Healthy Eating for School Age Children

What is Healthy Eating & Why is it Important?

A healthy diet can help you: Reach and maintain a healthy weight Reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases (like heart disease and cancer), and Promote your overall health.

Why is healthy eating important for children?

Gain nutrients to grow and develop Improve their ability to learn and achieve at school Adopt a healthy lifestyle as they get older

Encouraging your children to… Eat a balanced diet consisting of a mixture of different foods Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables Eat moderate amounts of milk and dairy products Not eat snacks or drinks that contain a lot of sugar too often Eat moderate amounts of meat, fish and alternatives such as beans, lentils, nuts or soya products Not eat too many foods that contain saturated fat Eat plenty of starchy foods Enjoy food Cut back on salt! What does Healthy Eating mean?

A healthy breakfast! A good breakfast – Breakfast tips….. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Tops up children’s energy stores for the morning’s activities Makes children less likely to snack on foods that are high in fat and/or sugar later on Helps children concentrate and perform better at school

Choose breakfast cereals fortified with nutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin D and iron Choose wholegrain versions of starchy foods Choose breakfast cereals that contain less salt and sugar Provide fresh fruit, a carton of fruit juice or fortified breakfast cereal bars for children who want breakfast ‘on the go’ Add a glass of Vitamin C rich fruit juice to help with iron absorption from cereal and bread Always include a drink to ensure that children start the day well hydrated Include calcium-rich foods such as milk and dairy products which is important for healthy bones and teeth Add fresh and dried fruit to breakfast cereals to provide sweetness, rather than sugar Offer smoothies made with fresh or canned fruit, fruit juice and low fat milk or yogurt

Between Meals Healthier drinks for children Milk and water are the best as these do not harm teeth. Drinks that contain sugar (e.g. fruit squash, flavoured milk, fruit juice, carbonated drinks) are best kept to mealtimes. Healthier snacks for children Snacks should complement other meals, so select healthier options!  Fruit (e.g. bananas, grapes, strawberries)  Vegetables (e.g. baby carrots, cherry tomatoes)  Yogurt or fromage frais  Cheese and crackers  Sandwiches, chapattis or pitta bread filled with low-fat cheese and tomato, hummus and grated carrot, tuna and cucumber, chicken or turkey and salad  Toasted muffin or crumpet Cakes, biscuits, crisps, chocolate and sweets, can be high in saturated fat and/or sugar and should make up a relatively small part of the diet. Visit the Dentist Regular visits to the dentist are important Brush teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste to keep children’s teeth healthy.