Healthy Food and Nutrition

Healthy Food and Nutrition

Good nutrition and healthy foods are so important to children in all age groups. Children are growing and their bodies need adequate nutritional to support this growth. Adults are responsible for providing good nutrition to children and to teach them healthy eating habits. Teachers and parents should role model healthy eating habits to young children. This will help children to learn to make nutritionally sound food choices (Robertson, 2010).

Good Nutrition and Eating Habits

Children need good nutrition from the beginning of life. Infants rely on breast milk or formula for all nutrition until they reach 4 months of age (Robertson, 2010). This milk provides needed carbohydrates and fats to the infant, which gives energy to the growing baby.  As the infant grows, iron-rich cereals are introduced followed by various baby foods. By starting the baby with different foods, healthy eating habits are established at an early age.

When the child is a toddler he or she will not be consuming formula or breast milk and will have to obtain proper nutrition from a variety of foods. These foods should include servings of grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and meat and beans. Foods should be cut into bite-size pieces to avoid choking. Toddlers should drink whole-fat milk to reach the dietary fat needed for brain development and healthy growth (Robertson, 2010). In addition, toddlers should eat iron-rich foods to prevent an iron deficiency. Iron deficiency can cause fatigue and anemia (Robertson, 2010).  A few iron-rich foods are red meats, green leafy vegetables, and dried fruits.

Preschool children are very active as they learn and explore the world around them. Teachers and early childhood professionals should ensure that these children are receiving the proper nutrition. This age group is becoming more social and is will to try foods that he or she may see a peer eating (Robertson, 2010). Preschoolers also have a better understanding of being hungry or feeling full. This self-regulation is a life skill the child needs to develop to live a long, healthy life.

Helping Children Develop Healthy Eating Habits

Adults should actively help children to develop healthy eating habits. In helping young children develop healthy eating habits, adults are assisting in the development of life-long healthy eating. By teaching children nutrition education, parents or caregivers are assisting the child in understand his or her personal role in eating.

To accomplish helping children to learn and develop healthy eating habits, adults should focus on role modeling and education (Robertson, 2010). Modeling healthy eating involves eating healthy foods and encouraging young children to do the same. Children learn by observing and by seeing the caring adults in their lives make healthy choices, they are more likely to do the same.

Nutrition education can be accomplished by displaying the MyPyramid chart in the home or classroom (Robertson, 2010). Preschool children should be encouraged to help set the table and prepare simple foods. Also, while eating with young children adults should discuss the nutritional values of foods. Talk about how and why the body needs nutrients to function.

Nutritious Recipes

Cooking with preschool children is an important step in healthy eating habits. Parents and caregivers should try simple recipes to persuade children participating in preparing foods. Try to make the experience an enjoyable learning experience for the children. Prep the area and gather supplies so that children are not waiting around to begin the activity. Allow children to participate with hands-on experiences. Children love to measure and mix, so allow them to accomplish this during cooking. Remember that a child who has had a hand in creating something to eat is more likely to eat the food!

 Here are three nutritious but simple recipes to try.

Awesome Applesauce (Kid’s Health, 2011)

Ingredients:

• 2 small red apples
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice

·      2 tsp. sugar

·      2 pinches of cinnamon

Utensils:

•    knife (you'll need help from your adult assistant)

•    blender or food processor

•    measuring spoons

•    serving bowls

Directions:

1.        Peel the apples and cut them into small pieces. Throw out the core.

2.        Put the apple pieces and lemon juice into the blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is very smooth.

3.        Pour the mixture into two small bowls and stir in the sugar and cinnamon.

4.        Enjoy your awesome applesauce!

Serves: 2

Serving size: 1 bowl (half the recipe)

Nutritional analysis (per serving):
84 calories
0 g protein
0 g fat
22 g carbohydrate
2 g fiber
0 mg cholesterol
3 mg sodium
14 mg calcium
0.3 mg iron

Perfect Pineapple Pops (Kid’s Health, 2011)

Ingredients:

•    2 c. plain yogurt

•    ½ c. canned crushed pineapple (packed in its own juice instead of packed in syrup)

•    1 can frozen pineapple or orange-pineapple juice concentrate, thawed

Utensils:

•    medium-sized bowl

•    mixing spoon

•    small paper cups

•    plastic wrap

•    wooden popsicle sticks (available at craft stores)

•    measuring cups

Directions:

1.     Drain the can of crushed pineapple so all the juice runs out.

2.     Put all the ingredients in the bowl and mix together.

3.     Spoon the mixture into the paper cups. Fill them almost to the top.

4.     Stretch a small piece of plastic wrap across the top of each cup.

5.     Using the popsicle stick, poke a hole in the plastic wrap. Stand the stick straight up in the center of the cup.

6.     Put the cups in the freezer until the mixture is frozen solid.

7.     Remove the plastic wrap and peel away the paper cup. You'll have pineapple pops to eat and share!

Serves: 6

Serving size: 1 pop

Nutritional analysis (per serving):
169 calories
4 g protein
1 g fat
36 g carbohydrate
0 g fiber
5 mg cholesterol
62 mg sodium
136 mg calcium
0.1 mg iron

Tiny Pizzas (Kid’s Health, 2011)

Ingredients:

•    1 standard-sized bagel, cut in half

•    tomato sauce

•    shredded mozzarella cheese

•    toppings like diced green pepper, chopped onion, or chopped tomato (whatever you like)

•    seasonings like oregano, basil, and pepper

Utensils:

•    oven (you'll need help from your adult assistant)

•    knife (you'll need help from your adult assistant)

•    baking sheet

Directions:

1.     Preheat the oven to 325° F.

2.     Spread tomato sauce on each bagel half.

3.     Sprinkle the shredded cheese all over the tomato sauce on each half.

4.     Add your favorite toppings.

5.     Put a light sprinkling of seasonings on each half.

6.     Put your bagel halves on the baking sheet.

7.     Bake in the oven on low heat for about 5 to 8 minutes. You'll know they're done when the cheese is bubbly.

8.     Let cool for a minute, and then enjoy your tiny pizzas!

Serves: 1

Serving size: 2 tiny pizzas

Nutritional analysis (per serving):
210 calories
9 g protein
4 g fat
34 g carbohydrate
2 g fiber
11 mg cholesterol
633 mg sodium
144 mg calcium
1.9 mg iron

References

Kid’s Health. (2011). Recipes for kids. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/index.html#cat20229

Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.