Child Nutrition - What Are The Basic Rules?

Providing quality and varied food is  undoubtedly a prerequisite for raising a healthy child. It is no coincidence that the principles of healthy eating are increasingly talked about during pregnancy and in the first years of life. It is believed that this has a significant impact in the short and long term on the predisposition of the child to a number of diseases. In fact, a person's lifelong diet has a direct impact on his or her health.

In this article we will look at the principles of healthy eating in preschool and school children, when children begin to show their food preferences and are often defined as "villains".

The child's menu must meet the following requirements, which reflect his fast metabolism, high physical activity, the specifics of growth and others:

• To provide all the necessary nutrients, ie. the menu should be complete;
• The energy composition should meet the needs for the specified age;
• To contain food that the child consumes with pleasure;
• To be prepared quickly and economically profitable;
• To also contain some "extras", such as sweet things.

Creating such an "ideal" menu is not always easy, but it is a prerequisite for raising a healthy and rarely ill child.

The child's food must contain the full range of nutrients  - proteins, carbohydrates, fats, each of which has its own importance. When compiling a complete menu, it is usually not necessary to give additional food supplements, vitamins and immunostimulants with a controversial composition and effect. 

The table below shows the daily or weekly needs of the child according to his age.

* 100 ml of milk in calcium content corresponds to 30 g of cheese  

The food products in the first part of the table must provide 80% of the daily energy needs. The remaining 20% ​​is for the "favorite sweet things" that may be present in the menu, but in no case should prevail.

The quantities presented are indicative and show large variations from child to child, depending on growth rate, physical activity, health status, etc.

Below we will look in detail at the main food products and their composition.

1.  Carbohydrates

These include the so-called complex carbohydrates - bread, cereals, potatoes, rice, pasta and others. They are the main source of energy for the body .

Whole grain foods contain more vitamins, including - B vitamins (B1, B6), as well as trace elements - iron, magnesium. They also contain fiber (fiber), protein and unsaturated fats. For this reason, it is important that at least half of the carbohydrates consumed are whole grains . For example, wholemeal bread is especially suitable, and children often take it well.

On the other hand, children's breakfast cereals are highly processed and can contain up to 40% sugar . For this reason, they are not suitable for everyday consumption. 

The main menu should also include potatoes, rice, pasta , which can be used as a side dish. Due to their nature, they are relatively low in fat, unless it applies to french fries, for example. They also contain calcium, vitamin C, protein. Usually children consume them with pleasure, so they are often an integral part of the menu.