Infants, toddlers,
and preschool children need to meet certain nutrition needs in order to
maintain overall growth and development. Teachers and parents need to work
together and educate children on the benefits of eating healthy. Children will
develop a healthy relationship with food when it is taught early on and
incorporated into their everyday life.
Infants, Toddlers, and
Preschoolers and Healthy Eating
Infants are either
breastfed or formula fed depending on the mother’s preference. Breastfeeding
provides infants with the essential nutrients and is designed by the mother’s
body to fit the needs of that infant. According to Robertson (2016) breast milk
is easier for babies to digest because it is designed to suit the baby’s
metabolism. Breast milk also acts as protection from illness and certain
diseases. Good nutrition for toddlers is important because it acts as fuel for
learning and physical growth. Toddlers are at the stage of learning the
boundaries and testing the limits when it comes to food. Toddlers should be
served foods that are easy to pick up, chew and intriguing, such as colorful or
shaped pieces (Robertson, 2016). In preschool children are able to understand
better the ways that food can impact the way they feel either in a good way
from eating healthy and having energy or a negative way by slowing them down or
making them feel sluggish. As stated by Eating Healthy Kids (2016) preschoolers
that eat nutrient rich foods for breakfast are able to stay alert and
concentrate at school better. Preschoolers can also understand at their age
that there are certain expectations that are expected at the table such as
patience and manners.
Adults Role in Healthy Eating
Adults should play an active role in developing
a child’s healthy eating habits by setting a good example and being a role
model. As stated in Robertson (2016) provide the children with an environment
that is inviting and allows the children to be hands on, such as setting the
table or helping to prepare the foods. Involving children in meal planning
gives the teachers an opportunity to teach the children the nutritional value
of the foods and how much of a certain food group should be on their plate.
Teachers can also demonstrate the right way to behave at the table by sitting
down at the table and engaging along side of the children. This interaction can help to keep the children
interested while waiting and stay focused on the task at hand.
Nutritious Recipes
Letting preschoolers
help prepare foods and experiment with new foods helps children develop skills
that will widen their food horizons (Robertson, 2016). Families can set aside a
day of the week to prepare meals and also try new recipes together. The
following three recipes are nutritious and provide families with some of the
essential nutrients needed to develop and grow.
Kid friendly
smoothies are a great idea to ensure children get many nutrient rich foods. Blend
together ¾ cup frozen green beans, 1 cup frozen strawberries, 3 or4 bunches of
fresh kale, 6 to8 baby carrots, 1 ripe banana, and 1 YoBaby yogurt (Yovino,
2016). Add to a child friendly cup and
allow the child to drink through a straw for added pleasure.
Slow cookers are always fun for the kids because it’s
simple yet rewarding. Oatmeal in the slow cooker allows kids to prep the night
before and when they wake up they have a hearty breakfast waiting for them. The
recipe calls for; 1 cup steel-cut oats, 1 cup skim milk (or milk substitute,
such as almond or soy milk), 3 cups water, 1 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1
teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ cup chopped nuts. Combine and set to low for 7 hours.
Each serving is one cup and contains 230 calories, 5g fat, 39g carbohydrates,
10g sugar, 6g fiber and 8g protein (Teens Health from Nemours, 2015).
Ants on a log is an
oldie but goodie and one that children will enjoy making by themselves. Simple
spread2 tablespoons of peanut butter on 5 celery stalks and add ¼ cup raisins
on top of the peanut butter. Each serving (1 stalk) contains 69 calories, 3.3g
fat, 9g carbohydrates, 1.4g fiber, 6.2g sugar, 2.2g protein, calcium, iron and
vitamin A and C.
References
Healthy Eating for Kids. (2016).
Retrieved from http://www.nutritionist- resource.org.uk/content /healthy-eating-for-kids.html
Robertson, C. (2016). Safety,
Nutrition, Health in Early Education (6th ed.) Boston, MA:
Cengage
Learning
Teens Health from Nemours. (2015).
Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/
en/teens/oatmeal.html
Yovino, K. (2016). Toddler
Nutrition: Veggie Smoothies | Hellobee. Retrieved from
Hello Kelly,
ReplyDeleteI do agree that teachers and families need to work together to ensure that young children maintain a healthy diet. Having repeated examples at home and at school everyday will ensure that children maintain a healthy diet as they get older, and they will be able to make their own healthy choices as well. Breastfeeding, I believe, is hard to do and not every mother can master this technique but it is definitely the best nutrients an infant can receive. I enjoyed some of your recipes. My favorite was the slow cooker idea. I think it is a safe way to cook with a young child and it is also less time consuming for parents who are pressed for time with other obligations.