Happy Mealtimes for Kids. Cathy Glass
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and depends on their age, size and how active they are. Children who are going through a growth spurt need to increase their calorie intake, and boys usually need more than girls because they have bigger frames. Now follows a general guideline to the number of calories your child will need, but it is general – based on averages. In the first six months a baby will obtain most, if not all, of its calories from milk.
Everything we eat or drink, except water, contains calories. Most packaged food shows the number of calories the food contains on the label. No child should ever be calorie counting; it is the parent’s or carer’s responsibility to ensure their child receives a good diet, which will include sufficient calories for growth and development but not so many that the child becomes obese. Clearly I haven’t the space here to list the calorific content of all foods but here is the amount of calories in some of the foods popular with children.
Height and weight charts have largely been replaced by BMI (Body Mass Index) as a way to calculate the correct weight for a child (and adult). However, the calculators can sometimes be complicated to use and the results difficult to interpret, so now follows a general guideline on what your child should weigh at a given height. Remember the heights are averages, so your child will very likely be slightly above or below.
Protein is another essential requirement in a child’s diet. Protein is the building block of life. Every cell in the human body contains protein, and protein is needed for growth and repair.
Most food that is packaged lists the amount of protein per gram the food contains on the label. If protein is not shown, then the food doesn’t contain any protein. However, although this information may be helpful, if a child is given a well-balanced, varied diet which includes protein at the main meal they will have enough protein for their needs. Protein is found in many foods, even in small amounts in cake and bread. Foods rich in protein should be included daily in a child’s diet and these are:
* meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and eggs
* beans, pulses, nuts, grains and seeds
* milk and milk products
* soya products and vegetable protein foods
Some typical values of protein-rich food are:
The carbohydrates our bodies take from the food we eat are our main source of energy. The more active a child is the more carbohydrate he or she will need. Carbohydrates also have the function of setting protein to work – for growth and repair – which is why the two food groups are eaten together: meat and potatoes, bread and cheese, etc. There are two types of carbohydrate – complex and simple – and the body needs both of them:
Complex carbohydrates are found in fresh and processed foods and are sometimes called starchy foods. Foods providing complex carbohydrates include: bananas, beans, brown rice, chickpeas, lentils, nuts, oats, parsnips, potatoes, root vegetables, sweetcorn, wholegrain cereals, wholemeal bread, wholemeal cereals, wholemeal flour, wholemeal pasta, and are considered ‘good’ carbs. Refined starches are also complex carbohydrates but are not so good because the refining process removes nutrients from the food and concentrates the sugar. They are found in: biscuits, pastries and cakes, pizzas, sugary breakfast cereals, white bread, white flour, white pasta, white rice.
Simple carbohydrates are also known as sugars – natural and refined. Natural sugars are found in fruit and vegetables. Refined sugars are in: biscuits, cakes, pastries, chocolate, honey, jams, jellies, sugar, pizzas, processed foods and sauces, soft drinks, sweets, snack bars.
Children over two should have a diet where approximately half their calories come from carbohydrates, and preferably from ‘good’ sources, so the amount of refined sugar and starch – from cakes and biscuits, etc. – is limited. But there is no need to carb count. If your child is eating a variety of foods in well-balanced meals they will be eating the carbohydrates their body needs.
Fibre is another important component in a healthy, balanced diet and many children don’t eat enough fibre. We obtain fibre from plant-based foods: for example, fruit, vegetables, wholemeal bread and pasta, and some cereals. Not only is fibre good for the digestive system (it prevents constipation), but it is also good for the heart and for blood circulation, and lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels, so preventing diabetes in later life. Fibre provides bulk to a diet, so any child on a weight-reduction programme would be advised to eat a high-fibre diet, which will make them feel full and therefore control hunger and appetite.
The amount of fibre a child needs in their diet is shown below. It will also be listed on most packaged foods. Fibre in the form of bran can be added to a child’s diet but if a child is eating plenty of natural wholesome foods they should be getting the fibre they need. Problems arise if a child consistently eats a diet high in processed food, which contains little or no fibre.
So that if, for example, a child aged eight has two Shredded Wheat for breakfast, sandwiches made from three or four slices of wholemeal bread and a piece of fruit for lunch, and an evening meal of meat and two veg, they will have had their daily requirement of fibre. However, if the same child skips breakfast or has a couple of biscuits, a white bread sandwich and a packet of crisps for lunch, and pasta and cake for the evening meal, their diet will be lacking in fibre, which causes constipation. A general rule is that if the food is plant based then it will have a high fibre content and should be included in a child’s daily diet.
Fat in children’s (and adults’) diets has had a lot of bad press recently because in the Western world we often eat too much fat. However, fat is an essential component of a well-balanced diet and performs a number of functions:
* Fat is a good source of energy. 1 gram provides 9 calories, which is more than double the calories in protein or carbohydrate.
* Fat transports vitamins A, D, E and K around the body, supplying the body with essential nutrients.
* Fat often makes food taste better.
* Fat is a source of fatty acids (EFAs), which are thought to have a positive effect on the heart and immune system.
* Fat stored in the body protects internal organs as well as being a fuel reserve. Should a child fall sick and not eat properly the body burns