 |
|
 |
Eating habits learned at a very young age are a determining
factor in children's long-term health. As a parent, you can
play an important role in this by offering healthy food and
letting your children decide how much to eat. If they aren't
hungry, don't force them to clean their plate. Instead, teach
them to listen to their hunger!
Click here for Toddlers one page outline
Giving them a taste for fruit and vegetables
The first rule in getting your children to eat fruit and
vegetables is to be a good role model. Eat -- and ENJOY! -- a
variety of colourful fruit and vegetables with your children.
- Start the day by serving children a small glass of
unsweetened fruit juice. Orange, apple, grape… vary
the flavours!
- To make things more interesting, cut fruit and
vegetables into different shapes: sticks, florets, slices or
cubes. Use fun presentations as well. For example,
make a face on a mini pizza with hair (baby corn), eyes
(sliced mushrooms), a nose (olive) and a mouth (a
sliver of pepper).
- Children prefer small servings of several vegetables
rather than one large serving of a single vegetable.
- For picky eaters, "camouflage" vegetables in dishes they
like, such as spaghetti sauce, macaroni and cheese, and
meatloaf. If necessary, purée vegetables with a blender!
- Make popsicles. Mix vanilla yogurt, frozen
concentrated fruit juice and pieces of fruit (e.g.,
strawberries, mango, banana) in a blender, then pour
into popsicle moulds.
- For dessert, serve pieces of fruit (e.g., banana slices,
strawberries, slices of pear or apple) with yogurt, fresh
cheese, pudding or chocolate fondue. Children love
dipping!
|
|
|
1 small glass (125 ml) of orange juice = 1 serving |
|
125 ml (1/2 cup) of cucumber slices and zucchini sticks = 1 serving |
|
60 ml (1/4 cup) each of: cubed cantaloupe and honeydew melon= 1 serving |
|
125 ml (1/2 cup) of frozen mixed vegetables = 1 serving |
|
|
