Getting your children to eat their 5-a-day can be tricky so here a few free tips. Don’t forget that frozen, fresh, canned, juiced and dried all count and that one portion is roughly a handful.

• Prepare a bowl of sliced fruit for your child to nibble on
• Chopping vegetables into sticks can be tempting, especially with a dip
• Have you tried fruit kebabs?
• Offer fruit juice at breakfast (unsweetened)
• If you’re making a tuna sandwich, try adding in some sweetcorn
• Making soup or a sauce? Try adding in some chopped up vegetables

Breakfast

You’ve all heard the saying but it’s true! The most important meal of the day is breakfast. A healthy breakfast sets your child up the day and getting their energy levels balanced in the morning will make them more alert.

• Porridge with semi-skimmed milk is a great idea for breakfast. Porridge is packed with vitamins and minerals and boosts your child’s nutrient intake
• Chop up fruit and add it to their cereal
• Adam loves his ‘dippy egg’ on a morning. We also mix it up and scrambled and poached eggs too

Drinks

Adam always drinks semi-skimmed milk or water. This not only keeps his teeth healthy but keeps him hydrated.

Snacks

All kids like a treat but try and save them for now and then. It’s amazing how quickly and quietly Adam will get ready if there’s a chocolate button at the end of it! We save these things as occasional treats and kids shouldn’t be just eating things like this all the time. Try and aim to give your child at least one fruit snack and one healthy snack a day.

• Low fat yoghurt
• Bread sticks
• Popcorn (plain not salted)
• Small pots of prepared fruit
• Vegetable soup with a slice of wholemeal toast
• Adam also likes his jam, make sure it’s low in sugar and try spreading it over wholemeal toast
• Buns and teacakes are also a good one to try

Thanks for reading and good luck!