Six year old POD has always been a good eater so we’ve been lucky in that respect. She loves broccoli, peas and carrots especially and there are an abundance of fruits she enjoys like bananas, apples, raspberries, strawberries and melon. Tomatoes and cucumber are also firm favourites too. POD has school lunches during the week with the rest of her meals at home. She gets the recommended daily allowance of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day most of the time. Of course the amount of food a child needs varies depending many factors like age, body size and physical activity. As a rough guide, one child portion should be measured as the amount of fruit or vegetables that can fit in the palm of their hand. But latest nutrition research suggests children should have double that. So how do we make sure our children are getting enough of the good stuff?
POD is pretty active in that she scoots to and from school every day plus she has swimming, gymnastics and Stagecoach performance arts too. She has masses of energy and just like everyone else, needs a good breakfast before we leave the house in the morning. Typically this is a cereal like Special K, Weetabix or Shreddies. She enjoys having raspberries, strawberries or sliced banana on her Special K or Weetabix although it’s not a daily thing.
We find the best thing to do to ensure she gets one of her 5 a day at breakfast is to have a 150ml glass of 100% pure orange juice. Despite rarely eating oranges (even if they’re cut into nice segments) she loves orange juice with all the bits. Having a #FruitJuiceBoost is a super easy way to kick off her day and it’s one of her 5 (or 10!) a day too. Unlike oranges, I have no trouble at all getting her to drink pure orange juice!
It’s so easy to get a 150ml glass of pure orange juice into POD, it’s become part of her daily routine. On the rare occasions we run out of pure orange juice and POD can’t have it for breakfast, she’ll have some after school while we’re doing her homework or with a well balanced meal for dinner. We can always pick up a carton of 100% pure orange juice from the local shop or the supermarket so she never goes a day without her serving.
The benefits of drinking one 150ml serving of 100% pure orange juice as part of a healthy, balanced diet are huge. It provides 100% of her RDA of vitamin C, which is great for boosting her immune system, with nutrients like potassium and folates helping with cell and muscle tissue repair. Consuming fruit juice also helps with absorbing iron-rich foods too like some fortified cereals, beans, pulses, spinach and kale. To find out more, head over to the FAQ’s section of the Fruit Juice Association website.
What’s been brilliant about POD drinking a 150ml glass of 100% pure juice every day is that we drink more too. And we feel much better for it as well. So here’s to having a #FruitJuiceBoost every day. If you’re not doing it, why not give it a try?
Disclaimer: I’m working in a paid relationship with the British Fruit Juice Association on their #FruitJuiceBoost campaign. Discover the benefits of 100% fruit juice in your children’s diet.
Funny, isn’t it? Mine are the same, they will drink & enjoy OJ but won’t eat an orange. I think it’s the pith that puts them off. Mich c
That’s so true Mich! I love that this is so easy, we’re having orange juice for breakfast every day now. I have to say I feel much better for it too!
That breakfast looks lovely & fresh! My kids rarely eat an orange, but that’s because they’re too lazy to peel it!
That’s a very good point, they can be a pain to peel can’t they! She doesn’t have fruit with her breakfast every day, much as she’d like to!
Sunshine in a glass! What a great way to start your day x
Oh gosh it really is Hayley, we’re loving a glass of orange at breakfast time too!
we cant get Joshua to eat oranges as he hates the flesh of it so he is loving being able to drink the juice or eating it in ice lollies (freezing them has him totally hooked)
btw POD looks so grown up! where is time going
It’s so easy giving them juice isn’t it, lovely idea with the lollies too. We’ll have to try that!
Tell me about it, she’s growing SO fast!!!
I have to admit we dont ever buy oranges either and personally i cant stand eating oranges but we all love fresh orange juice! lol Definitely going to freeze some in the summer for lollies too like Jaime said!
They’re such a faff oranges aren’t they, that’s why this is so great and super simple. We’re literally having a serving of pure orange juice every morning now. The lollies is a great idea especially when it warms up a little!
Aww she looks likes she’s enjoying her food and drink so much! We are huge fruit juice fans too.
She’s always been a pretty good eater, most of the time anyway. It’s great that she has fruit and vegetables that she likes although getting a serving of juice inside her before breakfast could not be easier!
Ava prefers Apple juice but she would always pick juice over actual fruit x
Oh bless her Aby! POD loves fruit but getting it in her before school is another matter. The orange juice works so well with her breakfast though 🙂
You just can’t beat orange juice with brekkie can you? And loving the tech info! Pod is clearly enjoying her fruit!
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