Kids Section!Having a hard time getting your kids to eat fruit? Instead of just handing them an apple- which is pretty uninspiring and maybe a bit intimidating if your child doesn't normally eat fruit- get creative!
We know what you're thinking; they should just eat the fruit already! Why do "special" things to it, or sneak it into other foods? Don't worry, it doesn't have to be a lot of work, and it is very important for children (adults too!) to get enough fruit every day. How much is enough? Well, it depends on the age of the child. A child's serving is not all that much, a small piece of fresh fruit, 1/3 cup berries, 3 tablespoons of dried fruit or 1/2 cup of fresh fruit juice (no, fruit flavoured drinks loaded with sugar don't count!) A government survey- we believe it was done in the UK, but would apply here too- finds that children between ages four and 18, on average, ate less than half the recommended portions of fruit and vegetables per day; and that one in five children didn't eat any fruit at all! What are parents to do? Here are a few ideas that we've tried out on our little ones:. Take them grocery shopping While in the produce section, let your children pick out a new fruit (or vegetable) to try. They are more interested in trying new foods when they get to pick them out. Children take real pride in helping make the grown-up decisions and deciding what the family will eat. Let them help cook Well, maybe not cook, exactly, but let them help with the preparation. Whether they mix something in a bowl or help arrange fruit for dessert, they will want to eat what they've made and will try new foods without a hassle. Make food fun! Children love food that have different shapes and bright colours. There are many fruits that have both the shape and the colour children are looking for. Star fruit, mango and kiwi to name a few. Get creative when you serve fruit. An orange can easily turn into a happy face by simply peeling, breaking into segments and arranging them on a plate. Mango can be a lot of fun to eat, and is sweet too (always appealing to little ones!). Learn how to cut and serve a mango, it's a lot easier and less messy than you might think! My kids think this way looks like a porcupine. You could add a couple of raisins or currants for eyes if you wanted to. Make desserts healthy You can have a healthy dessert. Try making dessert on a stick (see below), dipping fresh strawberries in chocolate sauce, make a fruit smoothie or a berry cobbler or pie. These choices may have some sugar but are also adding nutrients at the same time. Just remember: Everything in moderation. Dessert on a Stick Using a skewer, add on different fruits such as grapes, pears, plums, kiwi, apples and bananas. Provide yogurt as a dipping sauce, if desired. This is an easy dessert and kids love it. Colorful Fruit Parfait In a parfait cup, layer yogurt, granola and fresh fruit (make it colorful!!!). Top it with whipped topping and serve with long handled spoons. Fresh Fruit Salad You can even get your little guys involved in the making of it! Let them wash the fruit while you or your older child(ren) cut it up. The youngest ones can then toss it all together. Don't forget to add some lemon or lime juice (just a splash will do) to keep any apples or pears from browning too quickly! A few other ideas for dessert that appeal to kids: Chocolate-coconunt dipped bananas Looking for more information? Try searching for it here:  Custom Search
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