Children's diet - fruit and vegetables

Colourful and crunchy fruit and vegetables can be an enjoyable part of your child’s diet. They also have many benefits for your child’s health. Both vegetables and fruit contain essential nutrients that are important for your child’s growth and development. If you eat and enjoy fruit and vegetables every day, your children will usually follow your example.

Children learn by example
Most babies eat fruit and vegetables as one of their first solid foods. After the first year, you may notice your child become fussier as they become more independent eaters. Often this fussiness may include fruit and vegetables.

Parents may worry if their child starts to eat less fruit and vegetables from time to time, but usually it causes no harm. It is not possible to force children to eat more fruit and vegetables. The best way is to set a good example for them by making fruit and vegetables a daily part of your whole family’s diet. It may take time, but this is how children learn best. So keep trying.

The benefits of fruit and vegetables
There are many reasons for everyone to enjoy eating a wide variety of vegetables and fruit. Vegetables and fruit provide important vitamins such as vitamin C and folic acid. They also have other plant substances that are thought important to help prevent certain diseases.

Any amount is better than none
All Australians are encouraged to eat two fruit and five vegetables each day, but most children and adults do not eat this amount. Sometimes children may learn to expect ‘tastier’ high fat and sugar snack foods instead. Perhaps parents give up offering vegetables or fruit because it seems children often leave these on the plate or in the lunchbox.

Continue to offer your child a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. Children’s serving sizes may be small and will depend on age, appetite and activity levels. Remember that any amount is better than none and always be on the lookout for ways to include more. Focus on providing many different varieties of vegetables and fruit, not on the amount your child eats.

Encourage your child to eat more fruit and vegetables
The first step is for you to eat and enjoy vegetables and fruit every day. It is important to keep offering vegetables and fruit in a variety of ways, as children eat what is familiar to them. Never assume that your child dislikes a particular fruit or vegetable. The next time you offer it may be the day they decide to try it. Children’s tastes do change with age.

The five key steps to success include:

• Involve your child in food preparation and planning.
• Make eating good food enjoyable.
• Pay attention to presentation.
• Include fruit and vegetables wherever possible.
• Keep trying.

• Involve your child in choosing which fruit or vegetables they would like.
• Take your child fruit and vegetable shopping and let them see, smell and feel the fruit and vegetables with you.
• Ask your child to draw a picture and describe the food to you.
• Let your child help wash and prepare fruit and vegetables. Use this opportunity to explore new colours and shapes.
• Encourage their skills by letting them make a simple salad to serve themselves.
• Count out grapes or berries together into a bowl.
• Grow some vegetables or herbs in the garden or pot. Let your child water and nurture the plant.

• Remember to enjoy meals together with your children whenever possible. If children see you eating and enjoying a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, they are more likely to join in.
• Sometimes children may prefer their vegetables raw rather than cooked.
• Children may refuse new foods if mealtimes are stressful, so try and focus on the positives about the meal and avoid arguments.

• Keep a bowl of fresh fruit handy. Store vegetables such as peas, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and mushrooms in the fridge to grab for a quick snack.
• Make vegetables and fruit look great on the plate. Serve different coloured fruit and vegetables, chop them up for a change or serve them on a special plate. This doesn’t mean you need to make rocket ships or faces, although that can be fun sometimes.
• For reluctant eaters, try a new fruit and vegetable once a week. Keep trying the new food to get used to the taste.

• Include vegetables and fruit in a range of ways and at most meals and snacks. Many times vegetables can be part of the meal without children even realising.
• Rather than searching for new recipes, try to increase the variety or amount of vegetables added to your favourite family recipes such as pasta sauces, soups or stir-fries.

• Corn on the cob
• Jacket potato
• Plain homemade popcorn
• Cut-up vegetables with salsa or yoghurt dips
• Muffins, pikelets or cakes made with added fruit or vegetables
• Frozen fruit or vegetable segments
• Skewers of fruit
• Stewed fruit
• Fruit crumble
• Tinned fruits in juice
• Fruit salad or a fruit platter.

• Children need a chance to learn, or sometimes to re-learn, to enjoy fruit and vegetables. Your job is to make them available. Remember that children may need to see a fruit or vegetable 10 or more times before they are ready to try it.
• Always include a small serving on children’s plates. Encourage them to try but let them decide whether or not to eat.
• Perhaps offer some crunchy, raw vegetables before the main meal, when children are often most hungry.
• Resist the urge to prepare alternative options to the meal you have prepared. Children may choose to leave certain foods, but will learn to accept the meal offered if nothing else is put forward.

• Fruit juices are not necessary. It is better to eat the fruit instead and have a thirst-quenching glass of water. Fruit juices may be a good source of some vitamins, but the downside is they are high in natural sugars and low in fibre. If you do include fruit juice in your child’s diet, limit this to one small glass per day.
• Potato chips are not the best way to eat potato. Chips and crisps are made from potatoes, but are prepared by cooking in oil. They are high in fat and salt, and best left for special occasions.
• Fruits bars and fruit straps are high in sugar. Even though they usually contain some fruit, they are low in fibre and stick to children’s teeth, so are best avoided. Children will enjoy a fresh fruit platter or frozen fruit pieces if offered instead.
• Wash all fruit and vegetables. Research shows that the amount of pesticides on fresh vegetables and fruit is very low and no reason for concern, even in very young children and breastfeeding mothers. However, vegetables and fruit should still always be washed before eating. This will reduce the risk from any microbial contamination.
• Follow the seasons. When vegetables and fruit are out of season and more expensive, save money by using frozen, tinned or dried vegetables and fruit. These have vitamin contents similar to fresh products.
• Organic and conventional are both healthy. Research shows that both organic and conventionally grown produce is equally nutritious. Buyers can make a choice based on their personal preference.
• Supervise young children. To reduce the risk of choking, toddlers and young children should always be seated and supervised while eating all foods, including chopped raw fruit, vegetables and all ‘hard’ foods.

• An Accredited Practising Dietitian, contact the Dietitians Association of Australia
• Maternal and Child Health nurse
• Local supermarket
• Greengrocer
• Your doctor
• ‘Go for your life’ Infoline Tel. 1800 739 899

• Remember to offer children a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
• The variety of fruit and vegetables eaten is more important than the amount.
• Children’s serving sizes may be small and will depend on age, appetite and activity levels.

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