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In general, children fail to meet recommendations for the amount of both fruits and vegetables they should eat daily¹. 

The recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables depends on a child’s age, gender and level of physical activity.  Recommendations range from 1 to 1.5 cups for fruit and 1 to 1.5 cups for vegetables².

The recommendation is to have 5 portions of fruits and/or vegetables per day (ex: 3 fruits, 2 vegetables or 4 vegetables and 1 fruit). 1 portion corresponds to 1 tomato, a bowl of soup, an apple, 2 apricots, 4 to 5 strawberries, a handful of green beans, etc.

Rich in vitamins, minerals and fibers, their role is to facilitate the intestinal transit, also those rich in Vit C are good for the cells, those rich in Vit A are good for vision, the ones rich in Vit B are against fatigue. They are all good for hydration. An important role is to protect against diseases that may appear at an adult age like cancers, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, among others. ³

We all agree that eating fruits and vegetables is important. But how do you get kids to eat more of these foods?⁴

1. Offer fruits and vegetables as snacks during the day.
2. Serve a salad more often.
3. Keep fresh and cut fruit in the refrigerator to make it easy for the child to get it.
4. Include at least one leafy green or yellow vegetable for vitamin A such as spinach, broccoli, winter squash, greens, or carrots each day.
5. Include at least one vitamin C–rich fruit or vegetable, such as oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, melon, tomato, and broccoli each day.
6. Be a role model—eat more fruits and vegetables yourself. ⁴

Dr. Riad Moubarak

Pediatrician

¹ Children eating more fruit, but fruit and vegetable intake still too low, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0805-fruits-vegetables.html Page last reviewed: August 5, 2014

² https://www.choosemyplate.gov/eathealthy/fruits, https://www.choosemyplate.gov/eathealthy/vegetables

³ Manger bouger, programme national nutrition santé, www.mangerbouger.fr, Guide nutrition des enfants et ados pour tous les parents. Réf. 250-91311-DE, Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des aliments – publiés en 2004

⁴ https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/How-to-Get-Your-Child-to-Eat-More-Fruits-and-Veggies.aspx, Last Updated: 8/27/2020, Source: Adapted from Pediatric Obesity: Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment Strategies for Primary Care (Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Pediatrics)