Importance of Nutritious Food for Children

Teaching children the importance of good nutrition during childhood will lay the foundation for a healthier more fulfilling life later in their lives.

Lately it has becoming challenging for most parents to get their children to eat healthy and nutritious food.  It is relatively easy to buy and prepare healthy food, but the difficulty is in getting children to eat them.  Before we can change the children’s behavior, we as parents need to know the importance of nutritious food for children.

According to Ms. Rashmi Baji Maya Shrestha, dietician at KIST in Lalitpur since seven years, “Food that has nutrients such as protein, fats, carbohydrate, vitamins and water are called nutritious food.”  She further adds that it is important to include plenty of water and adequate amount of protein for growth and cellular repair. Children also need adequate amount of carbohydrates to drive their high energy activities and just enough fat to provide essential fatty acids for cell growth. Finally, children's diets should include enough iron, calcium and vitamin D to strengthen blood and bones, and zinc and magnesium to strengthen the immune system.  Thus eating a balanced diet is vital for the good health and wellbeing of the children.

The truth is that nowadays we make it easy for our children to eat processed and fast food instead of fruits, vegetables and other whole foods.  That may be so because they are easily available in the market and are tasty.  What we need to understand is that eating healthy food is no longer a matter of simple choice; it is vital for the wholesome growth of the body.  If nutritional needs are unmet because of too much sugary and high-fat food children may be unable to perform at age-appropriate levels.  And, their immune systems also remain underdeveloped, which makes them prone to infections.

Let your children explore the market and find new fruits and vegetables that they are not eating in the past.

When considering a child's diet, it's important to know what to include and what not to include. Most processed food contain white sugar, white flour, artificial sweetener and food coloring that can leave the body weak, and it provides little nutritional value. Thus, eliminating junk food will allow you to include fruits, vegetables and whole grains, all of which boost the immune system, in the diet.

Parents often experience frustration during mealtimes because they do not know if their children are getting enough nutrients. If this is the case, Rashmi Shrestha suggests a few easy ways to ensure that the children are getting essential nutrients.

Head to the vegetable market: The vegetable market or the vegetable isle at the supermarket is an ideal place for children to learn about the “green” food.  Here, you can teach them the differences between whole food and processed food.  Let your children explore the market and find new fruits and vegetables that they are not eating in the past.

Involve the children in the kitchen: Children are more likely to eat new food if they were involved in choosing and preparing them. Bring children into the kitchen, where they can help you prepare meals. Young children can wash fruits, and set the table. Older ones can actually do some of the cooking. Your family can even look through cookbooks and plan meals together.

Fix meal time:  If the meal time is fixed, there is less likelihood of children eating junk food, and more likelihood of eating balanced home-cooked meals.

Make a colorful plate: Natural color is fun and is nutritious. When you are planning a meal make sure to include plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables.  Sometimes the presentation of the food can tempt children into eating it.

Start with yogurt: Yogurt can be a healthy afternoon snack for children. If your children like lassi then you can add fresh fruits or dry fruits to it to make it tasty and nutritious. You can also make fruit salad with their choice of fruits in the yogurt

Find something crunchy: "Crunchy" doesn't necessarily mean greasy potato chips. Popcorn, nuts and seeds are crunchy and can provide a dose of relatively healthy fat. If you children insist on chips, look for baked chips at the store or consider baking your own potato chips at home. Slice carrots, cucumbers, and celery sticks in front of your children when they are studying or watching television, to see if they would be interested in eating them.

Make fruit available: Keep a bowl of fresh fruit out and available to your children. You can also make a designated drawer or box a storing space for nutritious snacks, and let your children know that they can choose one or two items only from it whenever they feel hungry.