Did you know that the saying we ‘eat with our eyes’ actually comes from scientific research? It has been shown that visual stimuli alter our perception of taste, meaning if something looks good we are more likely to enjoy the taste! So if you want to try and incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your family’s diet why not try and make it look beautiful and appealing?

A great way to do this is a fruit grazing board. Studies have show that kids prefer much more colour variety in their food compared to adults, so a board with lots of different fruits is ideal. Try laying up to six different fruits on a board, and get creative with fun shapes and patterns! Putting a fruit grazing board out after school or for playdates is a great way of letting little pick what they want and eat with their eyes!

Another visually appealing, snack or dessert could be a fruit fondue. Chop up some apple slices, banana, grapes or strawberries and have an assortment of dips such as yoghurt, nut butter or melted chocolate. You could even go the extra mile and make a fruit pizza with a rice cake base, yoghurt or nut butter sauce and fruity toppings! Making it fun will encourage kids to try different combinations and also help their sensory skills around food with sight, touch, smells and taste.

Who doesn’t love an ice cream on a sunny day? What if you could make a delicious treats healthy…When fresh fruit is in season, it’s the perfect opportunity to get out 5-7 servings of fruit and vegetables per day! A home made fruit sorbet is so delicious and refreshing, especially as the weather is getting (slightly) warmer! A really easy way to do this is to peel and chop some banana and pop it in the freezer overnight. Then just blend it with your choice of berries and serve as ice cream. Serve with a selection of toppings for kids to choose from like nuts, chocolate chips, berries or dried fruit. This can be great when you have some overripe bananas left over!

I also love making fruit kebabs which are ideal for kids and a summer bbq. Fruits like apples, pears, peaches, strawberries and pineapple all taste great fresh or grilled. If opting for BBQ option simply drizzle with honey and barbecue for a few minutes until slightly caramelised on the outside but still juicy in the middle. And if fresh maybe get the kids to make their own and pick how they want their kebab to look.

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and make up your own combinations!