Fabulous Fruits and Vegetables part 2!

In my previous post, we talked about enjoying fruits and vegetables. But what if you cannot get your child to eat fruits or vegetables? You are not alone if you worry about this. Our WIC nutritionists hear this concern from parents all the time.

Parents realize their children should be eating fruits and vegetables, but the children are simply not interested. Some children won't eat fruit. Some children won't eat vegetables. And some children refuse both!

I would like to tell you that the first thing you have to do as a parent is relax. Most children will eat one or the other, and if that is the case they are not missing out on any major nutrition (both fruits and vegetables provide fiber, vitamins A and C, and antioxidants).

Are you pressuring your child to eat fruits or vegetables? Pressure can make matters worse! Even bribing with a toy or a dessert is still pressure. It makes the child think, "If they have to do all that to get me to eat this, it can't be good!"

Some celebrities, doctors, and even nutritionists recommend "hiding" fruits or vegetables in food by pureeing them and mixing it in. What happens when your child is old enough to find out? If this stuff is so nasty that you have to "hide" it to get your child to eat it, what do you think will happen when it comes to the child choosing fruits and vegetables to eat on their own? It won't happen. The child never learns to like fruits and vegetables.

Here is the easy part: All that you as a parent have to do is provide fruits and vegetables for your child. That is it. You do not have to force them to eat it if they do not want to (and doing so can turn them off of fruits or vegetables for a very long time!).

The parent is in charge of providing the child 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day. We recommend to sit your child or toddler down to eat around the same times everyday (every 2-3 hours). We recommend that you or another responsible adult eat with the child, not just feed them. If you want your child to eat fruits and vegetables, then serve fruits and vegetables! Serve less liked foods or new foods with well liked foods. Let the child see you enjoying your foods and be pleasant at the table (no yelling, pressuring, or fighting please). That is all you have to do. The child will handle the rest. They will decide how much to eat and whether they are going to eat a certain food or not (if this sounds strangely bizarre to you, please check out Ellyn Satter for more info)

Remember that all children "sneak up" on new foods. They might look at a food but won't touch it. The next time they might touch it (and maybe smear it all over themselves!). The next time they might put it in their mouth but then take it out. The next time the might eat it! This is normal behavior. Do not assume that your child will not eat something if you have only tried it once. It can take 10, 15, or 20 times of being exposed to a new food before a young one will accept it.

Also, don't expect your child to eat something simply because "it is good for you". Children do not work like that. They eat what they think tastes good. Period. So make your fruits and vegetables taste good! Remember, some fruits and vegetables taste good all on their own and for others, it is ok to add dressing, butter, seasonings, and sauces to stronger tasting vegetables (like broccoli, greens, brussel sprouts).

-Allison Leonard RD