By Lynya Floyd, Family Circle
Just like extra-dark chocolate drizzled over strawberries, the news about how often kids eat fruits and veggies is bittersweet. On the one hand, the under-18 set are eating more whole fruits. Unfortunately, 6 out of 10 kids still aren’t eating enough fruit, and 9 out of 10 still aren’t eating enough vegetables, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[post_ads]From decreasing the risk of serious diseases to fighting inflammation and controlling weight, dining on a wide variety of fruits and vegetables has tremendous health benefits for us all—but particularly for kids. “Because dietary habits are set largely at a young age and last a lifetime, we’re very much interested in increasing fruit and vegetable intake in children as a health priority,” says Diane Harris, PhD, MPH, a health scientist in the division of nutrition, physical activity and obesity at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At the Partnership for a Healthier America’s 2017 Summit, several thought leaders came together to discuss ways to get kids to eat the rainbow—and they provided several suggestions for parents.
[post_ads]From decreasing the risk of serious diseases to fighting inflammation and controlling weight, dining on a wide variety of fruits and vegetables has tremendous health benefits for us all—but particularly for kids. “Because dietary habits are set largely at a young age and last a lifetime, we’re very much interested in increasing fruit and vegetable intake in children as a health priority,” says Diane Harris, PhD, MPH, a health scientist in the division of nutrition, physical activity and obesity at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At the Partnership for a Healthier America’s 2017 Summit, several thought leaders came together to discuss ways to get kids to eat the rainbow—and they provided several suggestions for parents.
1. Make It Interactive.
Forget coloring on a placemat when you’re out. Drawing kids into
eating more healthfully is about making it a hands-on experience. “One
of our top-selling items on the kids’ menu is a chopped salad,” explains
John O’Connell,
corporate director of food of beverage Americas operations for Hyatt
Hotels Corporation. “It comes to the table somewhat deconstructed. You
add the ingredients together, it goes into a large thermos and they get
to shake the dressing themselves at the table. Little things like that
can be interactive and more fun for kids.”
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2. Get Out of Their Way.
Quit thinking, “Oh, my kid won’t eat that” and let them try it. Adult
sensibilities may be getting in their way, says Nona Evans, president
and executive director of the Whole Kids Foundation,
a nonprofit founded by Whole Foods. “Our kids are so capable and
willing to eat great food if we give them the choice.” She shared a
story about a child who took a bite out of an eggplant like it was an
apple—but was almost stopped by her mom. And yes, a second bite
followed.
3. Plant Something.
Grow some tomatoes, summer squash or sugar snap peas in a home or
community garden. When kids nurture a plant, they’re invested in eating
it. “We’ve seen that they’ll share what they’ve learned about vegetables
with their parents and start requesting carrots at dinner,” says Emily Swartzlander,
senior program manager of community relations at Blue Cross and Blue
Shield of North Carolina, which has built community gardens as part of
their Nourishing North Carolina initiative to help families eat more healthfully.
4. Don’t Give Up.
“Our taste buds regenerate every seven days. I have a 13-year-old and
I’m seeing it,” says Evans, whose kid used to pick cilantro out of rice
and now can’t get enough of it. “All of the sudden he’s discovered that
things he used to not like taste different now.” So just because you’ve
tried (unsuccessfully) to give your kid something before, don’t cross
it off the list forever. Keep trying again. And again. They just might
surprise you.
