Children Getting Enough Fruit and Vegetables?
By megs85
@megs85 (3142)
Australia
September 24, 2007 7:48pm CST
Okay, I just popped my son in his high chair with a banana (his favourite fruit) and it got me thinking... Most kids his age that I know eat very little fruit or vegies... they are what people refer to as "fussy" eaters. My son loves his fruit and veg, so I figure I'm pretty lucky in that sense.
But how many children do you know that don't have enough fruit and vegetables in their diet? Particularly young kids- like toddler age?
My little man is 16 months old and has 2 weet bix for brekky with some strawberries (or other fruit), he has a banana usually for morning tea, followed by a sandwich (usually one slice of bread with some vegemite). For lunch he might have vegies and pasta, or soup, or cous cous or lentils... something with vegies. Afternoon tea is usually a yoghurt, or some more diced fruit (or both depending on how active he has been that day). He has meat or chicken with vegetables for dinner, and sometimes after diner he gets a piece of fruit- usually apricot.
I often wonder if I myself am giving him enough fruit & veg, but Ive been assured by my maternal and child health nurse that he is getting plenty!
Most kids will often snack on biscuits, chips, lollies or chocolates throughout the day rather than fruit. Personally I would ratehr give my child a carrot stick than a biscuit, and I know he'd eat it.
So who is to blame if kids aren't getting enough fruit and vegies? Is it all on the parents?
In my opinion, often parents feel guilty if their child won't eat healthy snacks, and rathe rthan see them 'starve' they give their kids an unhealthy alternative which the kid will happily eat. I don't really think this is right, but I can understand why parents do it. I figure it is just perpetuating the cycle, and that if you offer healthy food which the child refuses to eat, then don't offer them an unhealthy alternative... keep offerin gthem fruit or veg or whatever until they eat it. And they will eat it eventually...
What do you think?
2 people like this
9 responses
@nmhschic2004 (1238)
• United States
25 Sep 07
I dont think parents are to blame for it all. I mean if your child doesnt like it what are you going to do? I would never force my child to eat something that they didnt like. But i would make sure they were still getting plenty of what they need. I dont think most kids get the amounts of fruits and vegetables they should be getting. I babysit a 7 year old and he absolutely loves healthy food! Ive never seen it before with any other child. And of course bannanas are his favorite. Too bad all kids werent like this.
1 person likes this
@megs85 (3142)
• Australia
25 Sep 07
I agree with you on most points. Parents are not the only ones to blame. The media promotes unhealthy diets in young children by using unhealthy foods as promotional material by plastering much loved and popular cartoon characters or whatever, and including prizes with unhealthy snacks.
Bananas are always a hit! LOL
I don't think it's about "forcing" a child, but encouraging them. Most things are an acquired taste, and if a child isn't offered it from first food time (around 6 months or whatever) consistently then they are never going to acquire the taste for it, in my opinion.
Of course, there are going to be a few foods that each individual child simply doesn't like. As far as I'm concerned taht's normal, and that's fine. But I don't think many kids eat enough fruit and vegies, and I think that even the ones that do- don't eat enough of a wide variety of different fruits and vegies. I would much rather my kids eat oneor two fruits and vegies than something unhealthy though...
Thanks for your thoughts :)
@prettygirl_80650 (306)
• United States
25 Sep 07
the only veggie i have a problem getting my children to eat is onions LOL other then that they eat more veggies then they do sweets. after dinner snacks is usually the sweets.
@megs85 (3142)
• Australia
25 Sep 07
I'm not big on onions myself so I can totally relate to your kids lol... I think it's normal for children to dislike one or two foods, just as adults do...
Personally, my son hates avocado's. No idea why, he loves basically anything else, and inhales his food most times, but no matter how I prepare it, or whatever hew ill not eat avocado... lol
I also think giving kids a treat every once in a while is okay, I'm more concerned about parents who substitute all children's fruit/veg requirements with unhealthy alternatives. Where are kids supposed to get nutrients from? And establish good habits for later on in life? Everyone always goes on about th eobesity epidemic, and overweight teens- but in my opinion, it starts much younger... with toddlers, and even babies...
@PurpleTeddyBear (6685)
• Canada
25 Sep 07
Hi megs85.
I honestly don't have a problem with my daughter (15 months) eating her fruits and veggies either. Every meal she has fruits and veggies pretty much except breakfast, breakfast is just usually fruits. I have been really lucky as she isn't really a picky eater and seems to enjoy her fruits and veggies!
@joshboz (1209)
• Australia
25 Sep 07
yes your last statement sounds a good idea. i think it can work. children are person that is willing to learn and you can give them everything you can and that they can adjust easily through it.a good example is eating vegetable and fruit that's why keep giving them.ill try it to my niece if it works then ill update you later if it works.
@3lilangels (4639)
• United States
25 Sep 07
well i know its very hard to get some children to eat their veggies,but i try to make fun out of the veggies with them and try to decorate them with other colored foods to make it more appealing to them.i always give my babies breakfast then a fruit or veggie,and the same goes with lunch and dinner,but i will never force them because then they really wont try it and never eat them,but i do encourage them how good they are and it will make them strong and healthy and put little stories with their veggies to make it more interesting.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
25 Sep 07
Personally, from my experience we parents are to blame.
I've two kids and my second just started on solids.
I started healthy food earlier and never gave an option of junk.
My older son (who is s7 now) never had any problems eating his veggies and fruits. Infact, he would readily have all his veggies (even the ones adults tend not to eat).
My younger one doesn't seem to be fussy either.
So, I guess the earlier you start, the sooner they get used to it.
I got a compliment from my older son's teacher when he was in kindergarten. She said I was the only parent who was giving healthy snacks. She found that most of the other kids brought chips and biscuits regularly as snacks.
And I'm not saying my kids are deprived of biscuits. They get them as special treats once in a while.
@youless (112481)
• Guangzhou, China
25 Sep 07
Unfortunately my son doesn't like eating fruits and vegetables at all. He is three years old. I don't understand why he doesn't like eating them when he grows up. So sometimes I have to hide the vegetables into the food and avoid him to find it.
@vinzen (1020)
• India
25 Sep 07
Our thinking matches a lot regarding kids and the kind of food etc, that they must eat.
I also think the same ways that we make the habits in the children, and we are the ones who put them and start them and pamper them and encourage them to have unhealthy food, if they refuse the healthy fruits and vegetables etc. Its something that we must neve start in the first place, and then it will not become a habit at all. For my kids i have always been very careful regarding their proper in take , in the proper proprtions , about what amounts of fruits and vegetabls they should eat per serving or day,and mostly now after many years, they are healthy and growing up well, plus they have made it their habit now, to eat everything thats served on the table, taking little portions of each kind of food, and they are rather happy now as theiur tastes for everything has developed well over the years. Yes, there were times when they were small and seeing other kids or just not wanting to eat and having unhealthy food is what they wanted, those times i was stern and just stopped them and said that food is what they would have to have, and they used to grumble but were quick to realise that this is what we will get. Of course there were parties and outings 2-3 times a month and those were the times, they could eat what they wanted, so giving them an exposure of everything along side what was needed for them too.