We have compiled quick guides and tips for parents regarding feeding your child healthily.
1. Start right from young
Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/95701560807556638/
More info on our previous blog post: Starting Solids for Babies
2. Introduce food based on age group
Source: http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/solidfoodchartbyfood.htm
Note: This chart should not be used to replace the advice from your baby’s paediatrician. Always consult your baby’s paediatrician before introducing new foods to your baby. Please remember that all foods have the potential to be an allergen.
3. Feed them good fats such as avocados
The chart above shows how to choose ripe avocados. Find out how to keep an avocado from browning to avoid wastage.
4. Monitor the consumption of sugar
Children should have no more than 19g of sugar a day for children aged 4 to 6 years old (5 sugar cubes), and no more than 24g (6 sugar cubes) for children aged 7 to 10 years old.
Tips for parents:
- Go for whole fruits rather than juices because whole fruits contain fibre whereas fruit juices are high in fructose
- Avoid sugary fizzy drinks and sodas; get your children to drink plain water
- Whenever possible, avoid giving commercial sugary cereals, dried fruit bars, sweet yoghurts, biscuits and cakes for breakfast too frequently
- Choose wholegrain breakfast cereals that are not coated with processed sugar or honey
- Make your own pasta sauces when you cook pasta because ready-made pasta sauces are high in sugar. If you’re baking, try halving the sugars used in the recipes
- Keep an eye on food labels. Sugar is sometimes listed on the ingredients list as cane sugar, honey, brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, corn syrup, fructose, sucrose, glucose, crystalline sucrose, nectar.
5. Monitor the consumption of salt
The maximum recommended amount of salt for babies and children is:
- Up to 12 months – less than 1g of salt a day (less than 0.4g sodium)
- 1 to 3 years – 2g of salt a day (0.8g sodium)
- 4 to 6 years – 3g of salt a day (1.2g sodium)
- 7 to 10 years – 5g of salt a day (2g sodium)
- 11 years and over – 6g of salt a day (2.4g sodium)
Tips for parents:
- Do not add salt, soy sauce and seasonings to your baby’s food because their tiny kidneys cannot cope with it
- Always check nutrition labels
- Avoid processed meats such as ham, bacon and sausages
- Introduce pizza, nuggets, fish fingers as an occasional treat only
- Limit store-bought biscuits, crisps, crackers, soups, sauces, gravies, canned foods; if needed, go for low-sodium options
- Limit ready- or microwavable-meals
- Always introduce naturally low-salt foods: fruits, vegetables, plain meat, poultry, fresh fish, eggs, lentils, chickpeas, milk
6. Introduce whole grains to substitute refined carbohydrates
Reduce the consumption of refined carbohydrates such as white rice, bread, pasta and noodles. Go for whole grains, examples in the image below:
Source: http://news.nutritioneducationstore.com/
How to include whole grains in your children’s meals?
- When you’re making a sandwich, use one slice of white bread and another slice of wholemeal bread
- Mix brown rice or millet or quinoa with white rice
- Serve whole-grain cereals with milk or yoghurt and your children’s favourite fruits
- Bake healthy muffins with rolled oats
- Add chia seeds into overnight oats
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