that fat is an essential part of your child’s diet, but if your child is regularly eating too much fat and you are looking to reduce the amount of fat in his or her diet, then try the following:
* Limit cakes, biscuits and savoury snacks, which are high in fat.
* Trim fat off meat and skin off poultry.
* Grill, poach, steam, bake or microwave rather than fry foods.
* Swap whole milk for semi-skimmed.
* Choose low-fat dairy products.
* Use vegetable oil and low-fat spreads rather than lard, butter or hard margarine.
Vitamins and minerals are needed by the body for growth, repair and staying healthy. They are taken from the food we eat and absorbed by the body. Each vitamin and mineral has a specific role and should be eaten daily, as most vitamins and minerals cannot be stored by the body. For daily requirement, function and foods where the vitamins and minerals are found, see the table below.
Although vitamins and minerals are just as important to the body as calories, and protein, carbohydrates and fat, we only need them in small amounts. As with all nutrients, if your child is eating a well-balanced diet that includes fresh fruit and vegetables they will have the daily intake of vitamins and minerals that are essential for growth, development and maintaining a healthy body and mind.
Notice I haven’t said water, because fluid can be obtained from many different sources including soups, fruit juices, milk, vegetables and fruit – tomatoes, grapes, melons and oranges, for example, are 90 per cent water. It is vital a child has sufficient fluid intake, as much as it is that a child eats. The human body is 63 per cent water and the brain 77 per cent. Drinking regularly, and so keeping the body and brain hydrated, is therefore essential for body and brain to function in a child or adult. By the time a child is saying they are thirsty they are already dehydrated, and even mild dehydration can cause headaches, tiredness, loss of concentration and irritability.
Salt is added to most snacks and processed food and salt is a diuretic: that is, it makes you wee more, which results in dehydration if the lost fluid is not replaced. Children are more prone to dehydration than adults, as a result of diet (such as salty snacks) and activity (fluid is lost in sweat), and because they can forget to drink. Also, the school routine doesn’t always offer enough opportunity for children to drink during the day.
Trials have shown that if children take a bottle of water into school, and are encouraged to drink at regular intervals during the day, there isn’t the dip in concentration and learning that is often experienced in late morning and afternoon. The ideal drink for children is water, but if your child really won’t drink water, then lightly lace it with additive-free squash or fruit juice. Your child should be drinking regularly throughout the day, and apart from the fluid obtained from soups and fruit, etc., he or she should drink 1.5–2 litres a day, or more if they are very active or the weather is hot.
It is important your child eats and drinks regularly throughout the day and the best way of ensuring this happens is to establish regular mealtimes. Not only will this encourage your child to eat in a calm and enjoyable manner but family mealtimes are also a sociable event, where family members meet and talk amicably in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. Many children who come into foster care have never had mealtimes or sat at a dining table and do not know how to use a knife and fork. One of the first things I do when a child arrives is to establish a routine, which includes regular bath and bed times, and meals at set times at which the family eats at the table. A routine where all members of the family know what is expected feels safe, secure and reliable to a child, and so too with mealtimes.
* The child’s food and fluid intake can be easily monitored by the parent to ensure the child is eating a healthy diet, which is sufficient for their needs but not excessive. It will be obvious what the child has eaten from what remains on the plate.
* Family meals at the table encourage family members to bond with each other and enjoy each other’s company.
* Children can learn table manners and how to use cutlery, usually by imitating their parents. Table manners and knowing how to use cutlery are very important in adult life.
* Children can sit upright at a table (rather than slouching on a sofa), which encourages good digestion.
So these are the main reasons why children should eat family meals at the table, but what exactly is a good mealtime and how do we achieve it?
* Aim to have at least one family meal together every day that includes all family members. For practical reasons this is often the evening meal.
* Establish good hygiene, with the children washing their hands before the meal and changing out of any very dirty clothes, for example if they have just come in from the garden caked in mud.
* Create good practice by calling the family for dinner a couple of minutes before the food is ready, so that they arrive at the table just before you serve the meal.
* As far as is practical, include children in the preparation of the meal, laying the table and clearing away afterwards. Children love to help and even young children can be taught to lay a place at a table.
* Switch off the television during mealtimes so that the focus is on the meal, the people and eating, not on the television screen. Likewise, books, magazines and hand-held game consoles should be left away from the table.
* Provide nutritious food that is simple, varied and appealing to children. While an adult might relish Stilton and broccoli soup, followed by glazed duck breast with port and caramelized orange sauce, most children will not.
* Serve the same food to all family members unless your child has special dietary needs. I deal with food fussiness on the next page.
* Keep the talk at the table light and positive, so that all family members have a chance to share their news as well as eating. The meal table is not a place for siblings to continue a disagreement or for parents to criticize or discipline their children.
* As far as possible have meals at the same time each day. This will ensure children (and adults) eat and drink regularly, which is essential to maintain energy levels and concentration.
*
