5 A Day Winter Factsheet

“With the Christmas and New Year festivities now behind us, life for most will be back to normal, which for busy mums can mean the return of hectic school runs and last minute dashes to the supermarket. Amongst all the chaos of everyday life, healthy eating may not be high up on the list of priorities, especially during winter when the most tempting foods can often be the most indulgent.

As a busy mum myself, I know that it can be difficult at times to encourage my young kids to eat more fruit and veg, especially during January when there are still so many Christmas treats to be eaten up. But with a lot of tasty seasonal fruit and veg on offer at this time of year, it can also be a good time to encourage children to eat their 5 A DAY. Not only will this help to balance their everyday diet, it may also help to fill them up so that they’re less likely to feast on less healthy snacks.

This winter, I would like to share some of my favourite Top Tips for eating more fruit and veg together with helpful tips from other mums, and dads too. By trying some of the tips during the winter, you really could make the difference to helping your kids on their way to eating their 5 A DAY.

Good luck and wishing you a prosperous 2008,”




5 A DAY –Top Tips for Eating More Fruit and Veg This Winter

• “To make sure your kids eat plenty of fruit during winter, try making some colourful fruit kebabs. Chop up pieces of tasty fruit, such as melon, pineapple and grapes, place them on wooden kebab sticks, and sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon. To save you time, ask your kids to give you a hand.”
  Sarah Young, 29 from Leeds
• “Brussel sprouts are not only for Christmas and are really nutritious, but not many children like them when they’re boiled. I encourage my kids to eat them by chopping them up and shallow frying them in butter with a pinch of garlic, and maybe a little onion. Now my son loves them!”
  Sarah Walker, 25 from Orpington
• “To make sure your kids eat their veg, try mixing it into a tasty mashed potato or bubble and squeak. My kids love it, and makes sure they carry on getting their 5 A DAY throughout winter.”
  Joanne Bell, 33 from Yorkshire
• “For a tasty, winter breakfast, try adding a handful of brightly coloured berries to your kid’s cereal, such as blackberries or blueberries. You can buy berries frozen and they can easily be defrosted to count towards your 5 A DAY.”
  Sarah Young, 29 from Leeds
• “For a tasty desert or breakfast, mix chopped fruit, fresh or tinned and add to a helping of natural flavoured yoghurt.”
  Joe Monks, 31 from Wandsworth
• “Prunes wrapped in bacon and cooked in the oven are a delicious winter treat. Use prunes with stones already removed, wrap strips of bacon around them and pop in the oven until bacon is fully cooked. They’re sweet, really tasty and nutritious, and my kids don’t even notice they’re prunes.’’
  Patsy Palmer
• “For a sweet winter treat, I melt a small amount of chocolate and place it in a bowl in the middle of the kitchen table. Then, I serve my kids with bite-sized pieces of fruit such as orange, pineapple, banana or strawberries, and let them dip it into the chocolate – delicious and nutritious.”
  Donna Heaton, 31 from Rotherham
• “Sprinkle coconut on top of tinned peaches or pears for dessert. It looks like snow – very wintery.”
  Alison Petch, 44 from Newcastle
• “Leave small pots of mixed dried fruit around the house as kids love picking, and they look nice too.”
  Patsy Palmer
• “I like making a winter compote by stewing my kids’ favourite berries together with plums, apples and a small sprinkle of cinnamon. This is a delicious, warming dessert when served with a dollop of natural or fruit yoghurt. If you don’t have the fresh ingredients, then try using tinned or frozen fruit, which is just as good.”
  Gemma Sawyer, 27 from Guilford
• “Try blending some frozen fruit together to make a delicious breakfast fruit smoothie for all the family – a great, healthy way to start the New Year.”
  Donna Heaton, 31 from Rotherham
• “This time of year is great for making home made soup packed full of lots of nutritious veggies. It can be a quick and easy lunch option, and a great way to warm the kids up in the cold weather.”
  Michelle Stewart, 36 from Doncaster

More Top Tips for Eating More Fruit and Veg

• Buying fruit and veg in season can help you save on expense during winter, but remember that canned, frozen and dried also count towards your 5 A DAY.
• Busy mums deserve a warming treat. So try making a warm mulled juice using a cocktail of cranberry, orange and fruits of the forest juices. Just warm up the juices in a pan and serve with a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg… delicious!
• Baked apples are tasty, and very warming at this time of year. Cut out the centre of the apples and stuff them with raisins, and then sprinkle cinnamon over the top and pop in the oven at 375F or 190C or gas mark 5 and bake for 30-40 minutes.
• Put a bag of dried cranberries in your bag so when you’re out shopping you can keep your energy levels up.
• If you fancy a lighter dessert, try serving a big fruit salad and make it extra special by adding some winter fruits such as cranberries and figs.

What’s in Season? To help keep winter food costs down and make sure you’re eating fruit and veg at its peak, try sticking to produce that’s in season. Alternatively, tinned, frozen, dried, 100% juice and smoothies all count towards your 5 A DAY.

Winter Fruit Ideas:
Apples, bananas, cranberries, mandarins, pears, satsumas

Winter Vegetables Ideas:
Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, leeks, mushrooms, onions, spring unions, parsnips, swede, turnip

Did you know?

• Potatoes and other related vegetables such as yams and cassava do not count towards 5 A DAY. This is because they are classified as starchy foods
• What counts: a variety of 5 portions of fruit and veg a day – roughly 80grams per portion for adults and smaller children under five should also eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day, but the sizes may be smaller
• Fruit and vegetables have personalities. According to research carried out by Robert Sommer at the University of California, Davis, in 1988, lemons are seen as dislikable, onions are stupid, and mushrooms are social climbers
• Fruit and vegetables don't have to be eaten on their own to count as your 5 A DAY. You can also include any vegetables found in soups, stews, sandwiches and other dishes
• Purple sprouting broccoli was cultivated by the Romans and has been grown in Britain since the early 18th Century
• Rhubarb is in fact a vegetable rather than a fruit
• If you boil your vegetables, you could use the cooking water to make healthier gravy and you won't lose the vitamins from the veg
• A banana plant is really a giant herb
• Check out the 5 A DAY wallchart! To help you encourage your family to eat more fruit and veg in the New Year, visit the 5 A DAY website, type wallchart in the search box and print off to use nhs.uk

NOTE: The health section of Parenting.co.uk is not to be used as a substitute for your GP; if your child is ill then seek the advice of a qualified doctor or other health professional without delay.

Sections
Home News Directory Sports and Activities Health Education Help Centre Days Out Holidays Discuss Shopping What's on Mum's The Word Directory by County Your Area

Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions Contact Details