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Healthy eating habits developed in childhood will encourage healthy eating as an adult. Children need to eat a variety of foods everyday to be healthy.
Fussy eaters
The fussiest ages are usually between three and nine years. Listed below are some tips to help you encourage your children, to eat a wide variety of healthy foods.
- Don't put too much food on their plate; and arrange it so it looks appealing.
- Try not to judge children's tastes by your own, go easy with spices and condiments.
- Encourage children to help with the meal preparation and to 'taste test' before adding extra flavours.
- Children will not eat fruit and vegetables simply because 'they are good for them’. They must have good flavour and texture.
- Plenty of fresh air and exercise throughout the day gives kids a better appetite.
- Children thrive on routine, keep mealtimes regular.
Breakfast every day
Breakfast is very important and should be eaten every day. Some examples are a nutritious drink, fresh or stewed fruit, custard, yoghurt, leftovers on toast or milk drinks as well as the 'usual' breakfast foods such as cereals, toast, eggs and baked beans.
Other breakfast ideas:
- Yoghurt and Fruit Rice: Combine 1/2 cup cooked warm rice, 1/4 cup chopped fresh or dried fruit and 1/4 cup yoghurt.
- French Toast: Beat 1 egg with 2 teaspoons of milk. Cut a thick slice of bread into squares and dip into egg. Brush a non-stick frypan with olive oil and cook bread until golden on both sides.
- Microwave Scrambled Eggs: Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of milk in a shallow microwave bowl. Cook on Medium 50% Power for 35 seconds, stir, cook another 35 seconds, stir. Allow to stand 30 seconds.
Healthy lunches
A sandwich with a piece of fruit is a very healthy lunch for kids.
Hints for healthy sandwiches
- Try using avocado instead of butter.
- Don't worry if your child won't eat wholemeal bread. The 'high-fibre' varieties of white bread are a great alternative.
- Use lean meat in preference to 'sausage varieties'.
- Pack pieces of chopped or grated vegetables so that your child can eat them separately or add them to their sandwich.
- Don't add salt to sandwich fillings and choose reduced salt sauces and spreads.
- Avoid fillings that make sandwiches soggy like tomato, beetroot and wet lettuce.
- Avoid smelly sandwich fillings like eggs, fish and garlic meats.
- Vary the bread by using different types of bread eg. pocket bread, crispbreads, Turkish bread, lavish bread or rice cakes.
- Freeze prepared sandwiches the night before to save time in the morning. Fillings that freeze well include: lean cooked meats, chicken, canned fish, cheese, peanut butter, hard boiled egg. Avoid salad ingredients.
Instead of sandwiches you could try chicken drumsticks, lentil burgers, meat balls, pasta salad, frittata or vegetable sticks with a dip.
Dinner ideas
Most mothers are busy and don't have time to cook 2 meals, one for the parents and one for the kids. The solution is to prepare simple, healthy meals the whole family will enjoy, such as:
- Hearty soups or casseroles
- Stir-fries using chicken, beef or lamb, lots of vegetables and some noodles.
- Pasta dishes like meatballs with pasta, tuna & tomato fettuccine or macaroni cheese
- Egg dishes such as frittata, quiche and omelettes.
- Homemade hamburgers are sure to please the kids, try using chicken mince for a change.
- Pizzas made at home are a healthy alternative.
- Tuna or salmon bakes using rice or bread as the base.
- Stuffed vegetables eg potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms or cabbage rolls.
Vegetables
Many children will not eat cooked vegetables but may eat them raw. Salad vegetables like cherry tomatoes, slices of cucumber, grated carrot or carrot sticks, celery, stringless beans, snow peas, squash and avocado are a good option and can be served with a tasty dip.
Try disguising vegetables by grating them in meat loaves, rissoles, savoury mince and casseroles. Many children will eat vegetables if served as vegetable lasagne, in a stir-fry or in steamed or fried rice. If children refuse vegetables altogether, fruit is a good substitute.
For a vegetarian diet, make sure kids eat plenty of legumes (soy & kidney beans, lentils), nuts, seeds, eggs, milk and milk products, cereal grains, bread, rice, pasta, noodles, fruit and vegetables.
For more information or advice, please contact our cooking consultant. |
