Children burn enormous amounts of energy, but are they
getting the right fuel? Nutritionist Hollie Newton offers
some healthy food choices.
Helping your child make healthy food choices is not only
important in ensuring they have the energy to make it through
the day, it is crucial for their growth, development, and
concentration.
Establishing good dietary habits now will help your child to
develop a healthy relationship with food for years to come.
With more than 30% of New Zealand children aged between 5 and
14 being classed as overweight or obese, ensuring your child
develops healthy eating patterns is more important today than
ever before.
Primary school-aged children should be eating three meals a
day, with two to three nutritious snacks in between.
Where possible, meals should be similar to those eaten by
other family members, and eaten with the family in a social
environment.
As most children's stomachs are small, and activity levels
high, it is difficult for them to consume the energy they
require through main meals alone.
Healthy snacks between meals are therefore essential in
ensuring adequate energy for both learning and physical
activity, while not affecting their appetite at meal times.
Healthy snack ideas for home or the lunch box:
- Use different types of bread, including bread rolls, pita
bread, bagels, French sticks, and sliced breads to add
variety to children's lunches.
As alternatives, or as an energy-dense snack at any time,
pack a simple pasta or rice salad.
- Ensure your child has strong teeth and bones by
incorporating three serves of dairy daily for children 4 to 8
years old, or four serves if your child is over the age of 9.
This could be in the form of fruit yoghurt, cheese slices, or
a quick homemade banana milkshake.
School-aged children should eat at least five serves of
breads and cereals daily, or six serves for older children.
- Offer breakfast cereals with or without milk as an
after-school snack.
For children, look for a cereal with 15g or less of sugar per
100g, 5-15g of fibre per 100g, and a sodium content of up to
600mg per 100g.
- Broaden your child's palate, introducing them to new
seasonal fruits such as fresh melon and berries and
vegetables such as capsicum, asparagus and rhubarb.
School-aged children should be eating three servings of
vegetables and two servings of fruit daily.
Remember that for young children, in particular, it can take
10 or more attempts before a new food is accepted.
- Make your own homemade ice-blocks for after school treats
on a hot day.
Simply pour half a glass of fruit juice or yoghurt into a
cup, add a teaspoon, and freeze.
- Reinvent toasted sandwiches, incorporating cheese with
other fillings such as spaghetti, ham, corn, baked beans,
egg, avocado, and tomato.
Cut fresh carrot and celery sticks and offer them plain or
with hummus or a low-fat dip.
- Thread pieces of fruit such as banana, apple and kiwifruit
on kebab sticks for a vitamin-packed snack.
- Always pack a water bottle or diluted fruit juice with
lunch, partially frozen in hot weather.
Offering plenty of unsweetened drinks is important, because
children may be less aware of thirst than adults.
- Plain or lightly salted popcorn, or a handful of nuts and
raisins make great snacks.
Nuts are a rich source of protein, essential for growth and
the repair of nerves, tissues, and bones.
- Avoid food bribes, or banning all junk food.
Off limit foods often become more desirable to children, so
allow occasional food treats, such as chips or lollies.
- Encourage your child to be involved in the planning and
preparation of meals, and give them the freedom to be
creative in the kitchen.
Talking to them and fostering an interest in nutritious food
as part of an active, healthy lifestyle will reap benefits
for a lifetime.
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