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All parents want their children to eat a healthy, balanced diet. But it's easier said than done. Kath Megaw, a Clinical Paediatric Dietician gives us some tips on how to feed your child and keep them healthy.
To begin with she recommends:
- Three meals a day with a between-meal snack – approximately 1½ hours between previous snack and meal.
- Generally meals should not last longer than 30 minutes.
- Encourage eating meals together as a family.
- Avoid giving large servings of fluids just before meals.
- Increase the energy and nutrient density of meals/snacks and of between meal drinks.
- Increase food exposure.
- Introduce ‘theme nights’ or ‘restaurant themes’ with foods that appeal.
- Sneak in nutrients and energy.
- Define food responsibility.
Breakfast ideas
For the ‘not-so-hungry’:
- Fruit smoothie or drinking yoghurt.
- Add some dried fruit to cereal and milk.
Need something quick:
- Fresh fruit and yoghurt.
- Seed, granola or breakfast bars.
Can be eaten on the run:
- Cheese or peanut butter sandwich.
For those ‘fibre-fighters’:
- Increase the appeal of wholegrain cereals such as whole wheat Pronutro and oats porridge by adding chopped fruit, nuts and seeds.
Carbohydrates solutions
- Ensure all meals and snacks include foods that contain carbohydrates.
- Encourage healthy, nutrient-rich carbohydrates.
- Increase the nutrient of a meal/snack by including a dairy product, small amounts of fat and protein and/or fruit and vegetables.
Examples of low GI meals/snacks :
- Breakfast: whole wheat Pronutro, oat bran, high-fibre bran.
- Lunch: nutrient-rich breads (pumpernickel or seed loaf) with a suitable topping.
- Dinner: pasta (durum wheat), or long grain and wild rice, sweet potato, most vegetables, legumes.
Eating to prevent anaemia
- Red meat in your child’s diet three to four times per week.
- Regular intake of chicken, fish and eggs.
- Leafy green vegetables, iron fortified cereals and porridges and dried beans with vitamin C-rich foods to improve absorption.
- Iron-rich snacks.
Help prevent folate deficiency anaemia by including:
- Leafy green vegetable.
- Legumes.
- Organ meat.
Help prevent vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia by including: Animal products.
Essential Fatty Acids: Omega 3 and 6
Sources of omega 3 and 6: oily fish including salmon and sardines.
Vitamin B1: Can be found in peas, potatoes, oranges, egg yolk and most fortified breakfast cereals.
(Reference: Kath Megaw, Clinical paediatric Dietician. For more information visit www.nutripaeds.co.za)
(Amy Froneman, Health24, May 2012)
- Help prevent zinc deficiency by including the following in the diet: Fortified breakfast cereals, wheat germ, rye or whole wheat bread, seafood, beef, liver, pork, veal, chicken, turkey, many types of beans and lentils, humus dip, nuts, pumpkin seeds, tahini, milk.
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- Canola and soybean oil, eggs or seed mix
- Omega 3: fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, pilchards, mackerel, herring, anchovy and trout, omega 3 enriched milk and eggs.
- Foods rich in B1 include: lean pork, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, organ meats, poultry, egg yolk, fish, legumes, whole grains, enriched breads and cereals.
