WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: What are some general nutrition guidelines? - Offer your child regular meals and snacks and let him decide how much to eat. Most children know how much food their body needs at one time. Give your child small portions and then let him have another serving if he asks for one. Your child will be very hungry on some days and want to eat more. For example, he may want to eat more on days when he is more active. He may also eat more if he is going through a growth spurt. There may be days when he eats less than usual.
- Make meal and snack times calm and fun for your child. Turn the television off and have your child sit at the table to eat. It is a good idea to eat meals and snacks with your child. Children like to eat the same kind of food they see their parents eating. If your child sees you eat healthy food, he will learn to like healthy food too.
- Do not offer food as a reward. This teaches your child to eat for reasons other than being hungry. Offer other rewards, such as stickers, a special toy, or a special activity.
- Limit foods high in fat and sugar. These foods do not have the nutrients your child needs to be healthy. Food high in fat and sugar include snack foods (potato chips, candy, and other sweets), juice, fruit drinks, and soda. If your child eats these foods often, he may eat fewer healthy foods during meals. He may gain too much weight. Your child may not get enough iron and develop anemia (low levels of iron in his blood). Anemia can affect your child's growth and ability to learn. Iron is found in red meat, egg yolks, and fortified cereals and breads.
What are guidelines for feeding my child who is 1 to 6 years old? - Give your child whole milk until he is 2 years old. His body needs the extra fat in whole milk to help him grow. After he turns 2, he can drink skim or low-fat milk (such as 1 or 2% milk).
- Do not give your child foods that can cause choking. These foods include hot dogs, raw vegetables, hard candy, and nuts. Young children who do not have all their teeth cannot chew and swallow these foods easily. These foods may cause children under 4 years old to choke.
- Be patient and let your child learn how to feed himself. Children between 1 and 2 years are still developing eating skills. Food may end up on the floor or on your child instead of in his mouth. It will take time for him to learn how to use a spoon to feed himself. Avoid giving your child a fork until he is able to use it without hurting himself.
- Do not force your child to eat new foods if he does not want to. Offer the food again after a few days, and let your child decide if he wants to eat it. Children need to see a new food as many as 8 or 10 times before they are willing to eat it.
- Know that picky eating is a normal behavior in children under 4 years of age. Your child may like a certain food on one day and then decide he does not like it the next day. He may eat only 1 or 2 foods for a whole week or longer. Your child may not like mixed foods, or he may not want different foods on his plate to touch. These eating habits are all normal. Continue to offer 2 or 3 different foods at each meal, even if your child is going through this phase.
What are guidelines for feeding my child who is 6 to 11 years old? - Teach your child how to make healthy food choices at school. A healthy lunch may include a sandwich with lean meat, cheese, or peanut butter. It could also include a fruit, vegetable, and milk. Pack healthy foods if your child takes his own lunch. Pack baby carrots or pretzels instead of potato chips in your child's lunch box. You can also add fruit or low-fat yogurt instead of cookies. Keep his lunch cold with an ice pack so that it does not spoil.
- Make sure your child gets enough calcium. Calcium is needed to build strong bones. Children who are 6 to 8 years old need 800 milligrams (mg) of calcium each day. Children who are 9 to 11 years old need 1300 mg each day. To get enough calcium, your child should eat foods high in calcium. Good sources of calcium are low-fat dairy foods (milk, cheese, and yogurt). Other foods that contain calcium include tofu, kale, spinach, broccoli, almonds, and calcium-fortified orange juice.
What are some healthy foods that I can give to my child? Offer your child a variety of foods from all the food groups. The number and size of servings that your child needs from each food group depends on his age and activity level. Ask your dietitian how much your child should eat from each food group. - Half of your child's plate should contain fruits and vegetables. Offer fresh, canned, or dried fruit instead of fruit juice as often as possible. Limit juice to 4 to 6 ounces each day. Offer more dark green, red, and orange vegetables. Dark green vegetables include broccoli, spinach, romaine lettuce, and collard greens. Examples of orange and red vegetables are carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and red peppers.
- Offer whole grains to your child each day. Half of the grains your child eats each day should be whole grains. Whole grains include brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and whole grain cereals and breads.
- Offer dairy foods each day. Dairy foods are a good source of calcium. Dairy foods include milk, cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt.
- Offer lean meats, poultry, fish, and other protein foods. Other sources of protein include legumes (such as beans), soy foods (such as tofu), and peanut butter (for children over 5). Bake, broil, and grill meat instead of frying it to reduce the amount of fat.
- Offer healthy fats in place of unhealthy fats. A healthy fat is unsaturated fat. It is found in foods such as soybean, canola, olive, and sunflower oils. It is also found in soft tub margarine that is made with liquid vegetable oil. Limit unhealthy fats such as saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. These are found in shortening, butter, stick margarine, and animal fat.
How much physical activity does my child need? - Children 2 to 5 years old should get physical activity through play several times each day. Give your child opportunities to run, climb, and jump. There is no set recommendation for the amount of physical activity children under 5 years old should get each day. Limit the amount of television your child watches to less than 2 hours each day.
- Children 5 to 11 years old should get 1 hour or more of physical activity each day. Examples of physical activities include playing sports, running, walking, playing at the playground, jumping rope, and riding bikes. The hour of physical activity does not need to be done all at once. It can be done in shorter blocks of time. Limit the amount of television your child watches to less than 2 hours each day to encourage your child to be more active.
|