Diet Tips for Children
In Is That My Child? there is a fourteen day eating plan that is practical, has good ideas about making healthy food interesting for children and ensures your child(ren) get the appropriate nutirents for their brain development.
Below are some more tips we hope will be useful.
Some children have specific allergies and intolerances so the guide below may not be appropriate for all. If these intolerances and allergies are suspected we can arrange for tests to identify them.
Breakfast
Have breakfast, your child’s brain needs the nutrients from a good breakfast to concentrate through the school morning until lunch time. Skipping breakfast often results in snaking on sugary food and drinks at break, which may leave them feeling full by lunch.
Don’t always just have cereals and/or toast for breakfast. Most cereals have high sugar content. Some days introduce eggs and bacon, the animal fat is good for the brain. Other variations include cereal and yoghurt with dried fruit or a banana, porridge with semi-skimmed milk & fresh orange juice, yoghurt with some fruit and a milkshake or a smoothie
Snacks
Avoid many additives by cutting out all snack foods e.g. crisps, chocolates, sweets and fizzy drinks. Check the labels carefully for additives – see below for comprehensive list of additives to avoid.
Introduce more fruit and veg into the diet. This can replace the snack children often have on getting home from school.
Lunch
If you are providing a packed lunch avoid the easy way out by providing prepared and snack food, the sugar and additive content is likely to be high. Some creativity and determination may be required at first!
• Cut sandwiches into interesting shapes and /or use a variety of breads from the freezer over the week, eg sliced; pita baps. Try rolling fillings into small tortillas
• Nutritious fillings include tuna and sweetcorn, peanut butter and cream cheese with cucumber. There's no need to butter bread with these
• Make attractive-looking kebabs with fruit - or last night's chicken and some peppers
• Children like small things, like cherry tomatoes, mini boxes of sultanas, or yoghurt from the health food shop
• Peel clementines and wrap them in cling film, cut apples into slices, children are more likely to eat them that way.
• On a cold day try a flask of soup, baked beans or macaroni cheese
Main meal
The evening meal should be home cooked and contain fresh meat or fish and vegetables.
Sit at a table for your meals, this should be a good time to socialise with your child(ren) which may also help develop their social skills
Do not watch TV while eating. People are more likely to eat more than they need when watching TV.
Some children struggle with different textures of food. We think their brains can’t comprehend what the food feels like in their mouths. These children often desire one type of food at a time. Serving their carrots first, then their broccoli, then their meat or each on separate plates can make it easier for them.
A balanced diet
Remember a balanced diet should include each of the following different groups of foods:
• Fruit and vegetables, at least five portions a day. If this is not possible we recommend Juice Plus.
• Some bread, other cereals or potatoes are ok in moderation but remember the dangers to the brain with too much carbohydrate (see Food & Brain Development. At all costs avoid the scenario in which the child dictates their diet and has toast for breakfast, crisps and biscuits mid-morning, chips for lunch, crisps, biscuits and cake mid-afternoon and pasta for supper.
• Milk and dairy foods, several servings a day
• Meat, fish and alternatives, one or two servings a day
• Foods containing fat and sugar should be in limited amounts. Do not add salt, there’s plenty in many foods already
The first two weeks are likely to be hell but even this relatively short period has been enough for parents to see noticeable changes in their child’s behaviour.
