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Medical Video: How to Create a Healthy Plate
Good nutrition is an important part of your child's healthy lifestyle. Maybe the reason you prefer to eat at fast food restaurants is because of convenience, low prices, and large portions. But, fast food restaurants only provide a variety of foods high in "empty calories" and less nutritious. During preschool, your child must eat the same food with the whole family to eat, paying more attention to the nutritional value of food. These foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, nonfat or low-fat dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese), lean meat (chicken, turkey, fish, hamburgers), and whole-grain cereals and bread. At the same time, limit eating junk food in your child's menu, and reduce sweet drinks as well.
Because milk is an important part of your child's menu, if milk is the only way your child wants to drink milk, rest assured that research shows that consuming milk or fresh cow's milk does not affect the body mass index in children. Real milk can actually help your child meet his milk needs. The 2006 AAP report on bone health optimization recommends consuming low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese, and yogurt that contain a little extra sugar to meet calcium needs in children.
Desserts like ice cream and cakes don't matter if given occasionally, but of course they shouldn't be given every day. If your child is overweight, always keep an eye on the number of servings, and for children aged four and five, the portion must be less than the portion of the adult other family members eat.
If a three-year-old child is often picky about food, the same behavior can continue until the child is four years old, even though the older child may be more able to express his opinion about the food of his choice. Your child may refuse to eat certain foods. His nutritional needs will still remain the same as in previous years, but he may have an unexpected emotional response to the food provided. The child may say and even swear if he doesn't like the food served, but if you provide a balanced meal, he will have enough food choices to keep him healthy.
At this age, your child should begin to have a good attitude at mealtime and be ready to learn the basics of manners when eating. At the age of four, the child will no longer hold a fork or spoon with his fist, because now he can hold it like an adult does. With instructions, he can also learn about the proper use of eating knives. You can teach her how to eat other things too, like not talking when her mouth is full, using a napkin to clean her mouth, and not disturbing other people's dishes in front of her. In addition to explaining these rules, situate other family members to behave according to what you teach so the child can emulate the attitude he saw around him. He will also have better eating manners if you have a habit of eating with family. Therefore, make at least one family-friendly meal, and ask the child to help you set a table or prepare food.
As much as possible monitor your child's television shows, including advertisements. Television advertisements, even if witnessed with good explanations, can provide serious obstacles to your child's nutrition. Some studies show that the length of time spent in front of TV is associated with obesity. Children between the ages of four and five are very easily affected by advertisements for sugary sweets and cereals, especially after they visit a friend's house where food like this might be served. You need to keep an eye on your child's eating habits, both at home and when playing outside, and watch them to make sure they eat only healthy food.
To prevent adverse effects, keep your own home environment healthy. Always provide nutrient-rich foods, low sodium, low sugar, and low-fat products. So that children will become accustomed to foods that are rich in healthy nutrients and may make it not easy to be tempted by foods that are sweet, salty, or oily.
