Hi Reader,

If you’ve ever thought,

“My kid eats fruit… but basically no vegetables… is that bad??”

You are so not alone.

And honestly? I want to take a little pressure off you today.

Because somewhere along the way, fruit got demoted.

Vegetables became the gold standard… and fruit started to feel like the less impressive option.

But nutritionally? That’s not really how it works.

Fruit and vegetables are both doing a lot of heavy lifting. And in some cases… fruit is outperforming vegetables in ways that surprise people.

For example:

• A cup of strawberries has more vitamin C than a serving of broccoli
• Raspberries pack more fiber than many common veggies like carrots or cucumbers
• Mango is rich in vitamin A—similar to (and sometimes more than) some vegetables
• A banana has more potassium than most vegetables kids actually eat regularly

Meanwhile, some commonly served vegetables (like cucumbers or lettuce) are great foods—but not exactly nutrition powerhouses.

And that’s okay!

Because the goal was never to rank foods like a competition.

It’s to offer variety over time.

Here’s the part I really want you to hear:

If your child happily eats fruit…that is not a problem to fix.

That is a win.

They’re getting fiber. They’re getting vitamins. They’re enjoying eating plants.

And all of that matters way more than forcing vegetables at every meal.

Now—does that mean we give up on veggies entirely? No.

But it does mean we can zoom out a bit.

Instead of thinking: “They need to eat more vegetables.”

Try thinking: “How can I keep offering vegetables without turning this into a battle?”

Maybe that looks like:

• Serving veggies alongside meals without pressure
• Pairing them with foods your child already likes
• Letting fruit carry more of the nutrition load for now

If this took even a tiny bit of pressure off your plate tonight, I’d love to hear—just hit reply and tell me what your kid is currently all about (fruit included).

Because around here, we’re not aiming for perfect.

We’re aiming for realistic… and doable… and a lot less stressful.
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Fruit & Veggie Deep Drive From Mama Knows
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​ON THE BLOG

Why Kids Hate Veggies (NEW!)

No, it’s definitely not just your kids. And it’s not something you’re doing wrong. Trust me — I’m a dietitian mom who works with families. I’ve seen tons of families do everything right, and still end up with veggie rejecting kids.

Everything You Need to Know About Fruit

Kids are wired to prefer sweet foods, which can make fruit an early favorite pretty much as soon as they start eating. But is too much fruit a bad thing? Is there too much sugar in fruit? Let me break it down for you.

Increase Fruits and Veggies for Kids (and even picky eaters!)

There’s no rule that says veggies should be at dinner and fruit should be at breakfast. All meals and snacks can be opportunities for fruit and/or veggies. Even if breakfast and lunch need to be super quick, packed up to leave the house, or you need to just grab and go — there are still ways to offer fruits and veggies!

The Best Fruit: Fresh, Frozen, Canned, Dried, Freeze-Dried

People often come to me asking what fruits are good or bad. Many parents have questions about limiting fruit for their kids, is freeze-dried fruit healthy, does canned fruit have too much sugar, and so on! I take all the guesswork out of what to buy in this post.

The Top Kid-Friendly Vegetables

This post gives you some options for the top kid-friendly vegetables for picky eaters, and walks you through how to serve them so that they might ACTUALLY get eaten!

Are Fruit Snacks...Fruit?

Absolutely not. Who named these, anyway?

These are okay (like any food!) as a “sometimes” snack, but there are more nutritious options out there your kids can fall in love with too. Check our a few my family loves:

• ​BEAR Fruit snacks​
• ​Solely Fruit Gummies
• ​Solely Fruit Jerky
• ​Black Forest Fruit Strips

My Top Picks for Boosting Fruits and Veggies

• The Ninja Personal Blender lets me make smoothies to order for everyone (Plus I love to sprinkle some of these or some of these in!)
• My favorite smoothie cups​
• The absolute best snack container​
• These cute fruit forks make eating more fun for picky kids
• ​Silicone baking cups are a super simple way to present a serving (or separate it in a lunchbox)
• These fruit and veggie cutters are so fun - shapes keep things interesting and can help picky eaters try new foods

Here’s to hoping your week is full of nutrition without the battles,

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© Mama Knows Nutrition 2026
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