Parents

As a parent you can assist by utilising some of the tools provided on this website and supporting the healthy eating message at home.

How can you do this?

Get your children involved with cooking. Food preparation is the easiest way to get your children interested in cooking. Cutting vegetables might seem a little scary at first but with the latest technology kids can now safely cut all types of vegetables. Check out the Kiddie Food Kutter. If this is a bit much for you, peeling carrots and potatoes is also a good help, along with rinsing and selecting green beans and mushrooms.

When you are at your local greengrocer you can ask your kids how they might choose different fruits and vegetables.

AVOCADO: How do you know if it is ripe?

Answer: just press gently around the stem at the top of the avocado, if this gives slightly it is ready to eat. Squeezing the body of the avocado will just bruise the delicious flesh inside.

BANANAS: How do you choose your bananas?

Answer: ripe bananas will show some brown markings, this is completely normal and if you want rich creamy bananas you will need to look out for these markings. If you want to hold your bananas for a few days, buy slightly green and leave on the bench to ripen.

MANGO AND PINEAPPLE: How do you select the best fruit when you can’t see inside it?

Answer: the easiest and quickest way to select a ripe mango or pineapple is by the smell. Hold the stem end under your child’s nose and ask them to compare a few, the strongest sweet and fruity smell should definitely end up in your shopping bag. Mango also shows a slight pink blush on their skin which helps as well as the same ‘stem pushing’ technique as the avocado above.

Visit safe websites which will ensure your child is having a fun and educational experience. Check out our preferred websites below which can help educate your child in a safe and interactive manner.