Team GB legend Greg Rutherford has backed a campaign to get kids to eat more fruit and veg – after it emerged just 23 per cent are getting their five-a-day.

The former long jumper, who won gold at the 2012 Olympics, is well experienced in trying to get his three children excited about the likes of carrots, apples, and oranges.

And he’s not alone – 36 per cent of parents admit they find this “challenging.”

Following the poll of 1,500 mums and dads, Greg has teamed up with innocent [lower case – CORR] Drinks, which also commissioned the research, to launch the ‘innocent crushing it summer games’ at the Olympic Park in Stratford, which gave families the chance to squash, squeeze and crush fruit and veg to create their own smoothies, using creative and quirky sports-themed contraptions.

These include an exercise bike doubling as a blender, a rowing machine transformed into a banana boat, and a basketball hoop which produces freshly squeezed orange juice.

Greg said: “As a father, I know firsthand how tricky it can be to get children eating healthily – and I’m not alone.

“I also know as a former professional athlete how important fruit and vegetables are from a nutritional point of view.

“We need children to see fruit and veg as something positive so that they can grow up into big healthy adults, and ‘crush it’ in all walks of life – from the playground to the sports field.”

The study also found children have noticeably more energy when they eat fruit and veg – compared to when they haven’t eaten such food items, according to 57 per cent of parents.

Talking about the pop-up, Greg MBE said: “Together we are hosting a free event at London’s Olympic Park.

“This is a unique opportunity for families to celebrate the fun of fruit and veg, by crushing their own smoothies in some really creative and imaginative ways.”

In partnership with innocent, Greg will also launch a series of ‘crushing it’ summer challenges [https://innocentdrinks.digiphy.it/crushing-it], to keep families entertained over the summer holidays and into the new school term, including a ‘crushing it’ daily workout, led by Greg himself, as well as ‘juice juggling’ and ‘picnic-tionary’.

Carried out through OnePoll, the study found 44 per cent of parents consider their child’s health to be the most important thing to them.

Nutritionist Lily Soutter, who has also teamed-up with innocent drinks, has warned kids who don’t get their five-a-day are missing out on key nutrients.

She said: “I’m working with innocent Drinks to support their long-lived mission in getting families to eat and drink more fruit and veg.

“Fruit and veg are a critical part of children’s diets, providing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre required for healthy growth and development.

She added: “Events like the ‘innocent crushing it summer games’ have the ability to engage children and build positive associations with fruit and vegetables, which in time makes it more likely that they will happily consume them”.

LILY SOUTTER’S TOP TIPS TO HELP KIDS EAT MORE FRUIT AND VEG
1. Go back to nature, take children to see where apples are grown, or enjoy some strawberry picking and tasting
2. Keep things fun with games, children will consume foods that they have a positive experience with.
3. Freeze a smoothie or a juice to make a healthy ice lolly that contains one of their five-a-day.
4. Get children involved with the prepping and cooking of fruit and veggies
5. Cut fruit and veg into fun shapes. Try animals and stars