Simple and general nutrition tips for Children
Plan, shop and cook healthy meals together, and avoid turning on the television during meal times.
Encourage the whole family to eat breakfast.
Get your children involved in preparation and packing of healthy school lunches.
Make sure you keep healthy snacks in the pantry.
Choose water and milk as drinks most of the time. Avoid sweetened drinks such as cordial, soft drinks and fruit juice.
Prepare and store your food safely.
Encourage your child to choose healthy foods. Use positive terms to refer to healthy food, for example, “I love eating crunchy green beans”.
Set a good example as parents: Avoid bribing your child with food.
Breakfast is the most important time for healthy eating. Children function better when they begin the day with a nutritious meal.
Allow toddlers to touch and feel their food:. This is part of the learning experience and helps develop a positive attitude to a nutritious diet which in turn promotes healthy eating habits.
Children respond to different colours and shapes, so supply them with a mixture of foods in all textures, colours, shapes and sizes.
A healthy childhood diet should include a variety of fruits and vegetables and the following ideas can help make them attractive to children.
Use avocado as a substitute to butter in your children’s sandwiches or dried biscuits and always try to include a vegetable in their sandwiches
Snack time at school should be exciting for your children.
Healthy eating can become a treat if you provide a range of textures and colours in their food. Children respond to new and exciting sensations. Provide them with an assortment of colours such as slices of cheese, apple, carrot, sultanas, watermelon, grapes and strawberries.
Have a visible bowl of fruit available for your children: Healthy eating habits will increase if fruits and vegetables are the closest option available when your children are hungry.
Children love to play in water: Encourage activities such as splashing in a wading pool, spider walking around the pool edge, noodle rides, jumping waves, running through the sprinkler, and water tag. Make sure you supervise young children at all times when playing in or around water.
Make sure children are sitting down while they eat and not moving around.
Avoid foods that break off into large solid pieces or are very hard.
Offer your children a choice of three or four vegetables with dinner. If they are able to choose the vegetables they are served, they may be less likely to refuse them.Children’s healthy eating habits will stem from the subtlest changes in their diet. When they ask for a snack before dinner, offer beans, snow peas or carrot and celery sticks rather than pre-packaged foods.
Cut meats into small pieces, particularly tougher meats. Take the skin off frankfurt and sausages for infants.
Yogurt – Great healthy snack for children as they come in small sizes for little stomachs.
