NUTRITION FOR KIDS

NUTRITION FOR KIDS – EVERY SMART MOM MUST KNOW IN 2020- BABY INDIA

INTRODUCTION – What is Nutrition for Kids?!

Proper nutrition is vital for everyone’s good health, but it especially holds true to children. The early years are the foundation and building blocks of good nutrition. Children are picky eaters, any parent knows that. At times, it is easier to simply let them get away without eating their veggies. However, as a parent, one of your most important responsibilities is to help your child to grow into a healthy and well-adapted adult. Surprisingly to some, the first step has it roots in the right nutrition for kids. Here it will cover nutrition for kids-food groups so that it will be very useful for your kids and you to understand the proper information.

WHY IS NUTRITION FOR KIDS SO IMPORTANT ?

Kids  don’t know enough to naturally choose to eat well, so nutrition for kids is vital. Left to their own devices, they will naturally choose junk food, which mostly contain only empty calories.

 Nutrition is directly linked to their mental and physical development. Whatever they  ingest now will have direct ties to their quality of life as adults. By being proactive about what they eat, you will promote a better quality of  life in them.

DANGERS OF LACK OF NUTRITION FOR KIDS

   *  When kids lack the right amount of nutrition from on early age, they may develop cognitive defects.

   *  Long standing disturbed eating patterns that will lead to other disorders later in life, including obesity, anemia and the onset of Type 2 diabetes.

    * Another very important point to consider when it comes to nutrition for kids is how a child’s diet can affect their concentration. Breakfast  is important to help a child stay focused during the day. Better focus leads to better understanding of school work.

    * The integrity of bones and teeth solely rely on the right amount  amounts of calcium and other minerals. Growing children need to consume a  high amount of calcium every to ensure proper bone deposits. As bones start to thin out later in life, osteoporosis sets in. The less calcium  the body contains, the sooner they run the risk of developing osteoporosis.

   * Without substantial nutrition in kids, tissue growth is stunted, and cells take longer to repair.
 Inadequate intake of fruits and veggies will put the child at risk of developing cancer and cardio vascular related diseases, as well as diseases like scurvy
The benefits of balance diet for kids are endless. Not only does it prevent all of the above mentioned conditions and ailments, but children will perform better mentally and physically. Their immune systems will naturally become more resilient, enabling them to fight off colds and infections much easier, thanks to proper support. By instilling healthy choices now, they will learn from an early age what is necessary to promote optimum health. Once these habits are in place, they won’t break them easily. Proper nutrition for kids results in a healthier longer life; it is as simple as that.

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY FOOD ?

 Healthy Nutrition Recipes for Kids

Convincing kids that nutritional foods can be delicious can be an uphill battle. But who said nutrition recipes for kids have to be boring? With a bit of creativity you can provide yummy treats that kids of all ages will go crazy for.
There are many yummy and nutritious recipes for kids available, but these should help get those creative juices flowing.
Snacks
The only limit here is your imagination. Here’s but a few ideas for nutrition recipes for kids

  Frozen Banana Lollies
Skewer a peeled banana on a kebab stick and pop it into a freezer for about two hours. It makes the ideal treat for warm summer days, and is a perfect substitute for ice cream. The banana can also be dipped in yoghurt. You can do the same with any fruits of your choice, but citrus fruits like oranges are best avoided for this purpose. Pineapple, peaches and strawberries can be cut into easy to bite sizes and frozen together, or in an ice tray.

Celery Sticks
Children are not fond of celery, but cover a few stick in peanut butter and sprinkle it with raisins, and no child can resist.

Apple Slices
Speaking of peanut butter, the same can be done with a few slices of apple. The peanut butter compliments the taste of the apple perfectly

Muesli Munch
Muesli, dried fruits and nuts all mixed together in a sandwich bag provides for the perfect high energy snack on the go

However, nutritious snacks are all good and well and a step in the right direction, but your child will need something a bit more substantial at mealtime other than fruit lollies and celery sticks.

Nutritional recipes for kids

Breakfast Peach Parfait
 You will need a can of peach halves or slices in syrup, yogurt, cooked oat bran and some berries of your choice. Layer the peaches in a bowl, and drizzle the syrup over it. Layer with yoghurt, oats, and finish it off sprinkling berries as a topping. It takes mere minutes to prepare, or can even be refrigerated over night

Chicken Nuggets and Pineapple Dip

 For that Healthy Recipe You will need;
        1 egg
        2 tablespoons milk
        Half a cup of crushed cornflakes
        Boneless chicken breasts, but into nugget bite sizes
        Dip:
        One can of pineapple pieces
        1 tablespoon corn starch
        Quarter cup orange / pineapple juice
        Quarter cup barbecue sauce
Empty the contents of the tin of pineapples into a blender until it makes a puree. Then add the puree into a pan, mix with cornstarch, and add the juice and barbecue sauce. Leave it to simmer for about 3 minutes till the sauce thickens
Set the oven to 400 F. Whisk the egg and milk into a bowl, and crush the cornflakes in a bag. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture, and then dip in the crushed cornflakes. Now you can either bake the nuggets for about 15 minutes, and serve it with the dip, or dip the nuggets in the sauce before you bake them.

HEALTHY DIET FOR KIDS

Persuading a child to follow a healthy diet is a challenge at best. Children are so easily influenced and swayed by glamorous advertising, and they are bombarded with images and trends. More often than not, these advertised food stuffs are high in sugar, salts and bad fats. The good news is that because children are so easily influenced, you can sway them right in your own home, convincing them to eat a healthy diet for kids.
A healthy diet for kids is made out of a variety of food sources without obtaining all the extra calories.

A Healthy Diet for Kids Consists of;
Fats

As discovered, growing children and toddlers should actually consume more (healthy) fatty products than adults.  The best fats are sources of omega 3, found in fish and nuts, and omega 6, found in avocado, nuts and sunflower seeds.

Fruits and Veggies

There is a reason why these two food sources are always mentioned in the same breath. Both contain high concentrations of phytonutrients, vital in any nutritious, healthy diet for kids

Protein

No one of the food sources found in the food pyramid is more important than the other. Proteins are the building blocks of amino acids. It is essential in their development. Meat, eggs, milk, cheese and fish are all excellent sources of protein. Just do not overload young children on protein, since it might do some damage to their kidneys.

Carbohydrates

Carbs typically make up the biggest part of any healthy diet for kids. Carbs are easily converted to sugar to produce energy. Refined sugar and processed wheat products are best avoided, with the best sources being whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Water

Water is not technically a food source, but the role it plays is just as important in the optimum functioning of the body.

Conclusion : A healthy diet for kids works hand in hand with the food pyramid. When in doubt about what is healthy or not, simply refer to the food pyramid for guidance.