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Original poster

A piece of fruit every day, who thinks this is a good idea

39 replies

dejags · 08/08/2005 10:26

Following on from the "do you give sweets" thread I realised that my DS's do not eat enough fresh fruit (besides bananas). This is because I am too lazy to enforce it. I do make sure they have veggies everyday but this is easier because we have them with our evening meal on a daily basis.

I am going to give both of my children a piece of fresh fruit every day from now on and will keep a record on here.

If anybody else wants to join that'd be great.

OP posts:
Original poster
dejags · 08/08/2005 10:27

today = an apple each when I get home from work

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 08/08/2005 10:28

I have to 'hide' fruit in dishes so DD will eat them. But she winds up with a piece of day. I do smoothies, ice lollies, baked goods w/fruit in them, fruit in yogurt, etc.

hoxtonchick · 08/08/2005 10:28

good idea dejags. we are very lucky that ds loves fruit (almost as much as me!), & eats loads. the fruit bowls are always in reach & well stocked - is this something you could try with your boys?

purpleturtle · 08/08/2005 10:29

Whereas I have to keep fruit out of reach, so that I don't discover half-eaten apples, nectarines, etc all over the house!

gigglinggoblin · 08/08/2005 10:30

fruit is all mine get for snacks inbetween meals. they know they can eat as much as they like and rarely bother to ask for anything else now. strawberry and banana porridge is delish btw, just mush up 2 or three strawberries, half a banana and stir it into some porridge. no need for sugar, very quick and easy

Original poster
dejags · 08/08/2005 10:30

I find that if I fill the fruit bowl, I just end up chucking it all out 2 weeks later once it's all started rotting. I hate wasting food, so I'll tackle this with a more measured approach.

I will just make sure to have 28 pieces of fruit in the shopping basked each week.

OP posts:
swiperfox · 08/08/2005 10:31

I have started enforcing it too - although they've never not loved fruit. I do smoothies and smoothie lollies. I also keep a bowl of fruit where they can see it as then they are more likely to pick it up when they get hungry and ask for sweets/crisps etc

throckenholt · 08/08/2005 10:32

we often have a mid morning snack time where I cut up one piece of fruit for each child, put it all on one plate and they all share that - borrowed from what they do at playgroup - it seems to work well.

Original poster
dejags · 08/08/2005 10:32

You are all making me feel so awful, your kids are so good.

DS1 would not eat lumpy food as a baby/toddler (there is a term for this but I forget what it is). He only started eating rice at age 3. Even now getting him to bite into an apple/pear is nearly impossible. I have to prepare the fruit and cut it into little bite size portions. Hence me getting lazy.

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starlover · 08/08/2005 10:33

dejags.. is he better with softer fruits? ie plums, melon, strawberries etc?
also grapes and raspberries are good as you can just give a handful... bitesize already so no preparing!

gigglinggoblin · 08/08/2005 10:33

what about grapes? they are already bite sized. or dried raisins/apricots?

gingerbear · 08/08/2005 10:34

Can't you buy fruit 2/3 times a week? I hate wasting food too, but hate eating overripe fruit so fruit (and veg for that matter) is something I make an effort to buy regularly (I am lucky though - grocer's shop in village).
Apples and nectarines seem to keep better than other fruit though.

handlemecarefully · 08/08/2005 10:35

Another one who finds smoothies an easy solution to fruit consumption...

Original poster
dejags · 08/08/2005 10:35

Does anybody know how much fruit actually constitutes one of the required daily portions for a 4 year old and a 1 year old?

OP posts:
OldieMum · 08/08/2005 10:36

How about adding cut-up pieces of fruit to breakfast cereal? We do this with DD every morning.

Original poster
dejags · 08/08/2005 10:36

I am going to try grapes, satsumas and strawberries (although these are sometimes difficult to get in SA).

I'll use this thread as a diary from now on.

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gingerbear · 08/08/2005 10:37

DD has always been a fruit bat, but recently has gone off fruit a bit. I have been making smoothies with milk and fruit (no smoothie maker, just normal liquidiser) and she loves them.

Original poster
dejags · 08/08/2005 10:42

does tinned fruit count? My kids love the fruit salad in fruit juice I buy but somehow I feel a bit fraudulent giving them this?

OP posts:
hoxtonchick · 08/08/2005 10:42

this thread has just made me eat a pear!

sweetkitty · 08/08/2005 10:47

DD finishes off each meal with a bit of fruit well apart from breakfast but she gets some apple cut up into sticks at about 11ish (shes only 12 months) she usually has say banana after lunch and strawberries after dinner, then maybe some raisins as snacks. My goal is 3 pieces of different fruit a day.

gingerbear · 08/08/2005 10:48

No official children's portion size, but I found this chart which suggests half adult size portion

cori · 08/08/2005 10:51

Dejags, Tinned fruit is better than no fruit. Is almost as good and am pretty sure it counts.

KBear · 08/08/2005 10:53

Since we broke up school, DD and DS have been having a bowl of cheese and apple mid morning. They love it and it takes ages to eat so they're not on at me for something else every five minutes.

Luckily mine love fruit too.

starlover · 08/08/2005 10:55

my mum used to cut apples up for us and give us sugar to dip the bits in! lol
very yummy though

KBear · 08/08/2005 10:58

those were the days starlover!! My mum used to give us banana sandwiches (my favourite) and sprinkle sugar on them too.

I make them for my kids but without the sugar!