Twenty four month old refuses to eat any kind of fruit

by Sue Gilbert

My twenty-four-month-old daughter refuses to eat any kind of fruit. Do you have any suggestions for snacks that toddlers might like which include fruit? I am afraid she is getting most of her vitamin C from juice and I know she really shouldn't drink more than 226.8 grams (eight ounces) a day.

answer

Dear Kelly,

It's not too often that I hear of children not liking fruit. Besides vitamin C, there are lots of other important vitamins, minerals and fibre in fruit that are important for her diet. However, fruit and vegetables are in the same food group because they provide the same nutrients. You didn't say that she isn't eating vegetables so it may very well be that she is getting vitamin C and other nutrients she needs, only she is getting them from vegetables.

Some vegetables that are high in vitamin C are broccoli, spinach, green peppers, sweet red peppers and tomatoes. Is she eating any of these? If so, then cut back her juice to 113.4 grams (four ounces) daily and depend on the vegetables for the rest. Sweet red peppers are one of the best vegetable sources of Vitamin C — plus most children love their flavour. You can encourage her to eat it by providing something to dip it in. Try a combination of yoghurt and peanut butter or some guacamole.

To try and increase her fruit consumption, I suggest you continue to offer it to her, without forcing it on her. Try different and fun ways to serve it. This may require a little more work on your part to begin with, but if it gets her eating the fruit then eventually she will eat it simply because she likes it.

For example, try making a face out of the fruit on a plate, with a banana strip for a smile, some grape eyes, a strawberry nose and so on. You can even get her involved in making them, and then of course she can eat away the face. You can make a boat out of a melon wedge and put strawberry ‘people’ in it.

You can try making a milkshake or yoghurt shake using fresh fruit. For example, blend some milk, some frozen vanilla yoghurt, fresh peach slices, a little orange juice and some ripe banana in a blender. You can add fresh fruit to pancakes and muffins.

Good luck, and remember — you can enjoy the leftovers if there are any.

Thanks for writing.

ivillage uk

Twenty four month old refuses to eat any kind of fruit