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Encourage Children to Eat Fruits & Vegetables

Struggling to get your children to eat their fruits and vegetables? Don’t worry you are not alone! JHAH Clinical Nutrition is here to help with some practical, creative tips.

Fruits and vegetables are an important source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients for everyone, but they are especially important for children.

Despite all of their benefits, it is often still difficult to get children to eat the recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables each day. Below are some helpful tips to encourage your children to eat healthier: 

• Introduce fruits and vegetables as early as you can in your children’s lives.
• Use cookie cutters to transform fruits and vegetables into fun shapes and sizes.
• Select fruits and vegetables with bright colors and creatively serve them.
• Add vegetables to their favorite dishes such as sandwiches, soups, rice, pasta, and pizza.
• Add chopped, fresh, or dried fruits to cereal and desserts.
• Prepare fruit milkshakes and smoothies made with low-fat milk or yogurt.
• Do NOT leave fruits and vegetables out of their meals if initially they don’t want them.
• Talk to them about the benefits of healthy, balanced meals that include fruits and vegetables.
• Always serve fruits and vegetables at every meal and keep them around for snacks. 
• Include fruits and vegetables in their school lunch boxes.
• Ask them which fruits and vegetables they like and be sure to include those in meals and snacks.
• Keep trying. It may take them a few times before they start to like them.
• Ask relatives and friends to serve the children fruits and vegetables when they visit.
• Let your children help shop for healthy foods and prepare meals.
• Limit junk food and always keep healthy food options available at home.
• Be a role model. Show them that you enjoy and regularly eat fruits and vegetables.

Remember, children learn from their parents. If you make a regular habit of eating healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, they will be more likely to make it a habit as well. Be creative, have some fun, and involve your children in shopping for and serving healthy foods. Encourage them but be patient. Notice what they prefer and encourage them to keep exploring new fruit and vegetable options. The result is not only healthier children but also great family memories around those healthy food options.

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