Family fitness makeover

Five-a-day the kid-friendly way!
We all know that eating more fruit and veg is supposed to help stave off some of the deadliest diseases, so it makes sense that they should figure large in the family's daily intake. Here are some truly appetising ideas that you'll all enjoy:

• Eat up all the fruit and nuts left over from Christmas. Dates, figs, unsalted nuts, satsumas, roasted chestnuts and cranberries are all delicious as well as being packed with nutrients. If the kids still have Christmas sweets to get through, give them a few at a time in a bowl with satsuma segments and apple slices so they get the best of both worlds.


• Make some non-alcoholic fruit punch: try orange and cranberry juice with fizzy water; banana and kiwi liquidised with apple juice; or grape and prune juice (go easy on the prune!) with sugar-free lemonade. Add crushed ice and a slice or two of fruit to garnish.


• Whizz up a smoothie in the food processor or liquidiser for breakfast: you can pour it over muesli instead of milk or just drink it straight. Try these ideas: add berries (you can use frozen soft fruits if you can't get fresh) to runny natural yoghurt and sweeten with half a teaspoon of honey; blend fresh banana with peach yoghurt and a splash of semi-skimmed milk; try banana slices and strawberries with a cupful of pineapple juice and a tablespoon of single cream. Garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon or powdered sweetener.


• Roasted veg makes a perfect accompaniment to pasta - and it's great for you, too! Cut red onions, assorted peppers, courgettes and cherry tomatoes into 2-3cm chunks, arrange on a baking tray, and then sprinkle with crushed black pepper and a little olive oil. Roast in the middle of the oven on a medium heat for 30-40 minutes (or until the peppers have softened). Serve on a bed of pasta with a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar. It's so sweet and delicious that the kids won't even realise they're eating vegetables!


• Try some warm salads: steamed chicken with mushrooms; lean ribbons of steak and grilled tomatoes; chunks of grilled lamb fillet with mint and mustard dressing - all served on a bed of salad leaves. For the kids, replace the salad leaves with chunks of cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, beetroot (if they enjoy it), boiled new potatoes and sweetcorn.