Do you make a conscious to make sure your DCs have at least 5 portions of fruit and veg and if so how do you do it?

[McDreamy]

I want my DCs to eat more fruit and veg, fruit in particular, tips please, any books you can recommend.

I have found a couple, this one in particular, has anyone got it or has anyone got a better one?

Does a fruit shoot not count as 1 of their 5 a day?

no, I don´t go for government indoctrination.

They usually have a piece of fruit, and one veg most days. And one glass of juice.

That´s only 3 , but I am sure it´s fine !

not panic buying expensive smoothies etc.

But then again, I live in a country where kids only drink coke and eat NO fruit or veg at all, so I am considered a relative health freak here .

DS won't eat fruit. He'll only occasionally eat a humzinger. So, every morning he gets porridge (shared with DD) that has two bananas, one apple, one pear and apricots steamed and blended into it. It's not really the greatest solution but at least he's getting some fruit.

Oh, he likes watermelon.

I don't think it's so much that small children aren't meant to have fruit and veg, more that they are meant to have a diet which is high in fat and sugar and calories compared to an adult's diet for someone of the same size if that makes any sense at all. Although I do try to make sure my daughter has the chance to eat plenty of fruit and veg (I would rather she got her vitamins and minerals from food not pills or drops), I am mainly concerned about her eating as varied a diet as possible and that includes the flavours and textures of fruit and veg as well as different kinds of cheese or meat or carbs. As long as you're not feeding your children so much high-fibre stuff that their bodies don't have time to process the nutrients, I'm sure it's fine. And I think it's good to give them butter and olive oil and other calorific stuff. As far as sugar goes, if they brush their teeth it's fine for them to have some sweet things, IMO. Better than making them forbidden and thus longed for.

I had thought that the 5 portions for under-5's is to be made up of 3 fruit, 2 veg, I certainly operate on that principle! Portions for younger children are really quite tiny when you think about how small a 2 year old's fist is!

As long as they have had something healthy each day I'm happy. i don't go round counting no. I know they eat well overall but if they only eat 3 portions of fruit and half a portion of veg I'm not going to get hung up about it.

I agree with lucicle and follow the same principles. My DD loves small finger food sized fruit and veg such as cherry tomatos, cucumber chunks, melon cubes, grapes etc. I let her choose when we go shopping and she puts it in the trolley then unpacks when we get home. By that point she can't wait to eat some of it after being so involved in it!! Also put more bitter/distinctive tasting veg in with tomato and pasta so not as strong to taste, eg courgettes, aubergines. Asparagus tips go down well with cheese sauce to dip them in (but only use skinny ones and cook them well as the thick ones are too bitter). For breakfast/snacks dried figs and apricots (crazy jacks soft dried organic apricots are yummy) are one of her faves. Hope this gives you food for thought! pardon the pun!!!

DS aged 2 1/2 was having a no-veg phase when we went to Italy on holiday last year. The people we stayed with had this great habit of serving plain veg (brocoli, beans, whatever) as a starter - just with a bit of oil and lemon on it. DS just wolfed the stuff down - I think partly because there was nothing else on offer on the plate (though the main course that followed was always some meat or fish).

We've kept up the habit (if your children like pesto, try basil-infused olive oil, it makes everything taste delicious) and it still works for us. In short, serve the veg while your kids are at their hungriest, and bob's your uncle.

Fruit (usually banana/peach/raisins) with breakfast
Snack of dried fruit & fresh fruit (eg dried mango, apple & banana chips or grapes melon & raisins)
Lunch - usually served with carrot, cucumber & tomato on the side
Tea - 2 or 3 veggies

But they also have protien, carbs and lots of fat