In the past few years, several organizations from the American Heart Association to the National Institutes of Health have put the focus on promoting more fruits and vegetables in our diets. With the growing increase of obesity, type 2 diabetes in youth, high blood pressure and increased cholesterol levels in children and adolescents, the role of fruits and vegetables in our meals is important to highlight for everyone.

It is estimated 75 to 90 percent of cardiovascular disease is directly related to dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of fat in the blood), hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, tobacco use, the lack of physical activity on a regular basis, obesity and poor nutrition.

Partners in Pediatrics supports the 5-2-1-0 program which empathizes 5 servings of fruits and vegetables or more per day as a goal for all children and adolescents.

Why do fruits and vegetables matter? Fruits and vegetables are one of our main sources of water, fiber and many nutrients. Nutrients like potassium (a mineral which helps to regulate our blood pressure), or vitamin A and C which help our eyes, skin, teeth, gums, and also prevent infections and help heal our wounds.

Fruits and vegetables are calorically less dense then breads, meats and sweets. So we should be consuming at least one serving per meal and with snacks. They help to “fill us up” and subsequently eat less avoiding excess weight gain. Fruits, vegetables and fish are often inadequately consumed by children and adolescents. Unfortunately fried potatoes make up the most consumed vegetable in the United States.

Monkey see, monkey do. Parents and care givers need to show children by “do as I do” rather than “do as I say.” This attitude can help increase the variety of fruits and vegetables in meals everyday. Behavior change is most effective when children learn good habits from you at home.

Allow children to pick out vegetables at the store, choose what to add to meals and decide how to prepare them. Americans are making changes in the fruit area. According to a research firm, the NPD group, fruit is now the number one snack item given to children under the age of six replacing cookies.

What is a serving of fruits and vegetables?

How many fruits and vegetables should you be eating?

How many fruits and vegetables should you be eating? Try for a variety of vegetables in all sorts of colors and a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

What to do with picky eaters? Experts say it might take 6 to 12 times for a child to start to like a new vegetable or fruit, so keep on trying. Vary the way you serve or cook the vegetables like fresh small peas rather then cooked or try 100 percent-fruit Popsicle bars instead of regular fruit. Root vegetables like carrots and baked sweet potatoes are sweeter then say green beans or potatoes.

Baby vegetables tend to be less tough to chew or gently cook to soften them. Add a little bit of olive oil, soft-tub margarine or butter to vegetables with salt-free herbs to enhance the flavor and help the absorption of fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A in steamed vegetables. We have lots of ways to help you get your children to eat more vegetables. These suggestions along with some interesting websites (below) help you explore new fruits and vegetable ideas.

Ways to increase fruits and vegetables in your meals and snacks:

• Give vegetables catchy new names such as X-ray Vision Carrots and Tomato Bursts (for grape tomatoes). According to Brian Wansink, Director of the Cornell Food and Brand labs, children will continue to eat about 50% more vegetables when given cool names and are fun to eat. Other names could be Power Peas or Dinosaur Broccoli Trees.
• Decrease the portions of starch foods and increase portions of fruits, vegetables and salad.
• Reduce the amount of meat or cheese on a sandwich by one-half and replace with veggies.
• Think of protein foods as ‘flavorings’ for fruits and vegetables.
• Add ½ sliced banana or 1 small apple or a peanut butter sandwich and reduce the peanut butter amount by half.
• When making chicken or tuna salad, add an equal amount of chopped fruit and/or veggies such as grated carrots, celery bits, cucumber, apple, grapes, pineapple, mandarin oranges or dried cranberries.
• Replace half the pasta portion in your meal plan with vegetables topped with spaghetti or tomato sauce.
• Cut the pasta amount in soups and add more veggies.
• Add fruit to your waffles or pancakes; top with applesauce or low fat vanilla yogurt.
• Decrease cereal portion and add fruit.
• Make your chili with half the meat replaced with beans and chopped veggies.
• Eat vegetarian thin crust pizza rather then meat based ones.
• Make fruits and veggies the “center of the plate” or half of the plate should be vegetables/fruit, one-quarter starch, one quarter protein.
• Try cut up red, yellow, orange, and green pepper slices with cucumbers, carrot sticks with low-fat ranch dressing or hummus.
• Fruit sandwiches are slices of apples or pears with a filling of low fat cheese or nut butters.
• Small 1/2 to 3/4 cup servings of smoothies made fruit, low fat ice yogurt or milk and ice.
• Snack size bagels split-toasted with low fat.
• Cream cheese spread with cup up vegetables for faces

Web sites to explore with your family for other helpful fruit and vegetables ideas:

DASH Diet-Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension

Produce for Better Health Foundation

Love Your Veggies™

School Nutrition Association

Agriculture Council of America

U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Pyramid

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables! -The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia-CHOP

Food and Brand Lab-Cornell University - The Mindless Eater - interesting research and tips on helping children and adolescents eat more fruits and veggies