Sunday, March 4, 2012

Healthy eating for kids

A balance diet and healthy eating for kids is very important to a family, specially mother. Balanced diet for kids is required to supply the nutrients and energy needed for the growing child. Child require a lot of nutrition specially protein, calcium and vitamins. It slightly varies child to child. A kid of 1 year of age can eat whatever dishes that are prepared for the rest of the family but they require less spicy food. Fussy eating habit starts to grow from this age. So make sure that the food is attractive and interesting to the child. Healthy eating for kids such as whole wheat bread, fish, meat, fruits and vegetables should make up the major part of the diet of a child. We can apply some following tactic to make food interesting to a child. For example:-


Don’t force a child to eat everything: kids quickly become tired of the same taste and appearance, that’s why they eat half of their main course but they still feel hungry and want some of their favorite food such as pudding or sweets. So we can make their main course different in taste and appearance.

Make their dining interesting: We can serve their food decorated plate which is interesting and attractive to them. Mother and member of the family can encourage a child to eat. It will surely increase the appetite of a child.


Avoid using food as a reward: Telling children they can have some sweet or candy if they eat their main course or vegetable, simply makes sweets or candy more alloying and the rest less appealing.

Make whole family active: Encourage the whole family to be more active and include plenty of fun activities such as playing, running, swimming or going for a cycling. It will help a child to digest their food and make their muscles strong.

Eating whole family together: Kids really have bad eating habits. So if your child sees the whole family is eating together, it will inspire him on her to eat together. It will make food interesting to them.

Avoid fatty and greasy food: If your child is gaining too much weight you have to avoid fatty, greasy and deep fried food. It means cutting down the sweets, cakes, biscuits, burgers etc.

Healthy eating for kids

Now we will discus about the meal plan and healthy eating for kids of age around five to eleven. But this plan varies child to child. If your child is really into sports or other physical activities then they will need a lot of energy pact food throughout the day. This plan will give you an idea for balance diet for kids.

Break fast: You can choose high fiber cereal but avoid sugar coated cereal and skimmed milk. 1-2 slices of bread, jam or peanut butter, 150 ml freshly made fruit juice.

Mid-morning: 1-2 wheat biscuits and fruit drink.

Lunch: 2 sandwiches, butter, chicken or fish they like, Low fat yoghurt or cheese, some vegetables or salads and a lot of water to drink.

Mid-afternoon: Fruit drink with pulp and some snake.

Home from school: High fiber cereal, milk or 2 slices of bread with jam or peanut butter and some juice.

Evening meal: 200-300 grams of chicken or meat or fish they like, 4-5 teaspoon of rice or 70 grams pasta or a medium size mashed potato. Some cooked vegetable and some juice.

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