Food for thought
By dietitian Orla Walsh
Darina Allen on going back to basics for wholesome family foods, plus dietian Orla Walsh’s nutrition info
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF EATING WELL? There are many reasons why children need to eat healthy, nourishing food. Most people are aware of the health benefits. However, the benefits cross over into their school work. What a child eats may affect their grades.
One study showed that children who were fed healthy diets when young had slightly higher IQ. When kids eat a healthy breakfast — such as porridge (below right) — they perform better at maths, with scores increasing to 25pc higher than expected.
These benefits are not just with arithmetic; a link has also been shown between a healthy diet and better reading skills. WHAT IS A BALANCED DIET?
A balanced diet is a diet that consists of balanced meals and balanced snacks. Balanced meals contain wholegrain carbohydrates, a protein source, a healthy fat and some fruit and vegetables. This isn’t just dinner — this is the healthiest guide to each of their meals, including breakfast!
It can be tricky to get your child to eat better, especially when it comes to fruit and vegetables. Parents can be very protective, wanting to wrap their kids up in cotton wool or bubble wrap. Fruit and vegetables protect them from the inside out and fruit and veg intake has been linked to a longer, healthier life.
Portion size is a tricky one for parents. It does differ depending on age, size and activity levels. One of the best and simplest measures to use is their hand. The carbohydrate portion of each meal should be the size of a clenched fist. Carbohydrate foods include potatoes, rice, pasta, oats and cereal. Carbohydrates feed children’s brain and fuel their activity.
The protein portion of each meal should be the same size as the palm of their hand. Protein rich foods include poultry, meat, fish, tofu and eggs. Protein feeds their muscles and bones.
The fat portion of each meal should be the same size as their thumb. Fat rich foods include oils and butters. Fats help the body to communicate with itself. The fruit and vegetable portion of each meal should be the same size as two cupped hands. It’s important to eat a rainbow of colours here! SHOULD THEY SNACK?
When it comes to snacking, teach your children to eat in response to what their body is telling them. If they are hungry and a meal is more than one hour away, than a healthy snack is a good idea.
A good habit to get into is providing them with a breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper. All meals should be balanced and of equal size. If schedules make this tricky to achieve, three meals and snacks might be warranted.
A simple guide to healthy snacking is to eat one handful of fruit or vegetables and put it with a handful of a protein source. For example:
Banana (fruit) with a glass of milk (protein) Pineapple (fruit) with cheese (protein) Strawberries (fruit) with yoghurt (protein)
Carrot sticks (vegetable) with hummus (protein) Berries (fruit) with nuts (protein) HOW MUCH DO THEY NEED TO DRINK?
While adults are good at regulating water in the body, these mechanisms are not yet fully developed in children. It’s important that children drink frequently throughout the day. When your child is better hydrated, they can perform better in attention and memory tests.
How much they need to drink depends on a few things including size, activity levels and age. However, a rough guide is that four- to eight-year-olds require about 1,300ml, while nine- to 13-year-olds require 1,5001,700ml of fluid each day. Once puberty starts to occur, boys may need more than girls. Girls may require about 1,600ml, while boys may need about 2,000ml each day. The trick is to get them to drink to avoid thirst and to keep their urine light in colour. TURN OVERLEAF FOR TASTY AND NUTRITIOUS FAMILY RECIPES