How Many Fresh Fruit Servings?

How much is a serving for a child? And how many servings do I give my little one each day?

The advice can vary, depending on where you live. Generally though, the advice seems to be no less than 2 to 4 fresh fruit servings each day, no matter who you are or how old you are.

What is a Serving?

• A serving is classified as a medium-sized piece of fruit, about the size of a tennis ball
• Diced fresh, frozen or canned fruit to equal 125 mL (1⁄2 cup) is about the size of 1 hockey puck
• 100% Unsweetened Juice 125 mL (1⁄2 cup) makes up one serving

How many servings?

• 1 to 2 year olds need 2-3 servings of fresh fruit each day
• 2 to 3 year olds need 4 servings of fresh fruit each day
• 4 to 8 year olds need 5 servings of fresh fruit each day
• 9 to 13 year olds need 6 servings of fresh fruit each day
• 14 to 18 year old girls need 7 servings of fresh fruit each day
• 14 to 18 year old boys need 8 servings of fresh fruit each day
• Women ages 19-50 need 7-8 servings of fresh fruit each day
• Men ages 19-50 need 8-10 servings of fresh fruit each day
• Adults 51+ need 7 servings of fresh fruit each day

*Information from 5to10aday.com, and the Alberta Food Guide.

Seems like a lot, and some days it can be. If you plan it out though, it's not so bad. Children have small stomachs, so need to eat often.

Fruit makes the perfect snack, and as an added bonus is portable! By working most of their daily fruit requirements into snack time, they get the nutrition they need and won't even realize how much of a good thing they have eaten!

You should plan on serving 3 meals a day and 2 or 3 snacks on top of that. Yup, us stay-at-home parents spend a lot of time in the kitchen!

Keep in mind that what your children like one day, they might not the next. It's constantly changing. If they refuse to eat something, don't make it into a big deal. Try offering it again another day.

Sometimes it can take 5, 10, 15 even 20 (or more) attempts (at different meal or snack times) to get your child to try a new food. My son is one of these children. It takes a long time to get him to try anything.

When choosing fruit, fresh is best, but frozen and canned are good choices as well. Make sure to choose fruit that is prepared with little or no added sugar, salt, or fat.

If you wish to serve juice, make sure that it's no more than 1/2 cup a day. Actually eating a whole piece of fruit is better for you and your children, as juicing removes fiber and other nutrients you body needs.

To leave Fresh Fruit Servings and find hundreds of other fresh fruit recipes, check out the links at the bottom of our Home Page!

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