Make Every Drop Matter - Newsletter Issue 2

Susie Burrell, consultant sports and paediatric dietitian, and member of Coca-Cola’s Health and Wellness Advisory Council gives advice on how to get your children to eat their greens.

You told us that the biggest challenge you face with your children and food is getting them to eat enough vegetables – lettuce, leeks, beans, cabbage, broccoli, sprouts... you name it, they won't touch it! Getting children to eat their vegeies is never easy, but parents shouldn't give up.

“The best way to ensure children grow up eating their 'five a day' servings of fruit and vegetables is to encourage them to eat vegetables from an early age and look for ways in which to make vegies appealing for kids.” say Susie.

Only keep the foods in stock that you want your child to eat
Eat healthy foods yourself to set the right example
Reward your child for eating new healthy foods. Show your approval: you could use award stickers, points or stars – but don’t give sweets or biscuits!!
Offer brightly coloured foods, such as tomatoes, strawberries, carrots and sweetcorn, to make the dish look more interesting

Hide vegetables by blending them into tomato and vegetable sauces.
You could vary the venue of the meal if your child is refusing to eat for example eating in the cubby house or having a picnic in the lounge
Let your children help to plan the menu and prepare the food. It stimulates their interest
Keep the dessert out of sight until the main course is finished

Give too much attention to your child when they say they won’t eat something – instead reinforce the positive by commenting when they do eat the right foods

Make sweets and cakes forbidden foods – it may make your child crave them more and binge on them when they get the opportunity
Force a child to eat food - you’ll make the meal table a battleground