By Jessica Kurosaki, Le Purée In-House Dietitian
We all want our little ones to grow up strong, healthy and happy - and fruits and veggies are a huge part of that story. But are Aussie kids getting enough? The reality is that most kids are missing out.
According to research from CSIRO and the Royal Children’s Hospital, only around 1 in 20 children eat enough vegetables each day. Most do better with fruit, but veggies are where we fall short.. especially as children move into school age.
That’s a big deal, because early eating habits set the stage for lifelong health. Kids who eat a variety of fruits and veggies from a young age are more likely to keep those habits as adults.
How much should they be eating?
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend:
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Ages 2–3: about 2½ serves of vegetables and 1 serve of fruit per day.
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Ages 4–8: about 4½ serves of vegetables and 1½ serves of fruit per day.
(One serve = roughly ½ cup cooked veggies or 1 medium piece of fruit.)
That may sound like a lot, but it adds up over the day. A few bites at breakfast, some veggie sticks at lunch, and a colourful dinner plate all count!
PICTURED: Le Purée Sweet Potato Rosits
What Le Puree has created to help
PICTURED: Le Purée 100% Wholefood Smoothies
We have been working away in the background testing and tasting a new range of smoothies- and partially this was for flavour (and YUM). But it’s also to ensure a huge variety of fruits and veggies which don’t appear regularly enough in our Aussie kids’ diets (hello guava, lychee, cherries and figs!!)
Our smoothies each contain around 1 serve of fruit per serve, plus added veggies to get closer to their daily requirements. This is all in an effort to make it that much easier to help your child hit their daily target. It’s a simple, delicious way to sneak in nutrients, and a big win for busy parents.
Think of our smoothies as a helping hand: they don’t replace fresh produce, but they do bridge the gap on those days when dinner ends up being more about negotiation than nutrition.
The takeaway- most Aussie kids aren’t eating enough fruits and veggies- but small changes make a big difference. Offer variety, make veggies part of every meal, and let kids see you enjoying them too!
And when you need a little backup? Le Puree smoothies count as their daily requirements of fruit (2-3 yr olds) - a wholesome, ready-to-blend way to help your child get the goodness they need, every single day.
