5 Kid Friendly Ways to Increase Fruits and Vegetables

1) Add fruits and vegetables to familiar dishes

Think about adding vegetables in combination dishes such as stir-fries, tacos, casseroles, pizza, and pasta meals and including fruits with yogurt, mixed into pancakes, or as an ice cream dessert. Combining them with familiar and favorite foods can be a great way to meet fruit and vegetable needs for those who can be fruit and veggie-averse.

2) Involve kids in meal planning and preparation

Being involved in choosing and preparing food for meals can help kids feel a sense of pride and ownership over the meal and in turn, make them more excited to eat the meal as well. Include kids in the whole food prepping process, starting with taking kids along with you to the store and allowing them to help pick out which fruits and vegetables the family purchases. A great way to do this is by presenting them with 2-4 produce choices to help them feel invested in the foods going on the dinner table. At home, allow kids to be a part of the meal prepping process which may include washing produce, cutting/chopping with kid safe plastic utensils, stirring salad, plating, etc. depending on age and skill level. Hands on experiences with food can also be helpful for kids with sensory sensitives as it can help them gradually become more comfortable interacting with new foods.

3) Make fruits and vegetables fun

Make fruits and vegetables fun by turning them into a work of art. There are lots of online examples and inspirations for fruit and vegetable food art, from beach scenes to flowers, to even cute animal layouts. Interacting with fruits and vegetables outside of meals and without the pressure of a mealtime, can create a positive view of produce. When kids are done with their masterpieces, they can still eat them if they choose, but will want to allow them to choose whether and how much they eat of it afterward.

4) Add a favorite dip

Including a favorite dip or sauce can be very helpful in introducing new vegetables and fruits. For vegetables: mustard, low fat ranch, Italian dressing, cheese, hummus, and guacamole are often go to dips and for fruits: yogurt, cream cheese, and nut butters are some common favorites.

5) Be a positive role model

The best way to encourage kids to eat more fruits and vegetables is to start by being a good role model. You can set a positive eating example by eating a variety of foods including fruits and vegetables at meals with your child, making those foods accessible to them at each meal, and last but not least, allowing them to decide how much they eat of and whether they eat those foods. Research shows pressuring kids to eat certain foods, including fruits and vegetables, often leads to a lower intake as well as a negative relationship with food. Keeping mealtimes positive and low stress is one of the many keys to promoting healthy eating.

Melissa L. Warwick, MS, RDN, CSP, LDN

Marvelously Made Nutrition Counseling, LLC