Getting children to eat their five fruit and veg a day can be an arduous, bordering on the impossible, task. When all the kids want to consume are crisps, biscuits and chocolate, finding new and unique ideas to get the kids eating healthily is somewhat challenging.
That was the problem facing one particular family in the latest episode of BBC's Eat Well For Less. Situated in the Suffolk countryside, viewers were introduced to Katy, who is grandmother to Ruby, 10, and Toby, eight.
It has just been the trio since Katy’s daughter sadly died three and a half years ago and the grandma’s entire life changed forever. Her focus is now on making sure the two children have happy and healthy lives. Largely, the family home was a harmonious place - that is until mealtime arrives.
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The pair have very different tastes; Ruby eats most things but doesn’t like fruit while Toby does like fruit but hates vegetables. This makes life incredibly difficult for Katy to ensure that both of them are eating enough fruit and veg.
Things started promisingly as fruit-hating Ruby was soon seen tucking into a pomegranate, although Toby was more reluctant with his vegetable-filled chicken stir fry. By the middle of the week, however, presenters Chris Bavin and Jordan Banjo had found an ingenious solution which was well received by all three.
The contents of the snack drawer in the kitchen, which once housed everything from crisps to mini swiss rolls, were replaced with some tall jars, each with a separate item and label. These included dried apples, almonds, granola and pistachios.
Also included were some pink bags and scoops for the jars - akin to what you would expect to see at the cinema. The voiceover stated that “Chris and Jordan swapped their usual sugary treats for a pick ‘n’ mix selection of dried fruit and nuts.”
This made picking their healthy alternatives far more enjoyable, with the general pick ‘n’ mix concept a popular one among youngsters. The trio were then filmed tucking into their selections on a garden bench, with the idea going down a storm.
With dried fruit counting towards their five-a-day and nuts providing a good source of protein, this will help improve any child’s eating habits. Ruby stated how she thought “all of it tasted really nice” and Toby agreed, “I think it’s nice so far.”
Katy concluded: “Just seeing the children sat there with their pick ‘n’ mix and both really tucking in, I can see they’re both really enjoying it. I’m so happy, I think it’s been a huge success.”
At the end of the programme, viewers were updated on how the family were getting on three months later, and it was revealed that the pick ‘n’ mix is still proving popular - with new snacks now added to the roster.
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