average child only gets 3? It’s important to note that the recommended portion size for children is different from adults. One child sized portion of fruit is equivalent to the size of their palm. This is very useful to know as we tend to think of portion size in adult terms for our wee ones so without even knowing it they are already or well on their way to hitting that magic number 5.
Getting your fruit on
The most important thing here is to make it fun and remember some fruit is indeed better than no fruit. Here are my tried and tested top tips:
– Start young and when weaning introduce a huge variety of fruit and vegetables so that it becomes a normal and enjoyable part of their diet.
– Lead by example. Let them see you eat and ENJOY a variety of fresh fruit.
– Get them to help peel/prepare/chop fruit. They could have their own apron, suitable knife and chopping board.
– Let them pick a new fruit of their choice at the supermarket each week and then get them to help prepare it.
– Make fruit kebabs together and eat them.
– Make a fruit hedgehog: Wrap a potato in foil and draw on eyes and mouth. Put fruits on cocktail sticks and push into the potato.
– Make a fruit picnic platter. They could pick up the fruit with cocktail sticks.
– Have a fancy fruit picnic. Cut the fruit and put in on a cake stand. They can have fancy paper plates and napkins to eat. I have used this many times and it’s amazing what kids will eat off a cake stand!
– Cut the fruit in funny shapes or make faces/patterns.
– Fruit smoothies/juices/milkshakes are quick and easy. They could choose their own special smoothie glass and straw.
– Make fruit smoothies and freeze into lollies.
– Fruit fondue: Melt some chocolate and let them dip cut up fruit into it.
– Pour hot, melted chocolate over frozen berries. Simply delicious!
– Make fruit purees and use as a sauce over ice cream.
– Make them some fruity muffins. You could use a variety of dried fruits, carrot, berries or apple.
– Let them take some of your fruit. Nothing gets children eating like a foraged bit of food from an adult’s plate.
– Remember tinned fruit also counts. You could make little trifles or set jelly over fruit.
– Use magic to get them to eat: pretend they are yours and they are to save them for you/ load up a spoon and get distracted so that they eat and you can ask “did an elephant/your sister/brother/fruit fairy eat your lovely fruit ?”.
– You could have a taste game where you taste little bits with a blind fold on. They could return the favour and they can feed you bits with a blindfold on. They would love it!
– Breakfast is a great time to get fruit into them. They are usually hungry and open to new ideas. You can add dried fruit, raisins, and berries or make your own compotes to add to porridge, fruity muffins or fruit with pancakes.Yum!
The main thing is to get them involved and HAVE FUN!
For more information or to get in touch for a friendly chat with Kerry please visit:
www.kerrycaresparenting.com