Getting Your Family To Eat More Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

How do you persuade your family to start eating more fresh fruit and vegetables?

It is an important question these days, with more and more people consuming prepared meals with few vegetables in them.

Changing habits may take a bit of time but just take it one step at a time.

We've outlined a few ways to easily incorporate more fruit and vegetables into your diet on a daily basis.

Just a few of these simple changes can make a significant impact on your family's health.

Here are 5 ways to get your family eating more fruit and veg:

1. Add fruit to breakfast cereals. Top with half a sliced banana, or berries or half a chopped apple.

2. Buy fruit juices, that aren't made from concentrate. Pour a glass for everyone in your family, every breakfast time.

3. Smoothies are delicious for breakfast, and all you need is a blender to whiz up low fat yogurt, juice, soft fruits and fruit juice.

4. Rethink the way you serve dinner. Don't have the plate half covered with meat, with an tiny spoonful of vegetables hiding behind it. Gradually reverse the ratio, so that the main part of the plate is filled with generous helpings of veggies. It's easier if you cook two or more varieties.

5. An apple for dessert is dull, but if you present it prettily it's more likely to be eaten. Slice the apple and fan it out, do the same with an orange and a pear, spend two minutes arranging them on a plate and before you know it, they've eaten it all - and that's two portions of fruit eaten, without fuss.

And there you have it. Any or all of these are easy to build into the daily routine once you get started. I promise. Just give it a try.

These tips come from Elizabeth Martyn. For more ideas on serving fresh fruit and vegetables, visit her site healthy eating made easy.com.

More Tip for Kids:

Can't get kids to eat their fruit and vegetables? Try hiding them!

Cut vegetables like zucchini, carrots, celery into very small pieces or grate them and add to things like spaghetti sauce. They won't even notice and they'll probably eat it right up. If it is still too chunky for your picky eater, simply whiz it up in your blender before you give it too them. They won't even know they are eating healthy.