Young children learn by copying. So parents can show, by their own example, what healthy eating is.

Children under five
These children are growing rapidly yet still have small stomachs. Their diets should have more fat and less fibre than adult meals. Their meals and snacks should include a variety of foods from the five food groups (see food combining).

Use full fat milk and milk products -although you may use semi-skimmed milk from 2 years if your child is eating and growing really well.

Use a mixture of some high fibre foods and some low fibre foods e.g. wholemeal and white bread, rather than only high fibre foods.

Young children need plenty of high iron foods. The best sources are red meat, pork and dark poultry meat. Some iron is also found in oily fish -sardines, mackerel and salmon. Pulses, beans, egg yolks, fruit and vegetables contain small amounts.

Do not give tea to young children, as it reduces iron absorption.

Children over five
Children over five years, like adults, should aim for a balance of the five food groups (see food combining) with plenty of variety within each group. Low salt and fat intakes are recommended. Each meal should be based on starchy foods and include fruit and vegetables.

To lower fat intake:

• Grill or bake on a rack rather than frying.
• When buying ready meals, pizzas or sauces, choose those with less than 6g fat per 100g. Foods with more than 15g fat per 100g are very high fat foods and should only be used occassionally.

Keeping salt intake down:

• Three quarters of the salt, or sodium, we eat is found in processed food especially crisps, biscuits and convenience meals. Reducing these food will automatically reduce salt intake.
• Keep salt added in cooking to a minimum and use more herbs and spices to flavour meals.
• Don’t add salt to food at the table.

Encouraging fruit and vegetables:

• At breakfast always offer some fruit with breakfast cereals or offer diluted fruit juice as a drink. With cooked breakfasts include some mushrooms, tomatoes or baked beans.
• Always offer at least one vegetable and one fruit at lunch and supper.
• Crunchy raw vegetables such as carrot sticks and cucumber slices are popular in lunch boxes and with cold meals.
• Stir fried vegetables are usually more popular than boiled vegetables. Try courgette, peppers, aubergine, cabbage, spinach, cauliflower and broccoli.
• For simple puddings, serve fruit with yogurt, fromage frais, custard or ice cream.
• Younger children often eat more fruit when it is cut up for them.
• Choose cooked puddings containing fruit, eg fruit crumbles, tarts and soufflés.
• If serving cake or biscuits always serve them with some pieces of fruit.

Fruit juices are acidic and, although they provide nutrients, they can damage tooth enamel when offered between meals. Offer them well diluted at meal times to avoid this.

Sugary, fizzy drinks and squashes are also acidic and give calories but virtually no nutrients. Given frequently between meals they cause tooth decay.

Always offer two courses at lunch and supper – a savoury course and a pudding. This gives 2 opportunities for children to eat nutritious foods.

Children eat better when there is a routine of three meals with one or two nutritious snacks each day. Do not allow grazing on food throughout the day. It is important for children to feel hungry before a meal and then learn that feeling of having had enough and not needing any more. Many overweight children have no idea when they feel comfortably full as they tend to graze on snacks throughout the day and have little experience of when they are hungry and when they are not.

More nutritional advice.

Contact Judy to discuss your individual concerns.