Nutrition for Kids: An Early Start to Wellness

What is Nutrition for Kids?

Nutrition for kids is based on the same ideas as nutrition for adults. Everyone needs the same type of things, such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein and fat. These are called nutrients. The only difference is that children need different amounts of specific nutrients at different ages. The eating pattern & nutritional requirement for a child's growth and development considers the child's age, activity level and other characteristics.

Important Components of Nutrition for Kids

Food packed with nutrients — with no or limited sugar, saturated fat, or salt added to it — is considered nutrient dense. Focusing on nutrient-dense foods helps kids get the nutrients they need while limiting overall calories.

Consider these nutrient-dense foods:

• Protein - Choose seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds.
• Fruits - Encourage your child to eat a variety of fresh, canned, frozen or dried fruits. Look for canned fruit that says it's light or packed in its own juice. This means it's low in added sugar. Keep in mind that 1/4 cup of dried fruit counts as one serving of fruit.
• Vegetables - Serve a variety of fresh, canned, frozen or dried vegetables. Choose peas or beans, along with colorful vegetables each week. When selecting canned or frozen vegetables, look for ones that are lower in sodium.
• Grains - Choose whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread or pasta, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, or brown or wild rice.
• Dairy - Encourage your child to eat and drink fat-free or low-fat dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Fortified soy beverages also count as dairy.

Aim to limit your child's calories from:

• Added sugar - Naturally occurring sugars, such as those in fruit and milk, aren't added sugars. Examples of added sugars include brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup and honey. To avoid added sugar, check nutrition labels. Choose cereals with minimal added sugars. Avoid sodas and other drinks with added sugars. Limit juice servings. If your child drinks juice, make sure it's 100% juice without added sugars.
• Saturated fats - Saturated fats mainly come from animal sources of food, such as red meat, hot dogs, poultry, butter and other full-fat dairy products. Pizza, sandwiches, burgers and burritos are a common source of saturated fat. Desserts such as cakes and ice cream are another common source of saturated fat. When cooking, look for ways to replace saturated fats with vegetable and nut oils, which provide essential fatty acids and vitamin E.
• Salt - Most children in the United States have too much salt in their daily diets. Another name for salt is sodium. Salt can hide in sandwiches, where the sodium in bread, meat, condiments and toppings adds up. Processed foods, such as pizza, pasta dishes and soup, often have high amounts of salt. Encourage snacking on fruits and vegetables instead of chips and cookies. Check nutrition labels and look for products low in sodium.

If you have questions about nutrition for kids or specific concerns about your child's diet, talk to your child's health care provider or a registered dietitian.

Benefits of Healthy Eating

Healthful eating has many benefits for children. It can:

• Stabilize their energy
• Improve their minds
• Even out their moods
• Help them maintain a healthy weight
• Help prevent mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and ADHD

Nutrition Tips for Kids

1. A Healthy Breakfast

Eating a balanced breakfast is a great way for your child to start their day. Including protein in the meal in the form of egg sandwiches or peanut butter on toast are good options.

2. Set Regular Mealtime

Creating healthy eating habits together as a family is important. Make a meal routine for your child and ensure that at least one meal is being eaten with the entire family together.

3. Ask Your Kid’s Opinion

Involve them in groceries shopping and teach them how to read a food label so they know the nutrition in the foods they’re choosing. They can also help decide on their meals.

4. Introduce Them To Healthier Foods

You don’t change their eating habits overnight. But slowly and steadily introduce them to healthier versions of their snacks and dishes they like. Limit their sugar intake in the form of junk food.

5. Make Meals More Interesting

A smart step is to make fruits and vegetables appealing to get rid of unhealthy sweet and salty snacks. If there aren’t any in the house, give them some carrots or fruits to munch on.

Conclusion

Many children and families today have busy schedules which make it hard to cook and eat homemade meals every day. Healthy eating in childhood and adolescence is important for proper growth and development and to prevent various health conditions. Today, kids indulge in unhealthy eating habits more frequently which can result in development of health issues at a later stage in life.

Frequently Asked Questions on Nutrition for Kids

1. How do you introduce nutrition to kids?

Parents need to set a healthy eating routine themselves and then only it will be easier for kids to understand the importance of eating healthy and nutritious foods.

2. What is an ideal diet for a kid?

A balanced diet which includes all the required nutrients for their growth is ideal for kids. You should consult your doctor before starting any particular diet plan for your kid.

3. Is nutritious food only way to get a child healthy?

Apart from eating healthy, kids need to be physically fit as well. So, it is essential that they regularly exercise as well.

Source: Mayoclinic, HSPH Harvard, Family Doctor, CDC.Gov