Trying to get kids to eat vegetables and fruits is easy for some, but harder for others. Children learn their likes and dislikes quickly in regard to foods, but some fruits and vegetables get a bad reputation without a proper tasting. Here are ten ways to make vegetables and fruits more fun and delicious to eat so kids can reap their nutritious benefits.

1. Availability
Make fruits and vegetables available and easily accessible. Be sure to not only buy produce, but to see that it makes its way into your children’s hands. Displaying a fruit bowl can be a great way to provide apples, oranges, plums, peaches, and much more. Parents are sometimes equally guilty of not eating their veggies. Don’t let veggies spoil in the refrigerator…make them regularly available for family meals.

2. Portions
Cut fruits and vegetables into manageable portions. Sometimes the sheer size or work involved in preparation can be intimidating to kids. Break or cut vegetables and fruits into bite-sized pieces. If it is a food the kids will struggle with, give them smaller portions so they don't feel overwhelmed by too much of a good thing.

3. Variety
Promote a fondness for all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Don’t always stick to the same kind of fruits and vegetables, but allow your kids to try the many varieties that are available. There are several varieties of apples, oranges, and other fruits, as well as vegetables that are seldom placed in the basket. Make a variety of foods available, and you may find “likes” for which you were not previously aware.

4. Alteration
Some vegetables can be particularly challenging to get to children’s mouths. In some cases, resistance can be due to something as simple as the manner of preparation. Varying the cooking method for vegetables can sometimes change the taste and texture enough to make a child like the food. It can be helpful to try altering between baking, steaming, boiling, grilling, etc., to see what kids like best.

5. Mix It Up
Try mixing different fruits or vegetables in various combinations. Sometimes fruits or vegetables taste better in combinations with others, than they do alone. It can be fun to allow children to make suggestions for combinations, beginning with a little at a time, and then adding more if it is found to be a successful combination.

6. Education
Learn together with your children about the health benefits offered by various types of fruits and vegetables. Allowing children to understand the true rewards in health, strength, and resistance to illness can help them to gain a fondness for vegetables and fruits.

7. Let Kids Choose
Bring kids along to the store when shopping for produce. Allow them to choose fruits and vegetables that look good to them. This can make eating more fun for the kids, because a personal attachment has been formed in the choosing.
Additionally, allowing kids to choose some of the vegetables and fruits can help them to feel like their choices matter and are important to parents, rather than having all of their choices made for them.

8. Juicing
Another great way to have fruits, and yes, vegetables, is by juicing them. This is a great way to obtain the nutritious value of produce in a form that is “crunch free.” Children can help make the choices as to what fruits and vegetables will be added. Juicing is one of the rare ways to blend fruits and vegetables together for a great variety of flavors. Some will be better than others, but the fun is in the experimentation. Good combinations can be repeated again and again.

9. Small Indulgences
From time to time, it can be good to add a little something extra to fruits and vegetables that gives them an extra satisfying taste. While this can add calories and fat to a meal, if done occasionally and in moderation, it can dramatically improve the taste of vegetables. Dressings, cheese sauces, and other concoctions are delicous, but they should be an occasional treat rather than a regular method of serving.

10. A Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables
Last but not least is the idea of creating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables to enjoy as a family. This involves choosing produce from as many colors of the rainbow as can be found. It is a healthy, delicious, and fun way for kids to enjoy fruits and vegetables. This idea was conceptualized by the creators of www.todayiatearainbow.com and much more can be learned about it by visiting them at their website. Please stop by and see their site and the great resources they have for making healthy foods fun for kids.

Kids are always prone to have some resistance to eating certain types of fruits and vegetables, but using these suggestions can make eating fruits and vegetables a lot more fun for everyone. The health benefits of consuming fresh produce as a family should not be ignored, because of a child’s resistance to eating healthy food. By providing a variety of options, and by involving children in the choices, eating healthy can be good for everyone, and a lot of fun too.

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Making Healthy Eating Fun For Kids, Accessed August 31, 2010
http://www.todayiatearainbow.com/