Top tips for getting your children to eat 5-a-day in lunches on the go

There is loads of variety when it comes to fruit and veg - so in hindsight, it should be easy for all to eat their 5-a-day, but in reality, this isn't so true.

For my kids, the boys, it's never been a problem, they eat loads of fruit and veg - Jacob's favourite thing to snack on is either cucumber or green peppers (I have to leave the seeds in the pepper - this is his favourite part), Lewis loves celery and Liam snacks on carrots. But when it comes to Summer, she is a little more fussier - she doesn't like veg, but she will eat fruit, so I try with a little encouragement to get her to eat more veg and we are getting there, as she now will eat carrots (sometimes).

A great way to encourage the kids to eat and try new things is to pop a little in their school lunch boxes. This is how I got Summer to finally eat carrots, it took a few months, but in the end it worked.

The youngest two have packed lunches for school, and when we go out on the weekend for our walks, we also pack a lunch - but did you know, 72% of us Brits think it’s harder to be healthy when having lunch on the go! And, for more than one in four (27%), lunch (including lunch boxes) is the least likely meal to include any of our five-a-day.

My Top tips for getting your children to eat 5-a-day in lunches on the go

Keep trying new fruit or veg in small quantities alongside foods they like – it can take time before they finally like it
Look out for drinks that have the 1 of your 5-a-day symbol
Cut the fruit or veg into small pieces and fun shapes
Make a sandwich which includes veg
Swap high salt, sugar and fat snacks with dried fruit, a fruit juice like Tropicana that gives you 1 out of your 5-a-day, or raisins
Encourage carrots, celery and cucumber as a snack, so when they have it in the lunches on the go, they don't turn their nose up at it.
Include a small amount of low-fat cream cheese so they can dip in a celery, carrot or cucumber in for extra taste.
I like to put each fruit and veg into separate pots and it more like a fun picnic then.

Below are reasons why you should eat your 5-a-day:

full of vitamins and minerals
help to maintain a healthy weight
a great source of fibre and antioxidants
they taste delicious

Another great way to make sure you get your 5-a-day is through juices like, Tropicana Little Bottles juice is perfect for on-the-go lunches. The compact 150ml serving size makes the range ideal for families on the move – whether it is adding one to lunch-boxes or simply popping one in your bag ready for the day ahead.

Available in two classic flavours, Pressed Apple and Smooth Orange, each 150ml serving offers one of your five a day**. Containing 100% pure squeezed fruit in each bottle, no added sugars, preservatives or artificial flavours, the new Little Bottles range gives you a fun way for you on the go lunch boxes - I know we'll be adding them to our weekend walk packed lunches and the kids school lunch boxes.