What fruit do you feed your children?

[wilchil64]

My daughter is 7 years old and likes fruit and veg, but I am finding fruit so expensive. What fruit do you buy for your children that is not too expensive but doesn't get too boring? I used to buy a melon, some strawberries, some apples and peaches or nectarines, pref. organic, but that is much too expensive now. This week I've just bought apples, but know that she will get bored of them soon. Any suggestions?

[Seeline]

Do you have a Pick-your-own farm nearby. Cheaper and fresher plaus she may enjoy hepling with the picking.

[wilchil64]

No, no pick your own farm here. Nearest is in York, 20 miles away, which costs petrol. Plus I have sprained ankle at the moment, so have to stick to online shopping for couple of weeks. After that, hope to have old banger car again and will try to get to market for fruit, as it seems to be cheaper there. But til then .. am running out of ideas.

[expatinscotland]

we use a lot of frozen and tinned fruit round here.

but for fresh at the mo' we've got grapes, oranged and melon.

[DorrisMcWhirter]

My lot live on grapes / strawberries / apples / bananas. To change things slightly Dd1 quite likes chopped fruit with yogurt on top.
Also do a good line in dried fruit e.g. sultanas, dried cranberries which last a lot longer.

[mankymummy]

try lidl if you have one near you, a lot of their fruit and veg is up to 70% off. big avocados for 20p at the moment !

[aGalChangedHerName]

I do the same as expat,buy lots of fruit in tins in their own juice. The dd's love it.

Usually buy apples/satsumas/grapes and strawbs and bananas too.

[dinkystinky]

how about growing your own strawberries out back in your garden (need some netting up to keep those pesky birds out but otherwise it works a treat). A mate of mine even grew them in a window box! Rhubarb is also great for home-growing (though tends to take over the garden if you dont keep it firmly under control).

DS (2) loves bananas, kiwi fruit, cherries, strawberries and apples and pears. I find street markets are the cheapest places to get these (though you cant guarantee they are organic but they are all nice and fresh and in good condition).

[SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore]

bananas are a big favourite around here, they also love grapes, strawberries and berries but only get them when they are on offer at the supermarket or local fruit and veg shop

[BettySpaghetti]

Do you have a Lidl near you?

Fruit is cheap in there and often half-price too. They don't just do apples, bananas and oranges, they sell more exotic stuff like mangos and kiwis too.

eg. fresh pineapple and melons around 69-89p

Some is organic, some fairtrade

[expatinscotland]

mine aren't big fruit eaters, except when it comes to grapes.

but i put tinned fruit in jellies, dried fruit in homemade cakes, frozen fruit in smoothies, and DH throws fruit in the food processor and makes it into sorbets in the ice cream maker.

i've also been known to do chocolate-dipped strawberries .

[mazzystar]

i buy what's in season, and as local as poss from the greengrocers
way way cheaper than the local supermarket
also frozen berries - blueberries and mixed bags, work well with yoghurt
mine point blank refuse tinned, which is a pain as it would make such an easy pud

[wilchil64]

We tried growing strawberries but they were all eaten by slugs. We have an apple tree (small) but it had no blossom this year (third year we've had it), don't know why. We don't have Lidl but we do have Aldi, will have to send hubbie at weekend to see what they have. We have just gone thru a phase of daughter eating tinned pineapple or peaches with her breakfast every day but at the mo she doesn't want it anymore. She doesn't eat bananas or raisins, sultanas etc, never has done. Loves all soft fruit like strawberries, cherries, peaches, but they are just too expensive in the supermarkets.

[mazzystar]

you can always make apple crumble
or baked apples with sultanas in the middle
i've dispensed with the organic idea for fruit on basis of cost/negligible benefit
also grow our own strawbs and rhubarb

[Anna8888]

Bananas and grapes all year.
Anything seasonal.

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

Whatever is abundant and cheap at the farmers market. Pick your own might seem costly to get to but can be a 'trip out' so the petrol money becomes what you'd spend on an entrance fee elsewhere iyswim.

I buy Sainsburys fair trade bananas, very cheap, and frozen fruit from Waitrose. I buy tinned peaches, but only for myself (guilty pleasure)

[wilchil64]

I will try buying frozen fruit, didn't think of that. We have rhubarb in the garden too but dd doesn't like rhubarb either! Putting tinned fruit in jelly is a good idea, I'll try that.

[Gobbledigook]

Apples
Bananas
Grapes
Strawberries
Oranges
Blueberries
Raisins
Melon (sometimes)

[ten10]

Peaches, strawberries basically all soft fruit is on half price at Waitrose at the mo

I just buy what ever is on offer at the supermarket
luckily he likes everything I have fed him so far

[Chocolateteapot]

Aldi is worth going to as they do their 6 items of fruit and veg for 69p.

We have got strawberries in the garden, didn't do too well last year but this year we've had loads and loads from the, well worth it.

[midnightexpress]

Doesn't eat bananas?

I thought it was the law for children to eat bananas.

But mine eat (apart from bananas) blueberries, strawbs, apples, mangoes, grapes, pears. Mostly fresh, but we also get through tons of frozen blueberries - usually blitzed in the microwave and mixed with natural yogurt. Also lots of dried fruit.

I plan to grow blueberries once we get our garden sorted, but I believe they also work in containers.

[wilchil64]

Unfortunately we don't have Waitrose anywhere near us. I usually shop online, have to use Tesco then. Or I can go to local town and there we have Tesco, Morrisons, Somerfield and Monday market.

DD doesn't like crumble either. But will have to try baked apple - how do you cook them? Do I need cooking apples or eating apples?

[JammyQueenOfTheSewers]

DD (13 months) loves fruit - apples, nanas, clementines, strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, plums, peaches, pineapple, melon, grapes, mango, pears, gooseberries, kiwi, rhubarb .... Admite though that she only gets such a range by DH picking up fruit reduced to clear in the supermarket, and by us growing strawberries and loganberries at home. Tinned stuff can help keep costs down too though.

[TheDevilWearsPrimark]

Yeah, I always say bananas are the ultimate 'fast food'

A baked apple, cored , stuffed with raisins and cinnamon, served with greek yoghurt or vanilla ice cream ( depending on if it's a 'treat' or 'healthy') is always lovely.

[GordonBrownKickingHisHeels]

i am going crazy buying strawberries and raspberries atm. scottish soft fruit is gorgeous and isn't around for long. apart from that grapes apples bananas anything really. lidl is cheap but so are independent fruit & veg shops.

[expatinscotland]

the other thing i do is slit a banana lengthwise, stuff the slot with chocolate buttons, wrap in foil and grill.

top with whipped cream from a can and pureed strawberries.

mmmmm.