Herefordshirechange4life

5 A DAY

Eating more fruit and veg is important for us all, but how many of us actually manage to eat 5 A DAY?

Fruit and veg are packed with essential vitamins, minerals and fibre which may help reduce the risk of nasty diseases like cancer and heart disease. So it’s important for kids to eat a variety of at least five portions of fruit and veg every day.

What’s more it can be easier than you think to give kids five portions of fruit and veg a day. Canned, frozen, 100% juice and dried fruit and veg all count towards 5 A DAY as well as fresh produce. You can keep the costs down too by buying canned and frozen fruit and veg which doesn’t go off as quickly and buying fresh fruit and veg when it’s in season is usually cheaper.

There are so many ways of getting to five portions a day. Why not try adding vegetables to favourite foods such as spag bol or mixing them into a sauce to give it more colour and flavour. Or, how about giving a handful of tasty raisins as a treat?

You could also try mixing a handful of peas into mashed potato, or adding some finely chopped peppers to a pizza.

It can be difficult to get kids to eat things they've made up their minds they don't like - it can take several attempts. So try and do things little by little - they doesn't have to eat 5 A DAY straight away.

You could start by getting them to put some greens in their mouth by offering something small, like a sticker as a reward. Next time get them to swallow just a mouthful, then two, and so on.

All school dinners include at least two portions of fruit or veg so that’s another way of getting them toward their 5 A DAY. Many schools have their menus online so why not sit down with your kids and take a look at things they can chose at school that will count towards their 5 A DAY.

Allotments

Childrens Centres

Dietiticans

Family Centres

Gardening Clubs

School Meal Choices

School Nurses

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