Do you worry about your kids getting their 5-a-day?
Some of the latest nutrition research suggests that children should be having not 5 portions of fruit and veg each day but 10, but just how as parents can we get all those servings into our kids?
Sebastian and Eliza adore their fruit and vegetables and hit their 5 a day with no issues at all. Isaac, on the other hand is the fussy eater in our house and turns his nose up at most vegetables although he will eat banana’s, apples and grapes.
One way I have found of sneaking in an extra one of his 5-a-day is by making sure he has one 150ml glass of pure fruit juice with his breakfast.
Isaac’s fruit juice of choice is orange juice, whereas Sebby prefers apple juice with his breakfast and then we have Eliza who will only drink water, but who will eat fruit all day and every day given half a chance!
The appropriate portion of pure fruit juice for children is just one 150ml glass per day and it is easy to add a bottle of 100% pure fruit juice drinks to your shopping as they are available in all supermarkets and most corner shops.
There are added benefits of 100% pure fruit juice too – it is a good source of vitamin C, potassium and folates, amongst other nutrients. Vitamin C is essential for a healthy immune system, potassium and folates help with cell and muscle tissue repair.
Because of its vitamin C content, consuming fruit juice as part of a meal can help to increase the absorption of iron-rich foods like (some) fortified cereals, beans, pulses, spinach and kale. You can find more information here.
Getting 100% fruit juice into the kids is so much less painful than trying to get them to eat their veggies and you can add a glass to any meal, safe in the knowledge that you have won at least one battle that day!
“I’m working in a paid relationship with the British Fruit Juice Association on their #FruitJuiceBoost campaign. Discover the benefits of 100% fruit juice in your children’s diet”
Thankfully mine love fresh fruit juice too! Amelia loves her fresh orange juice and the boys surprisingly enjoy cranberry juice now and again!
They’re funny fish kids aren’t they. Poppy eats fruit and veg but won’t eat oranges! I love that it’s so easy to get 1 of their 5 a day in before school. Poppy loves her morning serving of juice, we’re all doing it now. I do feel better for it to it has to be said! x
Even if your children are quite good about fruit and veg, we all have busy days and weeks when it’s difficult to fit it in. Fruit juice is a great way of filling the gap then.
We do juice every day too. I just love how easy it is to tick off one of our five a day.
Totally agree, juice is so much easier to get in them than solid fruit and veg x
My boys usually only drink water too, but my daughter loves her orange juice!
Breakfast is just the perfect time for that glass of juice to be added in. X
The problem is trying to get them NOT to drink the entire carton in 1 go!
You know it can be so hard giving our kids the right amount of fruit and veggies each day, but like you I incorporate it into a juice, tasty, healthy and all they need, I slip a carrot or two in, my dayghter is none the wiser!
A fantastic alternative, especially if you are in a rush and don’t have time peel and prepare. Any healthy shortcut helps when you have children. Thanks for the suggestion
I could do with drinking some fruit juice each day. I don’t like to texture of solid fruit so liquid juices would help me get my vitamins in 🙂
oh wow! it’s nice to see children loving fruity juice that much! I thought it would be more difficult 🙂 x
Plenty of fresh orange juice but not actual oranges – kids are super fussy – when will it end????
It’s much easier getting juice inside my kids – they have it every morning without fail – the pure stuff (never concentrated)
My little boy adores fruit and has load’s, my girls, on the other hand, don’t eat as much as they should so we do give them juice. My three-year-old has low iron and we were told by her paediatrician to give her fruit juice with meals x
My two lads love their fruit juice, so we have it every day with breakfast x
Issac sounds exactly like my little boy, I will maybe have to give this a go but he’s even fussy with juice unless it’s blackcurrent diluted xx
I don’t have kids yet but I will definitely try this for myself and share it to my friends who has kids already.
I think I need to reintroduce fresh juice to my kids. My son loves juice but my daughter doesn’t.
I really need to remember to add fruit juice to my shopping. I buy it every now and then but on the whole it gets forgotten but I forget about the health benefits!
I was amazed at how little they need to give them the benefits. Orange and grape juice are Natty’s favourites but she won’t eat oranges. As long as they get their 5 a day somehow I guess it doesn’t matter.
Mine are great fruit eaters, however not so great at veg. However they do have a fruit juice every morning too, it tastes nice and good for them too!
I don’t Have any kids but I loves it. I will definitely try It for myself. We do juices for everyday too. Fruit juice is a great way of filling good. It keeps you fresh and healthy.