Not surprisingly, it is usually easier to get them to eat more fruits than vegetables.
Health Benefits of Eating Fruit
Fruits are important too though, as they are:
A good low-fat food Low in salt Low in calories A healthy food with no cholesterol Usually good sources of potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and folate
How Much Fruit to Eat Each Day
So much fruit do your kids need to eat each day? Following the MyPlate dietary advice, it is recommended that:
2-3-year-old children eat 1 cup of fruits each day4-8-year-old children eat 1 to 1 1/2 cups of fruits each day9-13-year-old girls eat 1 1/2 cups of fruits each day14-18-year-old girls eat 1 1/2 cups of fruits each day9-13-year-old boys eat 1 1/2 cups of fruits each day14-18-year-old boys eat 2 cups of fruits each day
When thinking of serving sizes and daily recommendations for fruits, keep in mind that 1 cup of fruit is usually equal to a cup of sliced or chopped fruit or:
A small apple or half of a large appleA cup of applesauceA large bananaAbout 32 seedless grapesA medium grapefruitA large orangeA large peachA medium pear3 medium plusAbout 8 large strawberriesA 1" thick wedge of watermelon1/2 cup of raisins
How to Get Children to Eat More Fruits
Getting kids to eat fruit isn’t usually as hard as it is to get them to eat vegetables. Most fruits have a nice sweet taste and are already generally viewed as a fun snack. Still, if your child doesn’t eat a lot of fruit, some easy tips to encourage him to eat more fruit include that you:
Simply make fruits more available in your home, including having whole fruit and cut up fruit around for a quick snackOffer a variety of choices, including fresh fruits that are in season, and let your child help pick them out at the grocery store or during a trip to a farmer’s marketAdd fruit, such as bananas or berries, as a topping on your child’s breakfast cereal, yogurt, etc.Allow your child to dip fruit slices in a low-fat dressingMake a fruit smoothie
And set a good example by eating a variety of fruit every day. Is your child a picky eater? Until he starts eating more fruits, you might ask your pediatrician if he needs a vitamin.
