Ways To Add More Fruit At Every Meal
My Plate reminds families and children to fill half their plate with fruits an vegetables.
Fruit juice makes up about 40% of the average child’s fruit intake. Giving fruit juice may seem like an easy way to get your child to get their fruit intake; but, fruit juice is very high in sugar and calories.
The ADA recommends that children drink only one 6-ounce glass of 100% fruit juice a day as part of their fruit intake.
Here are some ways to increase your child’s fruit intake throughout the day:
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Start their morning with fresh fruits every day
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Add fresh fruits to cereals at breakfast time
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If your child likes fruit juice, then limit them to one glass a day of 100% fresh fruit juice
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For children who drink a lot of fruit juice, you can start by cutting the juice with some water and slowly decrease their amount to once a day
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Mix up their choices, fruits come fresh, frozen and canned. Read the labels and avoid canned fruits that have “added sugar”. Fruit comes naturally sweetened and does not need more sugar
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Avoid canned fruit that is packed in “heavy syrup”. Instead look for canned fruits that are packed in their own fruit juice
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Include some type of fruit at each meal, even a few grapes in a baggie for lunchtime or snack time
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Keep some fresh fruit cut up in the refrigerator at eye level and ready for a quick snack
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Use fresh or frozen whole fruits to jazz up their smoothie
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Look for fruit in season for better prices
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A handful of dried fruit makes a great snack and is packed with nutrition
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Fruit is a tasty dessert. But if the kids balk at this, try adding some fruit to their favorite desserts
Healthy Eating
Healthy Child
Written by Anne Kolker
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Written on Nov 06, 2011
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Last updated on Sep 30, 2013
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