Healthy Eating For Kids – All About Food Groups!6 Apr

Healthy eating is just as important as exercising for kids and their growing bodies.

Last week we took a look at how to keep your little ones active over the holidays, and this week we’ll be looking at healthy eating and how to create a balanced diet using all the important food groups. Heres our take on the best ways for kids to eat healthy!

Fruit & Veg

Fruits and vegetables are the key source of vitamins, minerals and fibre – all the best things especially for your child’s growth. Of course 5 portions of fruit and veg a day is what everyone aims for but it’s not always easy! A good thing about fruit especially is that its a quick and easy snack for on the go moving, and a great lunch box snack for kids! We know that children don’t always want to eat fruit and vegetables but some tricks can help with this! Making fruit into smoothies is a good way of ensuring they enjoy their 5-a-day, and nvolving children in the cooking and preparation of vegetables can make them more likely to eat them as they helped cook them!

Starchy Foods

Starchy foods like potatoes, pasta, rice and bread should be the main part of any meal, they provide the energy and nutrients that kids need plenty of to keep active! As they’re growing up, children under 5 tend not to need as much starch as adults as it can fill their tummies up before they’ve taken in all the nutrients! Aim to eat wholemeal foods as they are higher in fibre – half and half bread has the goodness of wholegrain but tastes like white is ideal for kids that aren’t sure about brown bread!

Milk & Dairy

Of course we all know that milk and dairy gives us strong bones and teeth, but it also gives us lots of vitamin A which helps fight infections and gives us healthy skin and eyes. Sometimes it can be hard getting kids to have milk and dairy but it is an essential vitamin A source, and they don’t need to drink milk to get it! Yoghurts are great form of dairy with plenty of calcium, and they’re also tasty for children to enjoy! Spreadable cheeses are another tasty treat for kids to have on their sandwiches.

Protein & Iron

Meat, fish, eggs and beans are the best sources of iron, another essential mineral which has important roles in the body. Iron increases the flow of oxygen around the body keeping us active and alert, especially important when your kids are at school! It’s also an important mineral for growing bodies. Beans are a favourite of children, and they have plenty of iron in them! Scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast is a great meal for children to include protein in their diet. Incorporating oily fish at least once a week is also an ideal way to ensure they get plenty of iron.

Fats & Sugars

Fats and sugars aren’t all bad! Many people see the word “fat” and immediately decide they don’t want it, but we need good fats in our diet! A low, balanced amount is good for your diet and gives you more energy. Younger children need more than adults, but by the time a child is 5 they should be having a low fat diet just like their parents.

So there’s a few guidelines on health eating for kids! With it being Easter Holidays, we thought this was an ideal topic to explore! Don’t forget to check out our Holiday Fun guides to see how your little ones can get active at Brio.

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