We all know that veggies are good for us but are our kids getting enough of them?

A report released last week by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed that surprise surprise, Australian children are not eating enough.

According to a Picture of Australian Children 2009, only three per cent of four to eight year olds and two per cent of nine to 13 year olds met the recommendations for their recommended daily intake of vegetables (excluding potatoes).

The National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines recommends one serve of fruit and two serves of vegetables a day for children aged four to seven, one serve of fruit and three serves of vegetables for ages eight to 11, and three serves of fruit and four serves of vegetables for those 12 to 18.

A serve is about half a cup.

Here are some tips on how to incorporate more vegetables into your children’s diets:

  • Set a good role model. One way adults can encourage their children to eat more vegetables is to repeat exposure. The more a child observes adults and older children eating and enjoying a food, the higher likelihood they will accept it.
  • Don’t force or bribe children to eat it by promising a rewarding food afterwards. Studies have shown that bribing can increase children’s dislike for vegetables and reinforce their liking for dessert.
  • Are you having a case of the terrible two? At about two years of age, many children become reluctant to eat foods they have not tasted before (known as food neophobia).
  • Pleasure and acceptance can be increased by offering the food repeatedly in a supportive way. Sometimes up to 15 exposures are necessary.
    Try feeding children vegetables at the start of a meal when they are hungriest.
  • Vegetables may acquire more appeal when children help to prepare them. This could include asking them to choose a vegetable for the family meal at the supermarket, and teaching them to cook using vegetables. Planting and eating fresh garden vegetables is another idea.
  • Don’t overcook- vegetables taste more appealing when steamed or lightly stir fried so that they are still crunchy.

 

Go green with cooking

  • Make a healthy Mediterranean pizza using pita bread topped with tomato paste, capsicum, Kalamata olives, grated mozzarella, tuna in brine and basil leaves. Grill and enjoy.
  • Try healthy nachos using plain corn chips (or tortillas cut into wedges and baked until crisp). Top with diced capsicum, three bean mix, salsa and low fat grated cheese. Heat until cheese is melted and serve with homemade guacomole made from one mashed avocado, two tbs lemon juice and optional chilli flakes.
  • Make vegetables fun by making faces and animal shapes out of them. Ie. alfalfa sprouts for hair, carrots for nose, capsicum strips for a mouth.
  • Make healthy fries by cutting potato, sweet potato and pumpkin into ‘chips’, spraying with cooking spray and baking in oven. Season to taste.
  • Gradually increase vegetables to familiar dishes. Eg. Add shredded zuchini, carrot, chopped mushrooms or capsicum to pasta bakes, sauces and hamburgers.
  • Top baked potatoes with low fat grated cheese, corn pieces, yoghurt, and bacon bits.
  • Serve freshly cut vegetable sticks at the dinner table or in lunch boxes. Peanut butter goes nicely with celery.
  • Make souvlaki skewers alternating meat with mushrooms, capsicums and onions.