Getting Your Kids To Eat Their Fruits and Vegetables

Getting Your Kids To Eat Their Fruits and Vegetables

Juice Plus Gummies

Health Canada recommends that children 11 and under consume 5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily, children 12 to 13 years consume 6 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, and for teens 14+ that they consume 7-8 servings of fruits and vegetable a day. The scary thing is that fewer than 1 in 10 Canadian children are getting their recommended servings of fruits and vegetables; and even less are consuming enough variety of fruits and vegetables to get the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients.

To give you an idea of the power of whole food, there are over 350 nutrients in just an apple alone! This is way more nutrients than you would ever find in a multivitamin… definitely food for thought!

So, what can we do to help get our child to eat their fruits and vegetables?

If your kids are picky, here are 6 great strategies to help you and your family get the required fruits and veggies into their diet:

  1. Help them to grow their own herbs, fruits and vegetables. It is amazing what kids will eat if they have grown it themselves!
  2. Get them involved in helping to do meal planning, creating the grocery list, and participating in grocery shopping. The more children are a part of the process, the more ownership they have of following through and eating the food or meal.
  3. Involve them in meal preparation. Whether they help with baking healthy muffins for school lunches, making a salad, or chopping vegetables being a part of making meals helps give them a sense of purpose with contributing to the family. Even if they don’t eat it in the beginning, it is a steppingstone in the right direction.
  4. Educate your kids about why they need to eat healthy foods and why they need to limit junk food. Understanding what affects food has on their body or mental state might really help with buy in. There are many short Youtube videos that you can watch as family and discuss. 
  5. Find their motivation hook! Whether they want to be faster or stronger in hockey, have better skin, or have more energy for running, or have better focus for school – find what will resonate with your individual child and motivate them to eat better.
  6. Read books such as Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham to showcase that trying new foods that you don’t think you will like might actually be palatable and enjoyable!

For more info on why your child may be a picky eater, please check out our previous article.

If you are really challenged to get your child to eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables per day, or if you struggle with getting or providing enough variety, then we recommend supplementing with Juice Plus chewables!

Juice Plus chewables are whole food supplements containing 30 different fruits and vegetables in a chewable and delicious kid-friendly form.

Because Juice Plus chewables are made from whole foods, the body recognizes it and knows what to do with it. Unfortunately, many other supplements for children are loaded with artificial colourings, flavourings and even food dyes that have been banned in some European countries. So, it’s left to parents to be vigilant of what is in their children’s supplement products.

Koru Nutrition loves Juice Plus products because of their research! There are over 30 studies showing that the Juice Plus product can:

  • Reduce the severity of upper respiratory challenges
  • Increase the number and activity of immune cells circulating around the body
  • Increase antioxidant nutrients in the blood
  • Reduce DNA damage
  • Reduce inflammation
  • Improve skin health (circulation, density, thickness and hydration)
  • Reduced cholesterol and increase in lean body mass

BONUS:
A parent can purchase the Juice Plus capsules for themselves and receive the fruit and vegetable chewables for their child for free for up to 4 years*! That is a value of $2,400! Plus, the child gets to be a part of one of the largest children’s health study, the Family Health Study.

Since starting the Family Health Study, families have reported:

  • 60% of kids were missing fewer days of school
  • 56% of kids were taking fewer over the counter and/or prescription medications
  • 71% were drinking more water
  • 66% were visiting the doctor less
  • 71% were consuming less fast food and soft drinks
  • 61% were eating more fruits and vegetables

Koru Nutrition’s owner, Certified Nutritionist Kylie James, says: “My 4 year old loves his Juice Plus chewables and often tries to sneak more.” Her kids love making chocolate bark with the Juice Plus chewables. 

If Juice Plus sounds like a fit for your family, click here if you live in CanadaIf you are in New Zealand, click here.

*Your child must be between the ages of 4 and 18 or a full-time undergraduate college student in a four-year degree

Nut-Free Chickpea Blondies

Nut-Free Chickpea Blondies

Coconut Chicken Curry with Zoodles

A “blondie” might not seem like a healthy snack, but when you take a peek at these ingredients, you may be surprised to see how nutrient dense, yet decadent, they really are! This recipe makes a great snack for kids’ lunch boxes or a healthy dessert for the whole family to enjoy!

Chock full of nutrients, the star of this blondie is the nutty, buttery chickpeas. With both soluble and insoluble fibre they really pack a digestive punch. The soluble fibre, raffinose in chickpeas, gets broken down by the good bacteria in your gut – which means easier and more regular bowel movements. This is great news for all of us, but especially for kids returning to school, as the added stress and change in routine can often lead to constipation in children.

Sunflower seeds are the perfect pairing, providing plant-based protein and fat to keep energy up and blood sugar levels balanced. Sunflower seeds are also a great source of vitamin E, which helps keep hair, skin and nails looking good while protecting your cells from free radical damage. Unfortunately, approximately 60% of North American’s are not consuming adequate amounts of vitamin E daily. Emerging research suggests vitamin E may have a role in regulating allergic airway disease (like asthma)(1) , so adequate vitamin E consumption may be an important preventative in pediatric nutrition.

Lastly, coconut oil provides more healthy fats. The type of saturated fat in coconut oil, medium chain fatty acids, is shuttled to the liver to provide a quick and useable energy source. For adults, eating coconut oil regularly has been shown to support increased metabolism and help promote fat burning, as well as raise HDL (good) cholesterol, which lowers the risk of heart disease. In children, coconut oil provides fuel for the brain to help keep them focused during learning.

This blondie recipe combines good fats with fibre and protein all while keeping the sugars low! There’s just 1 tsp of maple syrup in each blondie making these a solid lunch box addition or a super after school snack and best of all they’re NUT FREE!!

They’re quick and easy to mix together in the food processor, and lining your pan with parchment will make clean up a snap! And because it is so easy to make your kids can make it with you.

 

  1. Joan M. Cook-Millsand Christine A. McCary. Feb 3 2012. Isoforms of Vitamin E Differentially Regulate Inflammation. PMC3271790.

Nut-free Chickpea Blondies

A “blondie” might not seem like a healthy snack, but when you take a peek at these ingredients, you may be surprised to see how nutrient dense, yet decadent, they really are!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 16 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tsp Coconut Oil plus more for greasing pan
  • 2 cups Chickpeas cooked
  • ½ cup Sunflower Seed Butter
  • ¼ cup Maple Syrup
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Exctract
  • ½ tsp Cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp Sea Salt
  • ¼ tsp Baking Powder
  • ¼ tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Lemon Juice
  • cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease an 8 x 8 baking dish with coconut oil. Set aside.
  • Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor with an S-blade. Process until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even processing.
  • Spread the batter evenly into the pan. Bake for 20 -25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the pan comes out clean.
  • Once cooked, remove from oven and let cool for 20-30 minutes. Cut into 16 equal squares and enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 112
Carbs: 9g
Fibre: 2g
Sugar: 4g
Protein: 3g
Fat: 7g

Green Monster Muffins

Green Monster Muffins

Coconut Chicken Curry with Zoodles

Do you ever have trouble convincing your kiddies to eat their vegetables? Do they turn their noses up at vegetables?

Then these muffins are your new best friend! They’ll help to get some greens into your kids’ diet.

Spinach was a superfood before superfoods were cool, providing too many health benefits to list. Most people have heard that spinach is good for the eyes, and muscles, but did you know it’s also good for your immune system? Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamin K which acts as a cofactor for some proteins used in immune response, including Natural Killer cells – the ones that help fight viruses.

Whole grain oats contain a soluble fibre called beta-glucan. This slowly digesting fibre also make you feel fuller, longer by delaying stomach emptying. Beta-glucan fibre only partially dissolves in the gut making a thick, gel like solution that is a friend to your good gut bacteria – and we all need as much immune support as we can find these days! For the adults in the house, oats can reduce LDL (bad cholesterol), reduce blood sugar, and may also improve insulin sensitivity.

Naturally sweetened with both dates and bananas, these muffins provide a solid dose of the essential mineral potassium. In one Canadian study potassium intakes were far below the “adequate Intake” level for all age groups. The European Respiratory Journal found that bananas could decrease wheezing and improve lung function in children with asthma, possibly due to their antioxidant and potassium content. What a simple way to support our respiratory system!

We understand busy families need something quick to prepare. If you’re feeling really keen add some eyes and a smile with a few stevia-sweetened chocolate chips before serving. You can now watch your kids eat their veggies while munching on this delicious Green Monster Muffin.

 

Green Monster Muffins

Do you ever have trouble convincing your kiddies to eat their vegetables? Do they turn their noses up at vegetables?
Then these muffins are your new best friend! They'll help to get some greens into your kids' diet.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tsp Coconut Oil
  • cups Baby Spinach
  • 1 Banana ripe
  • ½ Avocado
  • 2 tbsp Vanilla Protein Powder
  • 4 Medjool Dates
  • ¾ cup Organic Coconut Milk
  • 2 Eggs large
  • 2.5 cups Oats rolled
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line 12 regular muffin holes with parchment paper liners.
  • In a blender container, add coconut oil, baby spinach, banana, avocado, protein powder, dates, and coconut milk. Blend until smooth.
  • Add the eggs, oats, baking powder and baking soda to the blender container. Blend again until a batter is formed. Quickly blitz in lemon juice.
  • Scoop the muffin batter into the lined muffin holes. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven. Remove muffins from muffin holes while still warm to prevent sticking. Let cool and enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 157
Carbs: 22g
Fibre: 3g
Sugar: 7g
Protein: 6g
Fat: 6g