14 tips for proper nutrition of children

A tasty and balanced diet will help children grow strong and healthy. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about a toddler or a teenager – you can instill in him important gastronomic habits right now

1. There are no uniquely “bad” products, the main problem is inadequate frequency of consumption. The number of meals of a particular food, serving volumes and time should correspond to the age of the child.

2. Proper nutrition in children consists, among other things, of the daily consumption of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Offer them to your child daily – they will provide the body with vitamins, minerals and fiber.

3. Use olive oil. It is the most versatile for cooking children’s dishes and eating in a natural “raw” form.

4. Three or four dairy products a day is another important condition for proper nutrition for children. This amount will provide the bones of the child with calcium in the required amount. Remember that low-fat foods include the same amount of the required element.

5. Two protein foods a day is important. Two moderate servings of fish, meat or eggs will be enough to provide children with the necessary amount of protein.

6. The daily proper nutrition of children is impossible to imagine without carbohydrates derived from whole grains. The main sources are bread (preferably multi-grain), rice, potatoes, legumes, a variety of cereals and durum pasta. If you regularly buy grain products, you help the child’s body to get the necessary dose of dietary fiber and increase the number of vitamins and minerals.

7. Recently, we are increasingly hearing about the “moisturizing” of the body in the context of women’s skin care. And against the background of super creams, we often forget the main dietary mantra: drink as much water as possible. It’s water! And not juices or sugary carbonated drinks, which may be present in the child’s diet, but only in small quantities and on special occasions.

8. A principle that is useful to adopt not only in relation to children, but also to adults is variety in food. The daily diet program should include foods from all nutritional groups, without overdoing or neglecting any elements. All products are good, the main thing is a competent balance between them.

9. If we are talking about kids – try to give them bright dishes or entertainingly cut vegetables to interest not only the taste, but also the shape.

10. Set up a meal plan for the whole family at home. Follow this schedule so that the kids don’t grab food on the go, don’t bite, but can wait for a full lunch or dinner. The next step: the old-fashioned way to turn family dinners into a pleasant and soulful ritual. Nutritionists state: the appearance of a gastronomic culture affects the diet. Children at the family table are more likely and happy to eat fruits and vegetables and try any new dishes. The moments of a friendly meal should not become a duty for the child, but a source of positive emotions and pleasure, so leave quarrels and discussions outside the dining table.

11. Proper nutrition for children often consists of a psychological game of imitating parents. Set a good example. Make sure that your plate always contains healthy, tasty and only properly prepared foods (reduce the presence of fried foods as much as possible, steam, bake in the oven or boil), and your children will follow your example.

12. Many parents know firsthand how easy it is to turn food into a “war and conflict” zone. All your efforts to ensure that proper nutrition in children becomes a habit will be in vain if you do not stop quarreling over food. The best strategy in this case is to minimize the presence in the house of food, the consumption of which you want to limit, but at the same time, against the backdrop of a “healthy refrigerator”, give the child the opportunity to choose what he wants to eat for dinner.

13. Never bribe a child with food. For example, do not make a promise to buy or cook a delicious dessert if he finishes all the soup. In this way, you form the idea that the final sweet is the best food, since it is given as a reward. Proper nutrition for children is too delicate a moment, be patient.

14. Respect your child’s appetites. If he doesn’t want to eat more, don’t force him. Otherwise, he may associate meals with anxiety and frustration.