Fruit and Vegetables

Fruit and vegetables are a good source of most vitamins and some minerals. They are also high in fibre, low in fat and contain antioxidants and plant chemicals called phytochemicals, all of which can help to prevent a range of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and some cancers. Fruit and starchy vegetables are also a good source of carbohydrate. Dried legumes (pulses) are also a good source of protein and low GI carbohydrate. A national dietary survey found Australian children do not eat enough fruit or vegetables, and for some children the only vegetables they ate were potato as chips and tomato as tomato sauce!

Eat a variety of fruit including:Eat a variety of fruit including:

Apples and pears.
Citrus fruits e.g. oranges, mandarins.
Tropical fruits e.g. pineapple, bananas, mangoes, pawpaw.
Melons e.g. watermelon, honeydew melon and rockmelon.

Berries e.g. strawberries, blueberries.
Grapes and kiwifruit.
Stone fruit e.g. peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums, cherries.

Introducing different types and colours of vegetables to your kids including:

Leafy green vegetables e.g. spinach, bok choi.
Orange vegetables e.g. carrots, pumpkin.
Cruciferous vegetables e.g. broccoli, cauliflower.

Starchy vegetables e.g. potato, corn, sweet potato.
Salad vegetables e.g. tomato, lettuce, cucumber, capsicum.
Legumes e.g. beans, peas and pulses (baked beans, chickpeas, lentils).

Kids need a minimum of 3 serves of fruit/vegetables a day. A serve is:

A small piece of fruit or half a large piece like banana, apple or pear
Half a cup of stewed or tinned fruit
Half a cup of cooked vegetable

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