What should children eat

Health is the most important asset for both parents and children, what children eat affects their health both now and in the future. They need a balanced diet to grow properly, keep healthy and fight off illnesses. A nutritious diet means your children will:
■ have plenty of energy
■ feel bright and alert
■ concentrate better at school
■ suffer fewer illnesses
■ have clear skin, bright eyes and shiny hair.

Changing children’s eating habits not only improves their health but also their behaviour, mood and learning success at school. Primary schools that belong to the government’s national healthy schools programme where pupils are better fed and get more exercise, make greater academic progress and outperform others in national tests in reading, maths and science.
Grains and potatoes

4–6 portions daily
Bread, pasta, rice, noodles, breakfast cereals, porridge oats, crackers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips and yams. Benefits: Rich energy sources, providing carbohydrates, B vitamins, iron and other minerals. Try to

WHY CHILDREN NEED OMEGA-3 FATS

■ Normal brain development
■ Normal eyesight
■ Help nervous system work
■ Strengthen immune system
■ Keep joints supple
■ Healthy heart and circulation
■ Growing evidence suggests that a lack of omega-3 fats may contribute to developmental conditions of
learning and behaviour, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and ADHD (which affects around 1 in 20 children).

FOODS THAT PROVIDE OMEGA-3 FATS
■ Oily fish (sardines, mackerel, salmon, herring, pilchards, trout, fresh tuna) and seafood

Easy Nutritional Guidelines For Children

Vegetables
Some of the vegetables with the highest nutrient content are broccoli, bell peppers (all colors), spinach, tomatoes, carrots, squash, and Brussels sprouts. Try to get at least three of these into your child every day—11/2 to 21/2 cups total, either in purees or as vegetable side dishes. In my experience, the five top vegetables for nutrition and kid friendliness are, in this order:
• red bell peppers
• baby carrots
• broccoli
• tomatoes
• sugar snap peas

Healthy and Safety Cooking

Whenever you cook, there are certain safety rules you must always keep in mind. Even experienced cooks follow these rules when they are in the kitchen.
•Always wash your hands before handling food. Thoroughly wash all raw vegetables and fruits to remove dirt, chemicals, and insecticides. Wash uncooked poultry, fish, and meat under cold water.
•Use a cutting board when cutting up vegetables and fruits. Don’t cut them up in your hand! And be sure to cut in a direction away from you and your fingers.
•Long hair or loose clothing can easily catch fire if brought near the burners of a stove. If you have long hair, tie it back before you start cooking.

Tips For Making Healthy Meal

• Decrease the meat and increase the vegetables.
• Choose whole-grain versions of pasta and bread; substitute whole-wheat flour for bleached white flour when you bake.
  
• Serve imaginative whole-grain side dishes like bulgur or kasha instead of white rice or pasta.
  Cook with less fat by using non-stick skillets.

Healthy meal

It is 7 A.M. and I am almost late to my office, but I am also concerned about getting my three children ready for school and making sure their first meal of the day—breakfast—is a healthy one. Are they getting enough fiber and vitamins? Is there too much fat or sugar in their food? Later that morning, as I go to hospital and meet someone, a thirty-five-year-old obese diabetic who is about to undergo a procedure to open blocked arteries, I am reminded of how important it is to protect my young girls from heart disease.