Your Young Eater vVersus Fruits and Veggies

When I was a new parent, my child’s pediatrician counseled me that there are some things you cannot force your child to do. Eating is one of those things. I know that fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet, but getting my youngsters to eat the right things was a daily struggle.

Although my “babies” are in high school now, I found the advice of Palo Alto Medical Foundation pediatrician Swati Pandya, M.D., really helpful. In a recent health blog entitled “Fruits and Veggies Every Day, Keep the Doctor Away,” she answers parents’ questions about the importance of fruits and vegetables in children’s diets, how to encourage kids to eat more of these health boosters, and even detail how to meet the dietary needs of young vegetarians.

Questions she covers include:

• How many fruits and vegetables should my child eat?
• How can I get my child to eat more fruits and veggies?
• Is it possible for my child to be healthy as a vegetarian?
• What foods should I encourage my child to eat as part of a healthy vegetarian diet?

Dr. Pandya also serves up some good suggestions on how to successfully get more fruits and veggies in your child’s diet. 

One suggestion is one I have always believed in: be a positive role model. Your child is watching everything you do, so be sure to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables as part of your daily diet.