Tips for healthy eating

Fruit and vegetables contain essential nutrients that are important for a child's health, growth and development.

The introduction of solid foods should generally begin between four and six months.

Most babies eat fruit and vegetables as one of their first solid foods. After the first year, children become more independent eaters, sometimes they refuse fruit and vegetables.  If you are worried about your child's eating habbit, better to know, that it is not possible to force children to eat more fruit and vegetables. The best way is for parents to enjoy fruit and vegetables as a daily part of your whole family’s diet. It may take time, but this is how children learn best. So keep trying.


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


To make more mood for eating healty food, involve your child in preparation and planning, like:

• Choose 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.

Presentation

• Keep a bowl of fresh fruit handy. Keep some 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.
• For reluctant eaters, try a new fruit and vegetable once a week.

Include fruit and vegetables wherever possible

• Include vegetables and fruit in a range of ways and with most meals and snacks.
• Rather than searching for new recipes, try to increase the variety or amount of vegetables added to your favorite family recipes such as pasta sauces, soups or stir-fries.

Snack suggestions

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