If our son eats a lot, if you eat enough, if you like fruits and vegetables, if consumed in excess? Food is always a concern for parents. In addition to it that your diet is healthy and balanced, it is important that we help you to adopt healthy eating habits.
When and How to Start?
Although we do not realize, parents pass on eating habits since the birth of our son. The frequency with which we feed our baby and the context in which we do it (a time and a quiet place) are the power first learning it marked for the rest of his life. A second consideration is to be aware that children learn mainly from their parents’ example. Is useless to establish stringent rules for our little if we do not sit at the table to eat or not eat four daily intakes. Children learn from adults what and how to eat.
Meal Times
A central aspect in the acquisition of food habits is the timing of meals. It must be fixed, ie repeated with the fewest possible variations. Frequent changes of times the child may bring confusion, insecurity, irritability or loss of appetite.
From the year of life, the small needs three regular meals plus one or two snacks. We plan schedule snacks so they are not too close to the main meal times. Recall that in these snacks can be changing the different food groups: grains, fruits, dairy.
Appropriate Portions
It is convenient to serve small portions a young child. If you are still hungry, he will ask for more food. New foods are better to offer them in smaller portions than usual and on a plate with some other food we’re sure our son likes.
A child may eat less one day and more the next day. It is a completely normal behavior. Its growth depends on your appetite and activity level. Nevertheless, if we consider that our child is eating too little or too much, it is important to consult with your pediatrician.
Healthy Foods
To set the menu for the week should take account of the Food Guide Pyramid. It is important to give our child a variety of foods from the five food groups. Each group provides some of the nutrients and energy they need. No food group is more important than another. To grow and be healthy, a child needs to eat different foods every day. For example, we all know that a good diet requires protein infant, found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy. However, proteins have also legumes, cereals, starches and nuts, which generally have no fat or vegetable are making them healthier.
Respect Tastes
Every child is different and has their own tastes. We observe that there is a food you do not like our son. What we cannot afford is to leave a food family. For example, if you do not like beef can substitute it for pork, chicken or lamb. The most important thing is knowing a food substitute for another of the same nutritional characteristics.
Let us determine special care not excessively sweet taste. Many parents add sugar to milk, juices or the first meals. Unnecessary addition, this habit creates a sort of affinity for sweet foods in the future it will be very difficult to correct.
To Account for
- Eating habits are taught.
- Not to be confused with good nutrition overeating or inadequate.
- It is important to eat everything but in adequate amounts.
- The regular schedule for meals provides good nutrition.
- The time the food is an important time of the day.
- Do not use food as a reward or punishment for children.
- Teach by example always with love and respect for our son.
