To feed my kids fruit and veg 5 days a week

[Justus3girls]

In a nutshell my kids eat really well. 2 sometimes 3 pieces of fruit in lunchbox every day. Then veg with dinner most nights (exc Friday & Saturday)
Recently they're been moaning that they eat a lot of veg and why do they have to have it every night.
Its just always been my thought that they have to have it as it's healthy.
Unless we have curry its generally veg or salad with every meal.
Sounds boring when I write it down.
I was going to cook a roast but they asked me not to as we had one Thursday.
I feel bad chucking frozen food in the oven as doesn't feel like cooking but then I'm starting to feel mean dishing them veg every night.
Am I a mean mum & need to chill out with the veg?

Not mean but if they don't enjoy it then I'd cook the something like pasta with hidden veg once a week and do a meal with little or no veg once a week too.

Don't they have fruit/veg every day?

Maybe not 5 a day, but I'm sure having some every day is pretty normal.

We all should eat fruit, veg, salad every day imo. Mine are now older teenagers and will sometimes refuse fruit but overall they have a lot more fruit and veg than their friends. My dh was recently ill and he and I have upped our intake as it was worse than the kids.

You’re not mean to follow guidelines and feed them fruit and veg..
Maybe just mix up what veg and how you cook it, as veg shouldn’t be boring or monotonous (you don’t want to put them off!). Bean chilli could be one meal, very different to having veg on the side of a meat and potato meal. I agree with putting veg in pasta sauces too. I’d find it bizarre if someone didn’t feed their children fruit or veg two days a week intentionally!

We have fruit and veg with every meal and forr snacks. I thought this was normal.

You're not a mean mum at all.
My kids have fruit and veg every day. Sometimes it’s hidden so that they don’t moan.
For instance Friday was a Spag Bol with grated courgette & sweetcorn. Saturday they had a macaroni cheese made with blended carrots and today is a full roast with a variety of veg. They know they have to eat the healthy stuff if they want to have the treats.

Why do people think veg is boring It’s so varied and so versatile the only limit is your own imagination ffs. They should be eating it every day and frankly children moan about most things. I don’t feel mean at all giving mine veg every day, I feel like I’m doing them a service.

Surely most meals involve veg of some sort anyway? Even if it's chips! I'm struggling to think of any regular meal we have that doesn't involve vegetables in some way, even if it's not a pile of veg on the side, but just in the form of chips, mash, peas, etc.

We serve 'veg' with every meal, but sometimes it will be baked beans, or some chopped raw pepper. That's what they enjoy.
Hidden veg sauces often on menu too.

It's not mean, it's normal to feed fruit and veg every day.

fruit and veg with every meal in our house, kids like the veg.
when they were smaller I used to cut it small and mix it in (ie in chilli/pasta sauce/curry/shepherds pie) rather than serve on the side

Every meal except perhaps breakfast should have veg in it ! Are you counting things like tinned tomatoes, onions or peppers in a sauce ? I think baked beans and chick peas count too ? I am really struggling to think of any meals without some vegwtable in them.

I thought it was normal too! Maybe just mix up the types of veg more and sometimes raw rather than cooked.

Surely it’s a bit neglectful not to give them any?

I would have thought it was quite normal to serve fruit and veg five days a week, maybe seven. The quantity and variety will differ according to taste.

Perhaps they are bored of the same veg on the side but wouldn't mind meals with veg as a base ingredient rather than a side dish? Veggie lasagne, spaghetti bolognaise, mac and cheese with spinach, etc.

Perhaps the meals need a shake up, often we cook the same things week in week out.

How about homemade pizza with tomatoes, pepper, sweet corn & cheese. Or vegetable curry using a variety of peeled vegetables that will be hidden by the sauce, what about fake Nando night.. fake Nando rice ( pinchofnom.com/recipes/nandos-spicy-rice/ ) corn on the cob, Nando roasted vegetables www.hellomagazine.com/cuisine/recipes/20080731615/roasted/vegetables/side/

Then obviously cook some boned chicken thighs

We might have a meal without fruit and veg, but not a day.

Sounds normal to me.

I’m in no way a saint when it comes to what I feed my DD but there’s always veg with her evening meal and fruit in her lunchbox; whether she eats it is a different subject but I grew up always having veg at meals so even if it’s in the form of baked beans my DD will be served it. Maybe the only time we don’t is if we have pizza.

I don't give mine a day off, they need the regular daily habit to eat without moaning.

It should be 7 days.

Nice stealth boast. Yes, you’re a fabulous parent. Most parents give their children their 5 a day.

Is this a joke? You're supposed to have 7-8 portions of fruit/veg a day iirc, of course you're not bu

I have a 2 year old and a one year old, they have about 2 portions fruit with breakfast, a portion with lunch then 1/2 portions with dinner and probably a fruit snack some point in the day