to cut up friut for my 11 & 13yos

[ClassicTron]

I still cut up fruit for my 13 & 11yos.

They eat well, but since going to secondary school where it seems to be the norm not to eat any fruit or veg at all, it's not always easy to make sure they their 5 in the 2 meals I still have control of. TBH, I'm not convinced about 5 a day anyway, all the research says it should be more...

If I ask them if they'd like some fruit they'll say no. I have a full fruit bowl but they don't touch it. If I slice up a couple of pieces and leave it next to whatever screen they're using, it soon disappears - I have to assume it's being eaten.

So, stupidly pandering and babying them, or sensible way to make sure they get what they need?

That's true about the fruit knives - I remember that from when I was little!

I think it's probably because back then lots of older adults didn't have their own teeth past 40, or if they did they wanted to hang on to them!

I do the same thing, ds is 13. Yeah, I know it's encouraging him to be lazy, better lazy than have scurvy!! Not even on my radar.

MrsTerry I always have nice crunchy raw carrots at the side of my plate when everyone else has cooked ones. Whatever possessed anyone to cook a carrot?! Horrid things

Loving the love for cutted up fruit here . And, big thanks to the PP who said about putting apple in a bowl of water to stop it from going brown - I didn't know that.

Thanks LadySybil

How about this for the chopping board from Amazon:

www.amazon.co.uk/Homecraft-Spreading-Board-with-Spikes/dp/B003WUS3UE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1425994148&sr=8-3&keywords=chopping+board+with+spikes

GotToBeInItToWinIt they should be banned.

Oh and regarding the squash LadySybil would it be useful to have a clear class/plastic beaker which you draw a line around in permanent marker or put some thin sticky tape around the edge (about 2cm or whatever from the bottom) so he can measure how much squash to put in?

my dad peeled me an orange when I was feeling ill.....I was 38 at the time.

If you got them a really cool penknife / swiss army knife of their own to use for cutting up fruit do you think they would voluntarily eat more fruit if it gave them an excuse to use it?

I tend to prefer my fruit whole so would never have tought of the cutting up ruse, but if it works for you that seems fine to me.

When ds2 was born ds1 was 15 months. Dh used to chop up cucumber/ carrots/ peppers and melon for ds1 and I and make lunch and leave it all in the fridge for us. So I could just concentrate on feeding baby as well as Ds and I actually eating food.

erm my mum used to peel an orange and put it in my packed lunch because I was too lazy to peel my own (not satsumas where the skin comes off easily, the big ones)

if it helps them eat more fruit, why not.

I cut up fruit and veg ( that they eat raw) for my children. Eldest is 10. He's not lazy at all. Always dashing about about and never snacks unless I push it in front of him.

He'll eat a banana ok but like me he finds an apple ( think our grocer specialises in super huge apples) daunting and boring. But put slices in a bowl with grapes etc and he's scoffed the lot.

I don't think your children will be stuck to your sofa for their entire adulthood because you cut up some fruit for them.

I read the title and scoffed thinking it was ridiculous. But actually having read the thread it makes sense.

My two love fruit at the minute but I can easily see them not bothering in the teenage years.

It's also something I do with veg, cut up carrots/peppers and they'll eat them raw. Cook them and it'll get left on the plate.

They are being independent in many ways so I actually don't see this as a problem.

I still cut up apples for my 13 year old because he has braces so can't bite into them and just wouldn't bother to eat them otherwise. Can't really see the problem - they're still kids and need a bit of guidance as to what makes a healthy diet.

I'm another who cuts up fruit for an 11 and almost 13 yo. They will both eat a chopped up fruit as part of their breakfast. A full fruit would be rejected. I'm just happy they are starting the day with one of their 5-a-day...