Do your kids always have their 5 a day?!

[TeddybearBaby]

This is a really boring one, I’ve never posted before. I’m feeling stressed about nutrition - more dc than me! I really believe in ‘everything in moderation’ and try to get a bit of all the food groups in.

Do you all make sure your kids have at least their 5 / 7 a day? Aibu to stress about this?! DS and DD will probably have around 2/3 pieces while at school and I was going to make macaroni cheese because it’s their favourite and they need a nice chilled out night. Both very tired from the end of term etc. but I’ve started stressing that it means they won’t have their 5 a day 🙄.

Maybe I’ll put mushrooms / broccoli or salad with it. But what’s your opinion, is it fine to sometimes not have your 5 a day or is it a MUST?!

yes usually over but he's only 5. So today he's had blueberries and Apple with breakfast. He goes to nursery in the mornings and starting school in Sept ( he sometimes has snack at nursery but sometimes it's something he doesn't like so he doesn't have it) Then for lunch I give 2 fruit and 2 veg today he's got spinach, carrots , grapes and strawberries. For tea we are having fish fingers , potato and butternut squash mash and broccoli. That's what we usually tend to do so between 1 and 2 for breakfast usually 4 offered with lunch and then at least 2 up to probably 4 at tea time. I don't count stuff like the mixed berries I use for fruity pancakes or fruit in muffins. I've been pretty lucky as he he isn't very fussy.

Most days yes. Although I add either abit or spinach or broccoli in my mac and cheese. DD eats it because it's covered in cheese sauce

I think DS does? Am conscious that meals at school (he is 7) don’t give veg sides, although they are broadly healthy...

At weekends definitely. I give two fruits with breakfast and two or three portions of veg with lunch and dinner. It’s usually the same things: pepper (can only be raw), tomatoes (can only be raw), cucumber, broccoli, Cauliflower, runner beans, carrots (again only raw...) peas. He will tolerate lettuce if it’s in a sandwich and spinach if it’s in a mince (he knows both are in there). On school days I will do a home made smoothie with two fruit in to make up for what I think he isn’t getting at lunch.

Very conscious I soon won’t be able to ‘control’ what DS eats so trying to teach good habits now. He orders a chicken wrap and milk in McDonalds so the brainwashing must be doing something...

He does get too many treats though and that’s on me. I grew up without much chocolate/crisps (different country) and hate depriving him. Need to work on that.

Yes, but it's a struggle. DS1 has asd and all kinds of food issues. DS2 is a really picky eater (5) and DS3 (3) copies everything thé others do. DD (8) is a dream though and loves everything.

M Peadiatrician recently told me to let them eat as much fruit as they want. And for veg, the nutribullet is my friend. We make all our sauces in it. And soups. Even quiche fillings (DS2 can currently spot a thin slice of onion a mile off but will eat a quiche even if it has a green tinge from blended Courgette and green beans!)

Thankfully they all love cucumber/0carrots/broccoli/sweet corn/peas so these are daily staples.

Most days, although it's usually more fruit than veg.

Yes, most days - but mostly fruit rather than veg. Some days very little, but other days a lot so it balances out. Tomatoes and olives are always a sure bet too.

Usually. Mine are school age, i usually give same veggies- carrots, broccoli and peas, with dinner and they get fruit at school. So they usually get 4 at least. (but they do get things like pizza sometimes with it)

Yes. DH & I fall down in a number of areas, parenting-wise, but DD likes her fruit & veg. And we are lucky to live in an area where the primary school meals are pretty decent, too. She's a bloody gannet & is constantly raiding the fridge for fruit etc.

We’re really lucky that DS loves fruit and veg so i’d say most days he does get 5 a day, sometimes more. Often it’s 3 or 4 pieces of fruit and 3 veg. If there’s no veg in the main component of his meal, such as when having pizza, i’ll do him a plate of cucumber, toms, pepper etc.

That being said, we still have an occasional day where the only fruit and veg he’s eaten would be a few mushy peas with fish and chips and the raspberry sauce on an ice cream!

Mostly yes if they are eating food provided by me (parties etc don't count)

I insist on fruit with breakfast to get one in, sometimes they have juice too. They take fruit for breaktime snack. Then they have have one or two with lunch eg if packed lunch, cucumber and grapes. Then one or two with dinner. If I was doing macaroni cheese or something else that doesn't contain veg, I would always do peas or sweetcorn with it or give some tomatoes and cucumber on the side. I basically never give them a meal that doesn't include veg.

However I am aware that they eat too many unhealthy snacks so I am no perfect parent. I think all we can do is our best.

No and often the apple goes to school Monday and Home again in the afternoon and back to school in the Tuesday and Home again in the afternoon and back to school again Wednesday when it might actually get eaten . If I buy blueberries or strawberries they are more likely to be eaten. Apples and pears are liked but they can't be bothered to eat them .

Will usually have 2 + portions of veg with dinner

DS is 2 and 6 days out of 7 gets his 5 a day- sometimes up to 10, if nursery and I have both been very good indeed.

Have to say though, the balance skews more towards fruit generally- but I can’t seem to get worked up about that, given he never has sweets, squash or fizzy drinks, or smoothies- I think his teeth will cope with an additional apple or two.

I wouldn’t think so. They’re good for fruit but crap for veg. I hide 4-5 types of veg in spag bol for example, but as they only eat a spoon or so of sauce I can’t really fool myself that it counts!