Fruits and veggies:A tough sell to kids By Kate Lawson/Detroit News Food Writer
Filling up on these nutrition powerhouses is a major tool in preventing childhood obesity

One of the reasons today's children are battling obesity is that they aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables.

"Today, about 96 percent of kids age 2 to 12 fall short of the recommended 2-5 cups per day of fruits and vegetables; that means most kids need to more than double their current intake," says Elizabeth Pivonka, a registered dietitian and president and CEO of Produce for Better Health Foundation, the nonprofit entity behind the Fruits & Veggies -- More Matters health initiative.

She knows getting kids to eat fruits and vegetables can be challenging, but it is one way to keep obesity at bay.

Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin C, while fruits contribute potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C and folate (folic acid). And most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories and are cholesterol-free. Snacking on fruits that are low in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake, which is a major factor in helping to prevent obesity.

Other components of a healthy diet include whole grains, calcium-rich foods and lean protein such as chicken and beans. But it is the fruits and vegetables that get neglected most often in children's diets, and convincing them to eat them can sometimes feel like a monumental task.

"The last thing parents want at the end of the day is a fight over the dinner table, so at the Fruits & Veggies-More Matters Web site ( www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org), we have loads of tips to help," says Pivonka.

"With childhood obesity at an all-time high, it's important to promote and reinforce healthy lifestyle habits with children at an early age," says Stacy Goldberg, a registered nurse who specializes in nutrition at Beaumont Medical Center, West Bloomfield Township. "Each person is different in determining the right amount of grains, fruits and vegetables required."

"You can go to www.mypyramid.gov and put in your height and weight and the Web site will determine the amount of each food group you need daily," she says. "This is a great way for children to take responsibility for their own health."

There's also a Web site just for children, www.foodchamps.org., which educates kids while they play games, fill in coloring pages and explore other interactive activities.

Pivonka cautions parents to not send mixed signals.

"Don't be the mom who insists that her kids eat breakfast and then skips the meal, or the dad who tells his kids to eat all their vegetables and then won't eat them himself," she says.

Creating a healthy diet for children
Detroit News
Planning a day's diet depends on various factors like gender, weight of a child and his/her physical activities. To figure how much fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and calcium your child needs, visit mypyramid.gov.

For instance, for a 12-year-old girl of medium size and weight, total calories for the day are about 1,800. That includes:

• 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables or 2 cups raw leafy greens

• ½ cup grains, which is about 1 cup cereal or ½ cup of rice and pasta

• 1 cup fresh fruit or 100-percent juice or ½ cup dried fruit

• 1 cup milk or yogurt or ½ cup cheese

• 1 ounce meat, poultry or fish or ¼ cup cooked beans, 1 egg or 1 tablespoon peanut butter

Good meals
Here's an example of a healthy daily menu for your child based on the recommendations from mypyramid.gov.

Breakfast: 1 cup of yogurt topped with ½ cup granola and 1 cup fresh berries. Or combine the fresh berries or juice and yogurt in a smoothie. Or scramble an egg and serve with 1 slice of whole-wheat toast.

Lunch: Turkey meatball sub on whole-grain roll or a pita pocket sandwich filled with turkey (or lean ham) and chopped vegetables and cheese. Add 1 cup of some baby spinach leaves or other raw leafy greens. Serve with glass of low-fat milk.

Snack: Cubed watermelon, whole-grain crackers with peanut butter (make your own), fresh strawberries or orange or apple slices. An oatmeal cookie is a great way to serve a grain.

Dinner: 1 ounce grilled chicken or lean meat or fish. Potatoes mashed with 2-percent milk or brown rice sprinkled with almonds, fresh steamed green beans, sauteed spinach or broccoli. Milk. For dessert, sauteed pineapple drizzled with honey and served over 1 small scoop of low-fat ice cream.