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?

It's not mean at all, vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet and should be part of every day's food. Maybe give them a list of lots of different veg they can have in different forms (eg, carrot sticks, sweet potato mash, frozen peas) and let them tick their favourites. Then agree you'll make those ones more often if they agree to stop moaning about daily veg!

I don't think you give your kids enough veg if anything. They should have some every day surely?

Of course it’s not too much, it should be closer to 10 fruit/veg a day but the off I I’ll guidelines are 5 as most people would just give up trying if it was that high!
My kids have fruit/ veg at brekkie, cooked school lunch so some veg there and at least two veg with our dinners. Plus they snack on veg for snacks. Or fruit.
That’s normal, most of our diet should be plant based so if anything I’d be ramping it up.
Maybe try different veg or fruit so it’s not always the same ones over and over?

To curry I add tomatoes, pepper, onion, courgette and mushrooms, I usually chuck some peas or mixed veg in the pan with the rice too so a good dose of veg that is all mixed in so not boring. Surprised you have no veg in curry

My toddler has fruit and veg every single day

Am I a mean mum & need to chill out with the veg?

😂😂😂

So, you think fruit and veg are torture.
Are you surprised your children agree?

Surely almost every meal has fruit or veg? Even if mine have a fish finger and chips day they'll have peas and sweetcorn with it.

?? No?? Of course it’s nkt unreasonable? I feed them fruit and veg with every meal too because I home cook and don’t really know of any recipes which don't include any veg. Do people normally actively try to avoid veg?!

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

Practically all parents feed their kids fruit and veg x 5 every day

Meanwhile, back in the real world:

www.gov.uk/government/news/phe-publishes-latest-data-on-nations-diet

'only 31% of adults, 32% of 65- to 74-year-olds and 8% of teenagers meet the 5 A Day recommendation for fruit and vegetables'

Most of their mates will probably be buying their lunch at the nearest chicken shop or on cheese on white bread, crisps, sweets and fizzy pop in the supermarket. Just go into any supermarket near a school at lunchtime or before school to see for yourself.

If they're teenagers, then this should (partly) be their problem to solve.

Get them cooking - one DC to do one evening meal once a week. Give them the parameters - eg, DC1 this week you've got chicken and so you need to do Tuesday's tea and I expect two sorts of veg in it. Get some cookbooks out of the library and get them doing it for you!

(The Jamie Oliver 5 book is brilliant for young people by the way, cos he's stripped everything back to 5 main things.)