This summer, don’t let the kids skip Ontario fruit

June 23, 2009, Mississauga, ON – With childhood obesity on the rise and exercise on the decline, imparting healthy eating habits on children is an essential life skill that rests with parents. But, getting a child to eat fresh fruit can sometimes take some convincing, coaxing and maybe even negotiating, which can pose a challenge for parents.

"Teaching children to be open minded about food is not always easy, but if they refuse to eat fruit you may just need to employ a bit of persistence and repetition," says Sandra Saville, registered dietitian. "It can sometimes take up to eight to 10 attempts at serving fruit before a child will eat it so don’t give up."

The early stages of life are the most impressionable and present the best time for parents to teach and practice responsible and healthy eating as well as active living so that these life skills continue into adulthood. Introducing children to fresh fruit early on in life will increase the possibility of them enjoying and craving fresh fruit throughout their lives, according to Saville. Some of her other tips for increasing a child’s acceptance of fresh fruit include:

Leading by example – Kids who observe their parents eating fruits often are more prone to mimic their eating habits.
Grooming the little grocery shopper – Let children choose fruit when in the grocery store or farmers’ market. This will empower them and their taste buds.
A little hands-on approach – Have kids help wash the fruit, arrange a fruit platter and deliver the food to the table. These are lifelong skills that are worth the investment.
Letting them decide – Give children the choice of a peach or a plum, grapes or a pear. This way they won’t feel pressured into eating what mom or dad want them to eat, but rather what they’ve chosen for themselves.

"You want to teach your children about food by teaching them how to prepare it – this approach will get them enjoying food and the experience that comes with sharing food," says Saville. "Studies have shown that when family members get involved with dinner preparation it strengthens the family bond and a child’s likelihood of trying new foods."

If getting your child to consume fresh fruit out of hand is a challenge, Saville suggests adding it to recipes and meals.

"Adding pears to a pizza or peaches to a muffin makes it easy to increase a child’s intake of fresh fruit," says Saville. "Take a recipe that you know your child enjoys, like smoothies or cereal, and add fresh fruit to it. Your child may not even notice it’s there, but they’ll definitely notice the delicious flavour and sweetness that the fresh fruit adds."

Some of Saville’s other serving tips include:

slicing the fruit before serving it or going the extra step and creating a fruit kabob
freezing fresh fruits in the summer months and serving them cold on a hot day
treating kids to a bowl of ice cream, or slice of pie, topped with fresh fruit slices

According to Saville, including fruits into meals counts towards the daily fruit serving requirement. Offering fresh fruit as a snack or as part of a meal will ensure that your child is receiving the required daily intake of nutrients that will assist in maintaining a healthy weight and immune system.
“Kids aged two to three require four servings of fruits and vegetables per day, and teen males and females aged 14 to 18 require eight and seven servings respectively of fruits and vegetables per day,” says Saville. “By adding fresh Ontario tender fruit to recipes and meals you’ll easily be able to achieve this daily requirement.”

Having Ontario fruit available all summer long gives parents the added assurance that the fruit they are buying is extremely fresh and nutrient dense. This summer, parents can identify Ontario tender fruit by looking for grocery store bins wrapped in yellow banners and adorned with the slogan, “Grapes, peaches, pears and plums – Harvest’s here! Please bring us some.”

“Ontario grapes, peaches, pears and plums travel a very short distance from farm to market which means that essential nutrients and water soluble vitamins like vitamin C are maintained and not depleted as they sometimes are when fruit travels a long distance or ripens on a truck,” says Saville. “Magnesium, beta carotene, iron and vitamin C are contributing factors in the development and maintenance of tooth and bone formation, night vision and healthy skin. When parents combine healthy eating with an active lifestyle for their children, they are setting the stage for a lifetime of positive choices.”

To inspire adults and kids to cook with fruit at any meal, the Ontario tender fruit producers sought the expertise of a chef to develop family-friendly savoury salads, marinades and desserts. Each recipe captures the fresh taste of Ontario’s harvest.

The Peach Breakfast Crostini, Peach Ricotta Pancakes and Peach Streusel Muffins make delicious breakfast items for families who enjoy kick-starting the day with a healthy meal. The Peach Caesar Salad and Savoury Plum Salad pair well with grilled meats or can act as a light lunch option. And the Pear and Prosciutto Pizza is grilled on the BBQ, keeping the kitchen cool and perfect for an outdoor dinner experience while the weather is warm.

Ontario Tender Fruit Facts

2 million tender fruit trees cover 11,000 acres of Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula
From the time it is picked, it takes only 48 hours for fresh Ontario tender fruit to arrive to market
The first baskets of Ontario semi-freestone peaches are available from July 20th to mid-August
Freestone peaches soon follow from August 12th to September 30th
Ontario plums, depending on the variety, are available from July 15th to mid-September
Coronation table grapes from August 18th to September 15th
Pears, depending on variety, from August 15th to December 31st

About the Ontario Tender Fruit Producers
The Ontario Tender Fruit Producers’ Marketing Board operates under the Farm Products Marketing Act and represents all producers of tender fruit who market to either the fresh or processing market. The Board has more than 360 grower-members. Over 90 per cent of all tender fruit crop production is generated from the Niagara Peninsula. The remainder is located in Norfolk County and in southwestern Ontario.

-30-

For more information please contact:
Katarina Markovinovic or Sonya Franceschini
Faye Clack Communications Inc.
Tel: 905.206.0577 ext. 222 / ext. 249
Email: kmarkovinovic@fayeclack.com / sfranceschini@fayeclack.com