Ways to increase fruit and vegetable intake

There are lots of ways to help children to eat more fruit and vegetables.

Many parents want to know how to help their children eat more fruit and vegetables. The Government recommends that all children eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, However, recent research suggests that fewer than 1 in 5 children achieve this and that many preschoolers often have days where they eat no fruit or vegetables at all.

Fruit and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy balanced diet and are important for providing protection against disease (see the unhealthy food preferences section).

The reluctance to eat associated with food refusal is often related to unfamiliarity with the appearance, texture, or taste of foods. More information on this is available in the common feeding pitfalls section.

Below are various ideas for ways to help increase your child's exposure to fruit and vegetables.

Finally - be proactive! Point out and talk about fruit and vegetables as often as possible. The aim is to make these a familiar part of everyday life – not a dreaded moment at the table! 

Top tip!  These evidence-based suggestions work very well for helping children to learn to like a variety of foods, not just fruit and vegetables, so if you are trying to broaden a child's diet, give these a try.