Health
5 A Day for Kids
Here are some handy tips for getting your Children eating 5 a Day!
- Get them started on the 5 A DAY habit early.
- Bite-size pieces of fruit and vegetables are perfect for small hands, and make great party food.
- If cooked vegetables aren't popular with your children, try blending them into casseroles, soups and sauces, or see if they prefer their vegetables raw.
- The natural sweetness in sweetcorn, carrots and cherry tomatoes make these vegetables popular with children.
- Liven up school lunch boxes with brightly coloured vegetables such as carrots or treat your kids to bite size fruits like grapes or strawberries instead of sweets.
- Give a jelly extra bite by adding fresh or canned fruit.
- www.5aday.nhs.uk
Feeding your Toddler
At this age, children are growing very quickly and are usually very active, so they need plenty of energy (calories) and nutrients. A health and varied diet should provide all the nutrients your toddler needs.
Remember to include these sorts of foods every day:
- Milk and dairy food - these provide calories, protein, vitamins and minerals.
- Meat, fish, eggs, beans, peas, lentils, tofu - these are rich in nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals. You can give boys up to four portions of oily fish a week, such as Mackerel, salmon and sardines, but it's best to give girls no more than two portions of oily fish a week. (See eatwell.gov.uk for more information.)
- Bread, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes - these starchy food provide calories, vitamins, minerals and fibre.
- Fruit and vegetables - these contain vitamin C, and other protective vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre.
- www.eatwell.gov.uk
Stop Smoking
Information for Parents