Nutritional Needs and Eating
Habits
Childhood is a time of critical growth in which proper
nutrition is necessary. It is crucial for an infant’s development
from birth to six months to receive proper nutrition from breast milk or
formula due to their organs inability to digest solid foods. Even infants can
communicate when they are hungry or full through grunting, fussing, spitting
out milk/formula, or even falling asleep (Robertson, 2016).
Children who have
poor diets, whether it’s because of a lack of food or because of patterns of
eating that lead to inadequate intake of nutrients, are prone to significant
short-term and long-term health impacts and diseases. Children afflicted by
sustained poor nutrition are at greater risk for obesity, mental and emotional
health problems, and a failure to thrive academically. (Robertson, 2016)
Poor nutrition is one of the leading causes of obesity in
children, a condition which can be very dangerous and lead to a lifetime of
health complications. The children in families with insufficient access to
nutritious foods are significantly more likely to be obese. This is the result
of calorie intake of foods that have high levels of fat, sugar and sodium. This
is especially true of children who regularly consume fast food. Once the
groundwork for these habits is formed, children tend to perpetuate them. Obesity
in children can lead to a variety of health problems, negative self-image,
eating disorders. (Fleck)
Children who do not have access to
proper nutrition are much more likely to suffer from psychological disorders,
such as anxiety or learning disabilities. Children with poor nutrition are more
likely to miss days of school and be required to repeat grades. When a child
does not get the required amounts of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients for
health, it could lead to lethargy, a lack of energy and a general failure to
thrive. (Fleck)
Teachers
should use role modeling and supervision methods to manage the practice of good
nutrition. Every teacher should practice good nutrition in the early childhood
education environment. Teachers should have nutritional policies that cover
early infant feeding, food and the toddler, the preschool child, school-aged
children, and children with special needs. Teachers should use participatory
activities to help preschoolers develop an awareness of the best nutritional
choices. Building a curriculum for children to help them understand about the
importance of eating balanced diets can help them be more likely to understand,
and provide them with the opportunities to expand their food acceptance
patterns. They should work with families for greater nutritional awareness so
that children can have the same protective factors at school and at home. (Robertson,
2016)
Cooking and eating can be a
fun family experience. Involving your children in the kitchen will empower them
to prepare fresh and healthy food for themselves when they move out on their
own as young adults. (Workman, 2017)
Here are three kid friendly
nutritious recipes that do not have to be separated at the breakfast or dinner
table from everyone else. From adult food to kid food, these recipes appeal to
everyone in the family.
Eggs in the Basket is our first
recipe. Depending on the kid, you can play with the recipe’s nickname, for
instance, “toad in the hole” can be a fun nickname to call it if you have a
playful, outdoorsy type child. But for
squeamish kids, “eggs in a basket” is a perfect name for this dish. Any child
should be able to help create this recipe by using a cookie-cutter to make a
design in the center of the bread where the egg will be placed in and cooked.
It's quick and easy and a fun way for you to surprise other family members with
something a little special.
What You'll Need
- 2
slices whole wheat bread
- 1
tablespoon butter
- 2
large eggs
- Kosher
salt and pepper to taste
How
to Make It
1.
Heat an electric griddle to
350 degrees or heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
2.
Place 1 teaspoon of butter on the griddle.
3.
Use a cookie cutter to
cut out your favorite shape in the center of each piece of bread.
4.
Butter one side of each piece of bread,
including the cutout pieces, with the remaining butter.
5.
Place the bread, butter side down on the
griddle.
6.
Break one egg into a small dish. Gently
slide it into the hole of one of
the bread slices.
7.
Repeat with the remaining egg and bread
slice.
8.
Cook until the egg is golden on the
bottom, a minute or two. Gently flip to cook on the other side, about 1 minute.
9.
Flip the cutout pieces of toast to cook on
the other side until toasted, another minute or so.
Place in a dinner
plate and Serve immediately.
Let’s switch it up a bit and make Bugs on a Log. By substituting almond butter for peanut
butter (or even sunflower butter for kids with nut allergies). Then get even
more creative by topping them with all different kinds of delicious toppings
such as raisins, dried cranberries ("ladybugs"), walnuts
("frogs"), coconut (“snow”), and more. Use your imagination have a
blast making them with the kids. Let the kids come up with their own names for
whatever they may choose to sprinkle on top of their logs. There's no end to
the fun you can have no matter what your healthy "bugs" of choice
are!
This recipe makes about 12 logs. Preparation time is
next to nothing and since this a non-cook recipe, you can make it and eat it
immediately. It is egg free, gluten free and dairy free when you use the base
recipe. But remember, be creative and have fun inventing new ways to eat
healthy.
What You'll Need
- 1/4 Cup
almond butter (peanut, sunflower or cashew butter)
- 4 Celery
Stalks
How
to Make It
1.
Cut celery into 3-inch logs.
2.
Spread 1 teaspoon of almond butter into the logs until it is evenly distributed.
3. Top with desired toppings.
4. Eat and serve with a giggle
Fresh fruit is always a delicious
breakfast, dessert, and snack choice. Fresh
Fruit and Yogurt Cones are delicious and nutritious cones for kids of
all ages. The can be served immediately after preparing or frozen for a great
summer time treat. This great treat is only about 126 calories and you can use
whatever fresh fruit you have on hand that is in season. Kids have a blast
creating this easy to make treat for themselves. The ingredients below are
enough for one serving.
What You'll Need
- 2 oz. vanilla yogurt
- 4 T. mixed fresh
fruit
- 1 Keebler Ice
Cream Waffle Cone
How
to Make It
1.
Fill a waffle cone with a spoon full of vanilla yogurt, then a layer of mixed
fruit. Add another spoonful of yogurt,
then top it off with fruit.
2.
Enjoy!.
3. FRESH FRUIT SUGGESTIONS: Sliced strawberries, raspberries, blackberries,
blueberries, sliced bananas, pineapple, mandarin oranges, kiwi and grapes.
WE need to make it easy for kid to understand what healthy choice snacks are.
Make it a point to keep fruits and vegetables on hand for a ready to eat treat.
Make sure snacks include low-fat yogurt, and sources of protein such as eggs,
beans or leans meats. Try a tuna sandwich with sweet potatoes chips for a
lunch. Strive for nutritious foods and make time to eat healthy with the whole
family.
References
Fleck, A. (n.d.). Children With Poor Nutrition.
Retrieved from Healthy Eating:
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/children-poor-nutrition-6555.html
Robertson, C. (2016). Safety, nutrition, and health in
early education (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.
Workman, K. (2017, October 03). 10 Fun and Easy Recipes for
Kids. The Spruce.