Courtney Hoikkala: The nightly battle with fruits and veggies

As I was sitting at the kitchen table the other night, I realized my not so picky eater has become a very picky eater. What was once an easy and peaceful meal in our house has turned into a nightly struggle. Vegetables are on the floor, fruits are spit out, our dog is patiently waiting for more food to drop, and the only consistency is the word "no" coming out of the mouth of our 1 year old. I am sure I am not alone as a parent in this daily battle at mealtime.

June is National Fruit and Vegetable month and it's no secret; most of us are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. The United States Department of Agriculture encourages everyone to fill half their plate with fruits and vegetables, but most of us are falling short. In America, it is estimated that three-fourths of people do not get enough fruits and vegetables in their day. Worse yet, 9 out of 10 children do not eat enough vegetables. That means kids should be getting 1 ½ cups of fruit and 1 ½-2 cups of vegetables and adults 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables a day and most are not.

We know that eating a healthy, well-balanced diet goes a long way for our health. Children who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables are more likely to maintain healthy weights, have good growth and development, and experience less health issues in life. With adults, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and can even help prevent some types of cancer. Even knowing this, often times we still hear "but, what if my child doesn't like fruits or vegetables?" or "I’ve never really been a big fruit or vegetable eater."

One trick is to always keep trying. In our house, it is a "no thank you" bite. It's amazing how many times I have heard someone in my house say, "but I don't like it" and my response is always, "how do you know unless you try?" There have been many times where the response after a try is, "that's not bad" or even a "huh," which I’ll take as a positive.

Your taste buds change as you grow and age. Children and adults need the opportunity to try foods and find what they like. Absence of processed sugars, and introducing vegetables before fruits when a child is an infant, helps the child develop the taste for vegetables. Try something that you thought you didn't like with your children or grandchildren. It gives them an opportunity to eat something without bias from you, and you may find you like it more than you thought.

Some other tricks that may be worth trying:

When all else fails, try and then try again. Most people need to be introduced to a new food 10 to 15 times before they will try it. So, don't give up, no matter how defeating it may feel. Eventually they will learn to like it and you might, too!

To help you find ways to prepare those fruits and vegetables you normally wouldn't try, NDSU Extension has produced "A Pocket Guide to Preparing Fruits and Vegetables" (FN1955) that is available in the Morton County office. We also have many recipes and information about fruits vegetables online at https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/fieldtofork

Call 701-667-3342 for help gaining access to virtual events or visit www.ag.ndsu.edu/mortoncountyextension for more information.

June 12: 4-H Council Meeting, New Salem

June 19: YQCA Training, Mandan

June 20: Growing Happier with Horticulture, Glen Ullin and Hebron

June 29: Landscaping for Pollinators, Menoken Farm

Courtney Hoikkala

Courtney Hoikkala is the Morton County Extension agent for family and community wellness agent. She can be reached at [email protected] or 701-667-3340.

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