Some Useful Notes on Nutrition for Kids
Keeping our children healthy is one of the main jobs as a parent and one of our chief concerns as well. It is always hard to know if your child is getting enough of the right foods, activity, and liquids that he or she needs everyday to fuel their active and busy lives. I thought I would share with you a few notes on nutrition that I have picked up from various discussions with health care providers and nutritionists.
I struggle everyday with keeping my kids meals and snacks healthy and I know that I am not alone, I hope that some of this information will help guide you as you plan meals and snacks for your own children.
♦ Serving Sizes
You have to remember that when you are feeding your child, they have very small stomachs. Doctors tell us that children’s stomachs are only about the size of their balled up fists… so not a whole lot of food is going to fit in there. Fill children’s plates with small portions and then refill them if they ask for seconds, this will prevent a child from overeating too much too quickly.
A good rule to remember that for toddlers an average serving size of anything is one tablespoon for each year that they are old. So a five year old would get five tablespoons of mashed potatoes where a three year old would get a smaller three tablespoon serving.
Aim to give your kids six servings a day from the bread group, three servings a day of Vegetables, two servings of fruits, three servings a day of Dairy, and 2 servings a day of meats.
♦ Drink the right amount
The suggested amount for children to drink each day is 16-24 ounces of milk and only 8 ounces of sugary juices a day. Keep in mind too on drinks that filling up their tummies with drinks between meals may cut down on the amount of healthy foods that they will have room for at meals.
♦ Snacking
Snacks are a critical part of any child’s diet because of their high energy requirements they need to eat more often. Many experts agree that two or three small, healthy snacks between meals will help kids stay healthy.
Try to choose snacks that are low in fat and sugars. Here are a few quick ideas of some healthy snacks for kids… Yogurt, Graham Crackers, Cereal, Oatmeal, Fresh Fruits, String Cheese, Vegetable sticks, popcorn, and pretzels.
♦ Watch the Fat
A preschoolers diet should consist of between 30-35% of fat. Kids are busy little people and if they do not have enough fat in their diets they will not have adequate calories to fuel their energy level. On the flip side though… too much fat in a little one’s diet can lead to health and weight problems.
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