Try These Quick Tips

·         Keep a bowl of fruit on the kitchen table for a quick, easy snack.

·         Always have freshly cut vegetable sticks in the refrigerator.

·         Add raisins, bananas and other fresh or dried fruits to hot or cold cereals.

·         Top broiled or grilled meats with a homemade salsa made with tomatoes, mangoes, avocados, red onions, and lime juice.

·         Add bananas or berries to pancakes.

·         Provide dried fruit instead of candy.

·         Keep a bag of frozen vegetables in the freezer and add to stews, casseroles and stir-fried dishes.

·         Freeze fruits such as bananas or grapes for a frozen treat.

Empower Your Child

·         Let your child choose a fruit or vegetable that looks appealing at the grocery store.

·         Involve your child in preparing meals so that he or she can become familiar with the foods.

·         Have a raw and cooked vegetable option so that your child can choose the one he likes best. Some children like the crunch in raw vegetables, while others like vegetables to be soft and mushy.

Don't Give Up

·         Children can be very picky. It may take as many as 10 to 15 tries with a new food before a child is willing to accept it.

·         Think about colour, smell and texture when introducing a child to a new food. A child may enjoy raw crunchy broccoli but not cooked broccoli in casseroles, or soft canned peaches but not freshly sliced peaches.

·         Be a positive role model. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.

·         Encourage your child to try new foods in a comfortable meal environment.

Be a Little Sneaky

·         Add broccoli florets or julienne carrots to pasta or potato salad.

·         Add spinach, mushrooms or zucchini to spaghetti sauce.

·         Mash beans and add corn and carrots in chili.

·         Shred zucchini and carrots into meat loaf or casseroles.