We all know that eating vegetables and fruits is important, but how can we get children to eat more of these foods? The following suggestions may be helpful.
How to Get Children to Eat More Vegetables and Fruits
1. Always have fruits at home, and pack some vegetables or fruits as snacks when you go out with your children.
2. Include vegetables and fruits in every meal. For example, add fruit to cereal for breakfast, include a fruit or vegetable salad at lunch, offer fruits or vegetables as after-school snacks, and add an extra serving or two of vegetables to dinner.
3. Lead by example. Eat more vegetables and fruits yourself, and when dining out, order more vegetables and low-fat dishes.
4. Set daily goals for vegetables and fruits for the whole family. Offer appropriate rewards when the goals are met to increase children's motivation to eat fruits and vegetables.
5. Offer a variety of vegetables and fruits, and use various cooking methods to prevent children from getting tired of a certain type of vegetable or fruit and starting to dislike them.
6. Let children choose their own vegetables and fruits. This helps them build a list of foods they like.
7. Make food fun, such as drawing a smiley face on a sandwich or arranging fruits and vegetables into cute shapes.
8. Limit commercially prepared juices for children. It's best not to give them sugary drinks. If they must have juice, ensure it is 100% pure juice, not a juice drink.
9. When shopping, buy more fruits and vegetables and avoid high-calorie foods like chips, cookies, and candy. Take children to the candy and snack area less often, as they won't ask for these foods if they don't see them.
10. Try to have children eat with the family as much as possible. Research shows that when children eat with their families, they tend to eat more vegetables and fruits and fewer fried foods and sugary drinks.