Healthy Food and Nutrition

Proper behavioral nutrition and eating habits are essential for children of all ages. Children require healthy foods and a well-balanced diet to grow physically, mentally and emotionally.

Infants – Infants need to be in control of their eating habits and patterns. Whether they are breastfed or bottle fed. Infants give cues when they are hungry, and parents, as well as teachers, should watch for these cues (Robertson, 2016). Solid food should not be introduced until at least four months of age.

Toddlers – Eating is a wonderful place for toddlers to start asserting themselves. Making food appealing and easy to will keep their interest. Toddlers need a well-balanced diet to give the vitamins and minerals to stay healthy (Berger, 2016). They are no longer on formula or breastmilk, so the only nutrition they get is from the food they ingest. Making sure they are eating a wide range of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins will keep them healthy and growing.

Preschoolers – During the preschool age children are more interested in playing than eating. Incorporating fun into learning about healthy foods will help children get involved in new foods (Robertson, 2016). Teachers and parents can be role models to healthy eating habits. 

The adults in the child or children’s lives should be good role models for healthy eating habits. Routines are essential for children. While in an early childcare center the children start learning manners at the table, like sitting correctly in a chair, sitting up to the meal, and using utensils. Well learning these healthy habits are essential so is determining why the foods they eat to fuel their bodies. Proteins and carbohydrates are so necessary for a growing child. Learning what a protein is and what it does in the body will make eating fun. Also, allowing children to help in the kitchen will make them more likely to want to eat food that is healthy.

An example of this would be, buy a salad spinner. Clean up some vegetables and put them in the spinner. Explain that you need the child to mix up all the good stuff so when they eat it, their muscles grow, their eyes get bright and their heart gets strong. Make it fun. Teachers can incorporate activities throughout the year based around trying new foods. Allowing the children to draw a new food item each week out of a box and learning about what it does for their bodies when they eat it. Use fun easy recipes the children can take home and try with their parents. Below I have included three incredibly easy, but healthy recipes children can make with their parents.