As parents prepare for the summer holidays, new research from Capri-Sun has today revealed that two in five parents (40%) said they would struggle to name a food with more than one vitamin.

The findings also unearth the challenges parents face when encouraging vitamin intake through food and drink, with 47% of Brits saying the cost of living crisis means that they are finding it harder than ever to ensure that their children are getting a vitamin enriched diet. In addition, two in five parents (44%) said they find it challenging to provide vitamin enriched food and drink to their children, while more than a quarter (27%) of those surveyed admitted to having gone as far as disguising one food or drink as another to encourage children to consume more vitamins. 20% even admit to bribing their children with 16% deciding to lie to get the same outcome.

To help parents over the school holidays Capri-Sun has worked with Channel 5’s ‘You Are What You Eat’ nutritionist Kate Llewellyn-Waters to provide top tips to support parents looking to increase the number of vitamins their children consume through food and drink. While not always obvious, there are a number of simple and affordable solutions parents can look to for inspiration. They include:

Eat the rainbow. Variety is key, so when it comes to fruit and veg, focus on ‘eating the rainbow’, which will ensure lots of differently-coloured fruit and vegetables, since they all contain different essential nutrients that our children’s bodies need. Try not to overcook the veggies, as this will destroy some of the vitamins and also impact the taste, making it harder for some children to enjoy eating fruit and veg. Also, frozen and canned varieties of fruit and veg count towards your child’s five-a-day – these can be just as nutritious and are very budget-friendly. They are also always to hand in the freezer or cupboard, so food waste is kept to a minimum. Just make sure you read the labels, and buy tinned fruit in their own juice. As always, aim for five different type of fruit and veg a day.

Look to include a starchy, carbohydrate food with all meals. Focus on wholegrains, such as brown rice, wholegrain bread, potatoes, or wholegrain pasta. As well as being loaded with vitamins, minerals and fibre, these foods satisfy the biggest of appetites, and give your child the energy to play as well as grow and develop. Just ensure when it comes to breakfast cereals you choose wholegrain varieties, which are lower in salt and sugar. Oats and porridge make an excellent breakfast choice, since they contain lots of different vitamins, minerals, and are also ultra-filling.

Twice a day try to serve your child lean meat, fish, eggs, beans, or eggs, which are excellent sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. Lean meat is also a super source of the essential mineral, zinc, which for children, is particularly important for growth, immune function and wound healing. In fact, zinc, plays a major role in the functioning of every organ in the body. Deficiency has been associated with reduced resistance to infections and poor growth. Beans, lentils and chickpeas are excellent alternatives for meat, as they are high in protein and fibre, as well as containing lots of different vitamins and minerals, such as the B vitamins, iron, magnesium and zinc. If your child has never tried legumes, such as chickpeas, lentils or beans, then try adding these plant foods to chilli dishes, casseroles or pasta sauces, as they’re excellent for adding texture, flavour and colour – making dishes much more interesting and tasty.

If your child is aged 1-5 years old consider vitamin A, C and D drops. The Department of Health and Social Care[1] advises that all children aged 1-5 years take daily vitamin drops containing essential vitamins A, C and D, which will supplement the vitamins they get from food. Just ensure that you keep to the dosage advised on the label, as having too much of some vitamins can be harmful. These vitamins are free to children up to 5 years old in low income families through the Healthy Start Scheme.

Enjoy surprising sources of multivitamins. There are some surprising sources of multivitamins, including the new Capri-Sun Multivitamin Summer Fruits Squash with no added sugar, which has added vitamin B1, B3, B6, B7 and the essential mineral zinc. The family of B vitamins are vital for your child’s health – they aid metabolism, promote healthy nervous and circulatory systems, as well as playing an important role in energy production. By diluting one part of squash with four parts of water, the range of Capri-Sun Multivitamin Squash can be enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Kate Llewellyn-Waters said: “Vitamins are referred to as ‘essential’ nutrients, which means they are vital to our health and we can’t function without them. We know parents often find it a real challenge encouraging children to consume vitamin-rich food and drink that everyone in the household will enjoy – especially during the long summer break, with more meals at home. With the summer holidays now just around the corner, we hope these tips will provide inspiration for parents and help their children develop positive habits, which for many can last a lifetime.”

Julia Straschil, Global Brand Director at Capri-Sun said: “It’s clear from our survey results that parents face a number of challenges when it comes to making sure their children consume the vitamins they need. Our Capri-Sun Multivitamin Squash range is an easy-to-use option to increase the vitamin intake of children. It provides affordable, delicious, no added sugar refreshment in a 100% r-PET bottle and has all the benefits of added vitamins.”

The research comes as Capri-Sun launches its new Multivitamin Summer Fruits in a 1l 100% r-PET bottle. Already available in two delicious flavours, Orange and Apple & Blackcurrant, the new flavour is sure be a popular thirst quencher during the hotter months and will help parents to support their children’s vitamin intake this summer.