Eating Greens is Hard to Do

Posted by Wei Yin Wong Nov 29, 2008

I love fruits and vegetables, regardless of how they are presented and whether they are cooked or raw. And now, living in Melbourne, Australia, I'm spoit for choice when it comes to fruits and vegetables. Well, not that there aren't many choices in my home country in Malaysia. It's just that there are much more varieties Down Under. Plus, the greens here are bigger and juicier.

But my love for greens didn't start until I was around 10 or so. Like most young children, I bulked at the thought of stuffing greens in my mouth. Luckily, I acquired a taste for them as I grew older.

The problem is, my own kids now have to be coaxed, tricked and threatened to eat their fruits and vegetables. Apparently, it's a worldwide phenomenon. Studies from around the world have shown that children from age two to 18 simply do not have the penchant for greens.

It's worrisome as greens are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Most are rich in anti-oxidants that help prevent cancer as well as dietary fiber to aid digestion and bowel movements. When kids are short of these, they are prone to falling sick and may develop medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol levels when they grow up.

So what's a parent to do? Try her best to encourage kids to eat greens, of course. And there are many ideas to get started. Methods such as sneaking greens into their main meals, disguising greens as something they like eating, making juices or smoothies out of fruits, cooking vegetables in different ways and preparing fruit salads are some great ways parents have used successfully.

But there are some other great ideas too. When parents make greens fun and interesting, kids will naturally develop a liking for them. Try some of these approaches:

• Make up stories about fruits and vegetables. Give them names and make them characters in a funny story.
• Bring children to the farmer's market and show them all the produce there. Tell the children the names of each fruit and vegetable and how each can make kids strong and healthy.
• Plant some produce in your backyard. Tomatoes, beans and carrots are easy to plant. Get the kids to help with watering them. They will love eating their own homegrown produce!

Check out articles on boosting fruits and vegetables intake in children and how to choose, store and prepare fresh produce for more tips and ideas.