Involving kids in choosing healthy food can encourage them to include it in their diet
Over the festive season there's more chocolate and sweets around the home than at any other time of the year, but as well as tucking into their selection boxes, it's essential children are still getting their 5 fruits or vegetables a day.
Research from the British Heart Foundation has found that 88% of children aren't eating the recommended 5 portions each day.
The results from a survey of 2,000 11-16 year olds found a childs daily diet consists of one packet of crisps, one chocolate bar, one bag of sweets, one fizzy drink and one energy drink.
The charity are working with 30 schools across the country to help set up healthy vending machines in a bid to encourage eating healthier snacks at schools break and lunch times. School Food nutritinist, Jo Nicholas, said: "All the evidence still shows that the average lunchbox is still far less healthy than a typical school meal. Research suggesrs that only 1% of packed lunches would meet the same standards of school meals."
Over Christmas it can be difficult with so many tempting treats all over the house but having plenty of fruits, vegetables and wholegrains in a child's day is needed for a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight. We've come up with a few tips to make sure your child gets that crucial 5 a day.
1. Breakfast is an ideal time to start the day healthy. Add fruit, such as sultanas, sliced banana or strawberries, to cereal and have with a glass of unsweetened fruit juice or a smoothie. A glass of fruit juice counts as 1 of your 5 a day and depending how much fruit's in it, a smoothie can count as 2. For a change, try a cooked breakfast. Wholemeal toast with beans, mushrooms or tomatoes all count as long as they're grilled and not fried.
2. Lunchtime - Fresh or dried fruit counts towards their 5 a day so try small bags of sultanas or dried apricots. Or pop some celery sticks, cherry tomatoes or grapes into their lunchbox or on the side of their plate. Try and put plenty of salad on sandwiches and try and encourage fruit as a treat not something they're forced to eat!
3. Tea time - Fill your pasta sauce or bake with plenty of chopped vegetables (mix them all in and the kids won't even know they're there), or pile them into a casserole or stew. Try and have 2 types of veg with a meal or a salad in the middle of the table. If kids see their parents tucking in, they might do too.
4. Introduce a fruit salad or snack box as a tasty dessert to a meal and have them on display and easy to get to around th house so children reach for fruit instead of delving into the biscuit cupboard.
The NHS recommend encouraging children to be involved with the weekly shop and let them choose fruit so they can enjoy choosing and preparing it at home. Familiarise children with as many fruits and vegatables as you can, and as early as you can, so they become used to including them in a normal diet.
A variety of fruits and vegetables will provide a diverse range of essential nutrients, and will equal a healthy child.
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