Healthy Food for Children

Healthy eating means eating a wide variety of nutritious foods from all of the food groups. These foods contain lots of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Eating a wide variety of foods from all food groups will help you grow.
Some foods contain too much sugar or fat and not many vitamins or minerals. These are foods we should only eat sometimes.
The foods you eat have been divided into three groups according to how nutritious they are. These make up what is often called the ‘food pyramid’ or the healthy eating ‘plate’. You can use these groups to help you decide which foods to eat more of and which to eat less often.

Eat Group 1 foods most of the time

You should try to eat lots of:

• fruits and vegetables
• breads
• grains such as rice and pasta
• beans and lentils.

You can see that these are all foods that come from plants. These foods all contain vitamins, minerals and fibre. Try to eat a wide variety of these foods. Try not to choose just one of these foods (such as fruit) to eat all the time. Eating plenty of all foods from this group will help you stay healthy.
Plant foods contain thousands of nutrients (small parts), which can help to prevent serious diseases. This is why it is important to eat a variety of different types of plant foods.

Eat Group 2 foods moderately

These foods are important for health, so you should eat them in medium amounts. They include:

• dairy products such as milk, cheeses and yoghurts (sometimes low-fat ones should be chosen)
• lean meat
• chicken (without skin)
• fish
• nuts.

These foods are all good sources of protein. Protein helps build strong muscles and can repair our body when we hurt or injure ourselves. Some of these foods also contain some important minerals, such as the calcium found in dairy foods (for strong bones) and the iron found in lean meats (to give us energy).

Eat Group 3 foods sometimes

These foods don’t give us very many nutrients and are really just ‘extras’. They may contain lots of sugar or fat (or both), but often don’t have many vitamins, minerals or fibre. It’s okay to have these ‘sometimes foods’ if you are healthy, active and not overweight. Most of the time, they are better left for occasions like birthday parties.
An example of one serve of these foods includes:

• sweet biscuits (2 small)
• chocolate coated bars (1 bar)
• potato chips (30 g)
• ice-cream (2 scoops)
• lollies and chocolate (30 g)
• cake or muffin (1 medium piece).

The food pyramid

The three groups of foods you eat from are often shown as a food pyramid where:

• The bottom of the pyramid is the biggest part of the pyramid. It contains the foods you should eat most of the time.
• The middle of the pyramid contains foods you should eat moderately (a medium amount). They are important for health, but we don’t need too much of them.
• The top of the pyramid is the smallest part of the pyramid. It contains foods you should only eat sometimes.

Where to get help

• Your parents
• Your teacher

Things to remember

• Healthy foods we should eat most of the time contain lots of vitamins, minerals and fibre.
• Sometimes foods can contain lots of fat or sugar, but not many vitamins and minerals.
• Try to eat a wide variety of nutritious foods from all food groups.
• Lollies, cakes and chips are okay to eat, but only every now and then (for example, at parties).

 

Creating a nutritional home is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure the health of your child. To start, make smart food choices, and help your child develop a positive relationship with healthy food. Your children will learn their food smarts from your example.

Here are the top 10 tips for getting children to eat healthy food, offered by Melinda Sothern, PhD, co-author of Trim Kids and director of the childhood obesity prevention laboratory at Louisiana State University:

1. Do not restrict food. Restricting food increases the risk your child may develop eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia later in life. It can also have a negative effect on growth and development.
2. Keep healthy food at hand. Children will eat what's readily available. Keep fruit in a bowl on the counter, not buried in the crisper section of your fridge. And have an apple for your own snack. "Your actions scream louder than anything you will ever tell them," says Sothern. Remember, your child can only choose foods that you stock in the house.
3. Don't label foods as "good" or "bad." Instead, tie foods to the things your child cares about, such as sports or appearance. Let your child know that lean protein such as turkey and calcium in dairy products give strength to their sports performance. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables add luster to skin and hair.
4. Praise healthy choices. Give your children a proud smile and tell them how smart they are when they choose healthy foods.
5. Don't nag about unhealthy choices. When children choose unhealthy food, ignore it. Or if your child always wants fatty, fried food, redirect the choice. You might try roasting potato sticks in the oven (tossed in just a bit of oil) instead of buying french fries. Or, if your child wants candy, you might make fresh strawberries dipped in a little chocolate sauce. Too busy? Then keep naturally sweet dried fruit at home for quick snacks.
6. Never use food as a reward. This could create weight problems in later life. Instead, reward your children with something physical and fun -- perhaps a trip to the park or a quick game of catch.
7. Sit down to family dinners at night. If this isn't a tradition in your home, it should be. Research shows that children who eat dinners at the table with their parents have better nutrition and are less likely to get in serious trouble as teenagers. Start with one night a week, and then work up to three or four, to gradually build the habit.
8. Prepare plates in the kitchen. There you can put healthy portions of each item on everyone's dinner plate. Your children will learn to recognize correct portion sizes. And you may find your slacks fit better as well!
9. Give the kids some control. Ask your children to take three bites of all the foods on their plate and give it a grade, such as A, B, C, D, or F. When healthy foods - especially certain vegetables -- get high marks, serve them more often. Offer the items your children don't like less frequently. This lets your children participate in decision making. After all, dining is a family affair.
10. Consult your pediatrician. Always talk with your child's doctor before putting your child on a diet, trying to help your child gain weight, or making any significant changes in the type of foods your child eats. Never diagnose your child as too heavy, or too thin, by yourself.

 

 

Healthy Snacks for Children and Teenagers

 

Fresh fruit – chop it into bite-sized pieces for young children to make it easier to eat or buy packs of ready-prepared fresh fruit slices or chunks
 
Mini boxes of dried fruit such as raisins or small packs of apricots or mixed fruit
 
Small packs of chocolate-covered raisins or nuts (avoid giving nuts to young children because of the risk of choking)
 
Chopped up vegetables such as carrot, celery and pepper sticks and cherry tomatoes with a favorite dip (look for those low in salt and fat if you’re buying ready-made dips)
 
Fresh popcorn made without salt or sugar
 
Wholemeal toast with peanut butter and banana or low-fat soft cheese and tomato