| |
 Children & Nutrition - Tips
Ensuring that your child is receiving a healthy, balances diet is a battle for every parent, especially today when brightly coloured fun meals are everywhere. However there are certain things can be done to motivate pre-school children to eat a healthy diet. Remember the younger you start with good habits, the faster they will acquire their tastes in the healthy direction.
Limitation
If you only buy foods that are healthy, your children (and you) can only pick their favourite foods amongst the healthy choices.
Tasty choices
We often limit our children's fruit choice to apples, bananas, grapes and oranges. However, many children enjoy peaches, tangerines, cherries, raspberries ,
blackberries, blueberries and strawberries, pears, plumbs, watermelons and pineapples. You can always add fruits such as these to healthy breakfast cereals. Instead of offering your child toast made from white flour, offer bran crisp bread. If your child is a big fan of pancakes, always serve whole grain pancakes.
Butter on vegetables can be a treat making them a lot tastier to the child. Many children enjoy raw vegetables such as carrot so offer as a finger food.
Presentation
Remember that we are competing against the major bright fun meal advertising. There are constant advertisements on children's TV for unhealthy foods that contain too much salt and sugar. We as parents have to advertise the 'boring' healthy vegetables and grains. But they need not be boring. Children of a pre-school age adore food that is shaped into something, for example a face, snowman, teddy. The big food giants do it with their fun meals so why shouldn't we? Wholegrain pancakes may be shaped like a face by using fruit pieces such as berry as the features. Why not serve corn on the cob like a rocket? Wholegrain bread toast can be shaped as well as your artistic skills carry you - a star for example.
Hiding it
If your child is too wise for your tricks, sneak the healthy food in. Bake carrot cake or add finely shaved vegetables to anything. Dried fruit is high in sugar and fibre and can be treat like sweets. Fruit and vegetables can be hid into smoothies and juices via a high speed blender.
Multivitamin
To ensure that your child is receiving the necessary amounts of vitamins, given them an approved multivitamin supplement that is safe for children. Do not rely on these instead of providing your child with a healthy balanced diet. They should only be considered as a safety net. Still aim for your child to eat a variety of fruit and vegetables, along with lean proteins and complex carbohydrates.
Pre-school children and toddlers can be picky eaters. However, their tastes change as they grow and they should soon be eating the same as the rest of the family. Its all about education and gentle persuasion, making mealtimes a fun, learning experience. A child that has been involved in safe food.
What to Do About Allergies
One of the major problems that you can run into when trying to eat a healthy diet and find the right foods are allergies that may come up with different types of foods as well as from different seasons. The first step in relieving allergies to help...
How To Find What Fits Your Nutrition Needs
Living a balanced life and having a balanced diet is important in being able to keep up the energy that is needed. However, every individual needs something different according to their build. There are several different ways to find out what you...
Children, Nutrition & Obesity
consumes more energy from food than their body uses up, just like adults their body stores the extra energy as fat. Sadly, it is estimated that as much as 15% of UK children are overweight or obese and it doesn't stop there. If a child is obese...
Nutrition & the Elderly
lacks in nutrients. A large proportion of the elderly do not receive the recommended amounts and types of food that is essential for their nutritional needs. There are many reasons why elderly persons do not consume or have a healthy, well balanced...
Facts About Vitamin E
For those that are interested in the vitamins that are needed for the regular and healthy functioning of their body, then knowing about vitamin E is one of the places to start. This is an important vitamin in maintaining health and balance in your...
|
|
|
|
|