‘Eat your vegetables’: For kids, it means fries

Kids aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables, and when they do consume produce, they are more likely to eat french fries than nutrient-rich dark green or orange vegetables, a study shows.That won’t surprise parents who have been trying to tempt their kids with better diets for years.

Researchers at Ohio State University analyzed government data on 6,500 children and teens, ages 2-18, and found that the children were consuming an average of 2 cups of fruits, vegetables and juice a day. Teens ate only slightly more than that.

The government nutritional guidelines base recommended produce intake on total calories consumed. The range is 2 to 6½ cups of fruits and vegetables each day, based on an intake of 1,000 to 3,200 calories a day. Someone consuming 2,000 calories a day should eat 2 cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables a day. Read the rest of the story here.