Childrens Nutrition
Nutrition for babies and young children
As parents, we all want to do the very best we can for our children. What we choose to feed our children during the first few years of their lives will directly affect their growth, but also their energy levels, their mood and resistance to disease and ability to concentrate and do well at school.
During the first 2 years of your baby’s life you can always dictate what your child eats but as preschool and parties start to happen, it becomes less easy.
It is important for parents to have a healthy attitude to food. After all, food is one of our greatest pleasures, as well as being our main energy source. We knows it’s not possible to eat healthily 100 % of the time but trying to eat as well as possible 80/90% should be fine.
Teaching our children about food and cooking and chatting about health gets them interested from an early age. Many of the simple family meals we cook at home can be cooked with our children. I also believe in children making their own choices from an early age. This allows them the freedom to choose what they eat when they are away from home and is another part of growing up that is fun and should be encouraged. This should also help them ensure they are making good dietary choices as adults.
Child’s diet
A child’s diet needs to contain nutrient rich foods:
Fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish (especially oily ones like salmon or mackerel), pulses, dried fruits, ground nuts, seeds and their oils.
Children need water and diluted fresh juice to drink. No fizzy drinks or squashes, which are full of sugar, colours, artificial sweeteners and stimulants like caffeine.
A healthy immune system comes from a healthy diet and with so many chemicals now being added to our food, we must arm our children with an immune system that can cope with this daily bombardment.
Young children will always get ill while building up their immune systems through exposure to bacteria and viruses. However, with the right approach, using diet and simple guidelines, cold and infections can be dealt with naturally. A child’s body has the most marvellous capacity for self-healing if it given the right nourishment and care. Whatever a child’s age, it is never too late to start them on the road to health by feeding them a fresh, wholesome and varied diet to last them a lifetime.
If you would like me to help you with planning your family’s meals, give me a call now on 087 2884461 or email me on mary@marycarmodynutrition.ie as I have 2 small children( 1 + 5) myself so I can help you choose the healthy options for your kids and family and also keep your children wanting this healthy food day after day.
