This kiddies menu (see the recipes below) is somewhat different to the standard kiddies menu found at fast food outlets or restaurants. With the alarming rise in obesity among pre-school aged children, childhood nutrition requires much more care. Adulthood obesity and disease is effected by childhood obesity, eating habits and nutrition intake. Obesity is likely to follow children into adulthood.
While authoritarian parenting styles are likely to promote obesity, authoritative parenting is required to prevent or manage childhood obesity. This means that while children should not be given the freedom or control to choose what they eat or when, they should be given the freedom to determine the quantity of any meal or snack, offered by a parent or caregiver, that they eat. This allows children to exercise and develop self-regulation, a wonderful skill for long term weight management and a life long healthy relationship with food. Simply put, food choices and therefore nutrient quality is a parental responsibility.
For this reason, I do not advocate making separate meals for children at family meal times but lunch boxes, homework snacks, garden picnics, sport snacks, hiking foods and parties may call for some novelty. A treat does not have to be laden with sugar or salt. The treat could be in the novelty of the food item, the setting in which it is eating or simply in the presentation of a snack.
Including children in the preparation of healthy foods is a a great way to promote an interest in healthy food and broaden the horizons of young taste buds for the development of a diverse food and ultimately nutrient intake. Key to remember is that healthy eating needs to both taught and modeled by all relevant caregivers. Read more about the very important nutrition manipulation opportunity that complementary feeding offers.
I have had great fun preparing these recipes. Follow me on Pinterest for further inspiration.
These whole-wheat gingerbread buttons are a good example of why it is better to bake your own festive treats rather than buy commercially produced baked goods. Baking from scratch at home gives you more control and knowledge. Recipes can be adjusted in many ways to reduce sugar, fat and other nutrient empty calories. Knowing exactly what goes into your home bakes is an added bonus. Baking at homes offers the
Lunch box food safety is an important part of healthy eating as many of the healthy foods and snacks we pack are perishable. As the weather begins to warm up, lunch box food safety is definitely something to factor into lunch meal planning and preparation. For many people, packing fresh, perishable, foods is avoided due to their spoiling nature or the altered taste when eaten warm. These are however the
A banana split, while perhaps old fashioned, and typically served as dessert can be given a healthy make-over. Bananas are often listed as one of few fruits that kids, and sometimes even adults, enjoy. Why not take a simple banana to the next level of enjoyment. Rich in nutrients, fibre and protein, a healthy banana split brekkie could surely entice breakfast skippers and lazy eaters. Bananas are rich in energy and often
Banana Ice Cream! There can simply be no simpler recipe. I love bananas and I do enjoy ice cream so this is the perfect summer treat that is both nutritious and delicious … a winner combination in the mind of a dietitian! All you need is to make sure you have frozen bananas on hand. If you want to make banana ice cream for your family, perhaps sneak one banana
Just Fruity Animals … Now, i think you would be hard pressed to find a convenient healthy treat as cute as these! A great lunch box filler or after school snack, these fruity rhinos, elephants, lions, hippos and buffaloes are sure to please any kid. I just loved these when I saw them and wanted to share my opinion and nutritional analysis of them. It is important to reduce
Smoothie design is half the preparation work done. While already quick to prepare, smoothie making can be even quicker if you plan ahead. Simply design a few recipes using the Smoothie Design infographic guide below which will help you create a good balance of nutrients with sensible portion control. It is important to be careful not to create a kilojoule bomb of a smoothie if you are trying to lose
While traditional complementary feeding (introduction to solids) is simply described as the feeding of pureed food with a spoon, Baby Led Weaning is an entirely different approach, seeing infants self-feeding from age 6 months. As Baby Led Weaning gains momentum as a more convenient option that enhances the development of fine motor skills, it is easy to see the attraction. Nutritionally speaking however, there are some differences between the two methods and with nutrition during
A healthy after school snack is necessary for growing bodies and busy minds. These snacks are a nutritional opportunity for the support growth and brain health but many moms tell me they battle to find healthy snack options to fill the gap between school and dinner time. This often leads to the overuse of convenient store bought snack items. While crisps and biscuits are obvious poor choices, many snack items such as cereal bars are
I am sharing this Crazy Shake : Banana-Choc recipe today in honour of ROALD DAHL! It is Roald Dahl day (13 Sptember 2016) an the well known and well loved author would have been 100 years old today! A huge fan of ROALD DAHL since I was a young child, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to be part of the festivities. As this very talented author must have been somewhat crazy to
This butter bean smash is quick and easy to prepare but is not short on taste. Mashed potatoes is a often a family favourite, described as comfort food. The problem with the peeling of potatoes, however, is the loss of fibre with the loss of the skin. Every meal should contain fibre and leaving the skin on potatoes is an easy way to increase the fibre content. Baby potatoes are
Date paste is my latest and greatest Pinterest success! Already a fan of dates, I did not need much convincing to give this recipe a go. Incredibly easy to make, date paste makes for a tasty sugar substitute. While it does have an energy value due to the natural carbohydrate content of dates, it is not nutrient empty and very little paste is required for the reward of its incredible
Snack Domes are a twist on energy balls I stumbled upon while using a tablespoon measure to scoop up the mixture to achieve equal size portions. (See the graphic below for this time saving trick). Snack time is often the time when people consume high fat foods with added salt or sugar because it is convenient or in some cases cheaper than the healthier option. People also tend to feel like
This recipe for bran muffins has a low sugar content, making it a baked treat well worth making at home rather than buying muffins from a supermarket or coffee shop. In addition to the high fibre content, you have the freedom to add more nutrients with fruit, nuts or seeds. Muffins can be topped with peanut butter, cottage cheese or hummus but adding a twist with the optional add-ins below makes this a very versatile
Simple healthy snacks are an essential part of a healthy diet. It is important not to undo healthy eating at meal times with excessive snacking on non-nutritious foods. Pinterest is full of ideas but all too often we pin rather than do! Tried & tested from Pinterest, these simple healthy snacks are both nutritious and quick to prepare! It is easy to make the mistake that convenience products and shop bought snacks
I recently posted about treats verses snacks and wanted to share an easy way to create novel and fun foods that can be enjoyed as much a treat foods without the added sugar. The sugar free jelly ideas below can be enjoyed as part of a healthy snack, a healthy dessert option or at a kids party. Barney Sugar Free jelly powder is a great product for making sugar free desserts
As these Cereal fingers are made from iron fortified cereals, they make for an iron rich snack. Iron deficiency results in poor concentration, delayed brain development and fatigue, all of which negatively impacts both learning and physical activity. Lunch boxes should make a significant nutrient contribution to children and adults alike. This nutritious lunch box bake can be made with oats and any combination of breakfast cereals in your pantry. Just remember,
Egg toast is a great breakfast option and enjoyed by most. This quick meal can take on many varieties and designs … scrambled egg, poach egg, French toast, boiled egg with toast soldiers … and even egg in toast! As this takes a little more time and creativity, it is perfect for novel occasions when you want to present something little more special. The cut out shape has endless possibilities! To
The inclusion of healthy snacks in the diets of children is very important in the prevention of dietary deficiencies and overeating at meal times. When it comes to eating a variety of nutritious foods, however, busy little bodies and picky eaters may require a little extra encouragement. Sometimes a little creativity is necessary but it need not be time consuming. Watch the video below to learn how to transform a naartjie into
A tuna sandwich is a healthy lunch box filler for children and adults alike. Making a lunch box for every member of the family is an ideal way to provide good nutrition for the whole family. I often meet moms who prepare perfect lunch boxes for their children but then either skip lunch themselves or opt for a fast food meal. Making family lunch boxes is cost effective and will not take too
Homemade burgers are not only tastier than take away or frozen varieties but they can be healthier too. Don’t be tempted by the lure of the neon signs that highlight all the fast food outlets along your route home. Using extra lean mince and oats to make your own patties, serve with brown bread rolls, roasted red pepper and avocado, these burgers contribute great nutrition without the high quantities of
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