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What should my child eat?
Parents play a big role in shaping children’s eating habits. When parents eat a variety of foods that are low in fat and sugar and high in fiber, children learn to like these foods as well. It may take 10 or more tries before a child accepts a new food, so do not give up if your child does not like a new food right away.
Parents have an effect on children’s physical activity habits as well. You can set a good example by going for a walk or bike ride after dinner instead of watching TV. Playing ball or jumping rope with your children shows them that being active is fun.
With many parents working outside the home, child care providers also help shape children’s eating and activity habits. Make sure your child care provider offers well-balanced meals and snacks, as well as plenty of active play time.
If your child is in school, find out more about the school’s breakfast and lunch programs and ask to have input into menu choices, or help your child pack a lunch that includes a variety of foods. Get involved in the parent-teacher association—PTA—to support physical education and after-school sports.
Your child’s friends and the media can also affect his or her eating and activity choices. Children may go to fast food places or play video games with their friends instead of playing tag, basketball, or other active games. TV commercials try to persuade kids to choose high-fat snacks and high-sugar drinks and cereals. When parents help their children be aware of peer and media pressures, youngsters are more likely to make healthy choices outside the home.
In January 2005, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) jointly released the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These new guidelines outline recommendations to promote health and reduce the risk of chronic disease through nutritious eating and physical activity.
The new guidelines encourage Americans over 2 years of age to eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods. Recommended items include fruits, vegetables, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, nuts, and whole grains. The guidelines also recommend a diet low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Calcium helps build strong bones and teeth. Milk and milk products are great sources of calcium. If your child cannot digest milk or if you choose not to serve milk products, there are other ways to make sure he or she gets enough calcium.
- Serve calcium-rich vegetables like broccoli, mustard greens, kale, collard greens, and brussels sprouts.
- Include high-calcium beans like great northern beans, black turtle beans, navy beans, and baked beans in casseroles and salads.
- Try calcium-enriched soy- and rice-based drinks. Serve chilled, use in place of cow’s milk in your favorite recipes, or add to hot or cold cereals.
- Serve lactose-reduced or lactose-free dairy products like low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, and ice cream. (Lactose is the sugar in milk and foods made with milk. People who cannot digest lactose often have stomach pain and bloating when they drink milk.)
- Try low-fat yogurt or cheese in small amounts—they may be easier to digest than milk.
How can I help my child eat better?
- Give your child a snack or two in addition to his or her
three daily meals.
- Offer your child a wide variety of foods, such as grains,
vegetables and fruits, low-fat dairy products, and lean
meat or beans.
- Serve snacks like dried fruit, low-fat yogurt, and air-popped
popcorn.
- Let your child decide whether and how much to eat. Keep
serving new foods even if your child does not eat them at
first.
- Cook with less fat-bake, roast, or poach foods instead
of frying.
- Limit the amount of added sugar in your child's diet.
Choose cereals with low or no added sugar. Serve water or
low-fat milk more often than sugar-sweetened sodas and fruit-flavored
drinks.
- Choose and prepare foods with less salt. Keep the salt
shaker off the table. Have fruits and vegetables on hand
for snacks instead of salty snack foods.
- Involve your child in planning and preparing meals. Children
may be more willing to eat the dishes they help fix.
- Have family meals together and serve everyone the same
thing.
- Do not be too strict. In small amounts, sweets or food
from fast-food restaurants can still have a place in a healthy
diet.
- Make sure your child eats breakfast. Breakfast provides
children with the energy they need to listen and learn in
school.
Simple Snack Ideas
- Dried fruit and nut mix
- Fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables or fruit served plain or with low-fat yogurt
- Rice cakes, whole-grain crackers, or whole-grain bread served with low-fat cheese, fruit spread, peanut butter, almond butter, or soy nut butter
- Pretzels or air-popped popcorn sprinkled with salt-free seasoning mix
- Homemade fruit smoothie made with low-fat milk or yogurt and frozen or fresh fruit
- Dry cereals served plain or with low-fat or fat-free milk
To read the rest
of this excellent article on healthy eating and physical activity,
produced by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive
and Kidney Diseases, please click here: http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/child.htm#howwill
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