KIDS NUTRITION - Don't label foods as "good" or "bad."

KIDS NUTRITION
Don't label foods as "good" or "bad."

Instead, tie foods to the things your child cares about, such as sports or doing well in school. Let your child know that protein in dal, beans, sprouts and calcium in dairy products give them strength for sports. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables add luster to skin and hair. And eating a healthy breakfast can help them keep focus in class.

Anti obesity day special 26th nov 2012 -Being a Healthy Eating Role Model

Anti obesity day special 26th nov 2012 -

Being a Healthy Eating Role Model

Being a Healthy Eating Role Model –Anti obesity day special

Parents are role models and the most important influence in their children’s lives.

Eat the way you want your child to eat
Children learn by example

To get a sense of how your attitude might influence your children, examine your own behavior.
• Do you snack all day long?
• Do you eat in front of the TV?
• Do you eat whenever you are bored or under stress?
• Do you eat dessert at every meal?
• Do you skip breakfast?
• Do you have sodas rather than milk with your meals?
• Do you diet all the time and have a fear of food?

If you answered “yes” to more than a few of these questions, you are likely sending unhealthy messages to your child about food.

Normally when you see an overweight kid, you will most likely see an overweight parent right next to him.
It’s really sad that those kids are getting off on a bad start in life. All us parents love our kids, and will do whatever best we can for them. So why not eat healthy, lead a healthy lifestyle and have good exercise regime, rest will fall in place...... it is that simple believe me.

Give them a reason to thank u latter in life.

Set a Good example, Children get their eating quirks from us.

Set a Good Example

Children get their eating quirks from us. 

                                             

If you want your child to drink milk or eat all the veggies and fruits, Don't make faces when having a certain vegetable or certain dish. 

If your child sees you regularly eating unhealthy foods or wrinkling up your nose at foods you don't like, he's likely to mimic that behavior as you are role models for them…

Treat everything served to you as your all time favourite and the most nutritious food; especially if eating in front of your child, do this genuinely for a few days, and you will not only see an improvement in your habit of eating everything on your platter but will also reinforce this in the mind of your child.

Also sitting down together as a family to share a nutritious meal gives your child a chance to see healthy eating habits in action..

                                                      

Nutrition for pre-school children

NUTRITION FOR PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN

The ages between one and four are a crucial time for learning  good dietary habits that can lay the foundations for future good health. GOOD NUTRITION AT THIS AGE IS LIKE SOWING SEEDS FOR HEALTHIER TOMMORROW.

Diet directly affects optimal development  of  the body and the brain.
Nutritious food help to form strong teeth and bones, muscles and a healthy body; a good immunity. 

Young children’s need for energy and nutrients is high, but their appetites are small due to small stomach capacity and they can be fussy, too, and it can be a challenge to get your child’s diet right. At this age, children are often good at regulating their appetite. If they’re not hungry, insisting on larger amounts of food can create a battle, which you’re likely to lose. 


Key foods and nutrients

Base your child's intake on the following food groups to help ensure she’s getting all the important nutrients. If the family diet is healthy, children can just have family food. 

Make sure your child has the following, every day: 

Cereals

Include at least one kind of starchy carbohydrate, such as whole wheat bread, rice, pasta, or potatoes. Young children have small appetites, so high fibre-rich carbohydrates can be bulky and inhibit the absorption of some minerals. Gradually introduce higher fibre carbohydrate foods, so that by the time children are five, they're eating the same fibre-rich foods as the rest of the family. 

Key nutrients:- Carbs which is mainly needed to provide them energy throughtout the day, along with energy they also provide B complex nutrients and also some minerals esp nachni which is rich in both calcium and iron.

Examples:- poha, upma, parathas, khicdi, pulavs, briyani, sandwiches, porridages, bhel, potato chat, tikkis, jowari, corn, nachni 

Fruit and vegetables

Aim for at least five servings a day, where a serving is about a handful in size. Use fruit in puddings, chats and as snacks.

Vegetables can be eaten raw or cooked (serve crunchy rather than very soft to preserve the vitamins and minerals). 

If your child doesn’t like vegetables, try hiding them by pureeing in to soups, sauces, casseroles and pizza toppings.

Key nutrients – Iron, vit A, C, Antioxidants
  
Milk and dairy foods

Your child should be having the equivalent of about 500 to 600ml of milk and its products a day. Milk can be used in cereals or in drinks,milkshakes, puddings and sauces. Cheese, panir, yoghurt can be given instead of milk. Grated cheese/panir, cheese spread can be used on sandwiches or toast. Try yoghurts as a pudding or snack between meals, served alone or with fruit.

 
NON VEG – Egg, Meat, fish and alternatives 
 
Recommend at least two servings of fish a week, one of which should be oily. Use eggs, either boiled, in sandwiches, as omelettes or scrambled.

Pulses and legumes
Try different beans and pulses, such as lentils, baked beans, peas and chickpeas. 

Nutrients- Protein, Calcium, B-12, Vit D, Zinc

BEST FOOD COMBINATIONS- khicdhi, milk+roti, dal+rice/roti, curd rice, dal + roti, idli, dosa, dhokla, uttapa i.e combination of cereal + pulse gives the best quality protein comparable to that of an egg which is considered excellent.



Fats and sugar - Foods to be careful with....

Fatty and sugary foods include spreading fats, cooking oils, sugar, biscuits, cakes, crisps, sweets, chocolate, cream, ice cream and sugary drinks. Don’t give these often, and when you do, make sure they’re in small amounts only. Many of these could affect your child’s intake of more nutritious foods and lead to a less healthy diet Offer them at the end of a meal rather than between meals as a snack.  

Keep total fat intake between 25 to 35 percent of calories for with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

To sum it up…..

Most kids are going to have fussy food days (or years)
If it’s up to them, kids will only choose food that tastes good and that they are familiar with. 

 
Kids have to be taught to think about nutritious eating
Parents are food teachers - kids learn eating habits and food choices from their parents......so please look at your food habits first.