Giving young children a varied, balanced diet is a great way to give them the best start in life and contribute to health in later life.

APPLYING THE BALANCE OF GOOD HEALTH

By the time children are a year old they should be established on family meals. The general principles of the Balance of Good Health can be applied to family meals with a few exceptions.

Bread, cereals and potatoes group:

E.g. fortified breakfast cereals (good source of iron and vitamins), bread, pasta, rice, potatoes

Encourage foods from this group at each meal according to appetite. These foods are a good source of energy (calories), important for growth and activity, and are the filling foods. Avoid giving too many high fibre varieties to young children as they can stop the body absorbing important nutrients such as iron. They are also more filling than lower fibre alternatives and can make it difficult for young children to get enough calories. Gradually increase high fibre foods as your child gets older.

Milk and dairy group:

E.g. milk, cheese, yoghurt

Aim for 3 servings daily such as 1/3 pint milk, 25g cheese, 150g pot yoghurt.

These foods should be encouraged as they provide calcium for strong teeth and bones. Children under 2 years should not be given low fat varieties such as semi-skimmed or skimmed milk as these are an important source of calories and fat soluble vitamins. Children over 2 may be given semi-skimmed milk if they are growing well and having a varied diet.

Fruit and vegetables

E.g. fresh, frozen, tinned, dried fruit and vegetables

Aim for 4 servings daily. A serving is a spoon of vegetables, a handful of grapes, an apple.

These are good sources of vitamins and minerals. Encourage a variety of different fruit and vegetables of different colours.

Meat, fish and alternatives

E.g. meat, fish, eggs, beans and pulses, nuts

These are good sources of protein and iron. Iron intake of young children has been shown to be generally poor so it is important to encourage these foods at each meal. Avoid giving whole nuts to children under 5 years because of the risk of choking. Avoid nuts and products containing nuts in children with a family history of allergies.

It is not recommended that children under 5 be given a vegan diet as this can make it difficult for them to get enough iron, calcium, protein and vitamin B12.

Fatty and sugary foods

It is not generally good for us to have too many sugary and fatty foods in our diets. However, young children have high energy requirements but small appetites and these can provide useful concentrated calories.

Foods such as full fat milk, yoghurts, cheese, margarine, cooking oils such as olive or rapeseed oil are acceptable and in addition provide essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins.
Sugary foods and drinks can cause problems with tooth decay and should be reserved for meal times rather than as between meal snacks.

SNACKS

Small children often need small snacks between meals because they are unable to eat enough calories at mealtimes. Useful snacks include:

• Plain biscuits bread sticks toast
• Yoghurt crackers fruit
• Cheese vegetable sticks

Avoid giving snacks too close to next meals so that they don’t affect your child’s appetite. Allow 2 hours after a snack until the next meal. Have a set snack time and avoid allowing your child to nibble through the day as this will stop them feeling hungry for meals.

DRINKS

By a year old all children should be having drinks from a beaker rather than a bottle. The best drinks to offer young children are water and milk. Any sugary or acidic drinks such as squashes and fruit juices should be reserved for mealtimes, if given at all. Given between meals these can contribute to tooth decay. Giving sugary drinks from a bottle, especially overnight should be avoided.
Tea, coffee and fizzy drinks are not suitable for young children.

SAMPLE MEAL PLAN

Breakfast
Dish of fortified breakfast cereal with whole milk and piece of fruit or
Boiled egg with toast and margarine and beaker of milk

Snack
2 crackers with cheese

Lunch
Tuna or ham or cheese sandwich
Vegetable sticks
Few crisps
Yoghurt

Snack
Banana

Evening meal
Spaghetti bolognaise or grilled fish fingers with potatoes, vegetables and parsley sauce or chicken and vegetable curry and rice or ham, jacket potato and beans.
Tinned fruit and ice cream or rice pudding or fruit crumble and custard

Bedtime
Large beaker of milk