They're good for you!

“Eat your fruits and veggies, they’re good for you!” We heard it over and over as kids and have almost certainly repeated it in some form or other as adults, especially as parents. Unlike many of our parents, we now have access to endless sources of information that can help us understand why each nutrient, vitamin and mineral found in any given fruit or vegetable is important and how it can impact our overall health.

I read recently that 70% of Canadian children are not meeting the recommended daily intake of fruits and veggies, as outlined by Canada’s Food Guide and that the same is true of more than 85% of elementary school age children in the US. As a mom to two fussy eaters - who are not actually as fussy as they can be stubborn - I have learned that when it comes to getting kids to eat their fruits and veggies, sometimes we need to have a little fun and be creative.

The Mix it up!™ team has searched, gathered and tried almost any tip or suggestion we could get our hands on and I am happy to say that my kids are coming around. They now know that they should have between 4 and 6 servings of fruits and veggies each day and they are beginning to understand that a serving may not be as much as they thought it was.

I know there are moms out there who, like I do, find themselves constantly saying, “Eat your fruits and veggies, they’re good for you!”, over the next few weeks, I will share some of the tried and true Fruits and Veggies – Mix it up!™ tips that have worked on my kids.

Have fun with food: Make a face on a mini pizza with carrot slivers for hair, mushroom eyes, an olive nose and a pepper slice mouth. Make fruit kebabs for a snack or dessert.

Be sneaky: Add fruits and veggies in with other foods – chop ‘em up or puree them and mix in with pasta sauces, casseroles, soup, omelets, muffin mix and so on.

Teamwork: Make tasty (and healthy) popsicles with 100% fruit juice and pieces of fresh fruit like strawberries, banana or berries - let the kids create their own popsicles.

There are more tips available on the Fruits and Veggies – Mix it up!™ Website and I’ll post a few more that have worked for us in the coming weeks. In the meantime, have fun, explore and…mix it up!

Lianne




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