All parents talk about is how quickly their children grow up, and that’s not a figure of speech! Babies grow quickly from the moment they are born, with their weight tripling within a year.
To keep up with their growth, children need the right building blocks, which in this case, is nutritious food, vitamins, and essential minerals and fatty acids. As they grow, not only will their diet change from liquid to solid, the quantum of nutrient requirements changes as well.
As an early learning centre that caters to children ages six weeks to kinder age, we are familiar with every child’s need in every stage of their development. Our in-house cook is experienced in preparing a variety of dishes daily that will whet their appetite, fill their stomachs, and meet their nutritional needs.
Here are the recommended foods for each stage in a child’s development till their 10th birthday, according to the Victorian Department of Health:
Newborns (Birth – 6 months)
Breast milk is the superfood for newborns. Loaded with all the essential nutrients, fluids, energy, and immunological boost a baby needs to grow, a mother’s breast milk is the only food a baby needs up to around six months of age.
However, where breast milk isn’t available, correctly prepared infant formula milk? would suffice in providing the right nutrients and fluids for the toddler, though it will lack the immunological qualities only a mother’s breast milk can provide.
Infants (6-12 months)
Infants around six months of age will be old enough to gradually be weaned from breastmilk or bottled milk to solids to meet their increased nutritional needs.
At this age, it is recommended to give infants foods that are rich in iron and zinc such as cereals, pureed meats, cooked plain tofu and legumes, and iron-enriched grain-based cereals. Adding salt, sugar, or honey to their food is unnecessary, and fresh cow’s milk should be avoided in the child’s first 12 months.
Avoid giving your infants store-bought fruit juices and sugar sweetened drinks (give them whole fruits instead), as well as whole nuts, seeds, or similar hard foods.
Toddlers and young children (12 months – 10 years)
Children can be picky when it comes to food and those habits are hardest to shake. That is why, when children are able to eat solids regularly, they should be introduced to a wide range of foods to ensure adequate nutrition and broaden their diet.
At this stage in life, a child’s food intake will vary, often spontaneously, in sync with their growth patterns. Their food also needs to vary widely to match their growth and physical activity needs.
Young children will also start accumulating nutrients in their bodies in preparation for the growth spurt during adolescence. It is important for parents to be mindful of their weight to ensure that their child is eating the right food in the right amount.
As their body grows, increase their protein, vitamins, and mineral intake to keep up with its needs. Also make sure that they have enough water to keep the body hydrated.
Other essential nutrients that are great to include are fatty acids from oily fish, nuts, avocadoes, and plant-derived phytochemicals that may protect against heart diseases, diabetes, and some cancers.
Keeping a healthy and varied diet that is loaded with fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, dairy foods, and lean meats can meet all the basic requirements of a child’s growth. And always avoid or limit the intake of energy-dense nutrient-poor snack foods, and sugar-rich fruit juices and soft drinks.
Why is nutrition and diet important for kids?
As the old adage goes: “You are what you eat”, and that statement couldn’t be any more true for kids. A growing child’s body is not a picky eater, it will take whatever it can get.
Since nutrients are the building blocks of a child’s physique and immune system, depriving it of the right nutrients could lead to health and developmental problems.
Take breast milk for example. Straight off it is the most essential food for newborns as it provides them with essential antibodies to develop their immunological system. Without it, babies will become vulnerable to infections and more likely to develop asthma and allergies.
Likewise, iron and zinc later in a child’s life is essential towards spurring their physical growth as well as their cardiovascular system. Without a healthy intake of these essential nutrients their growth will be stunted and they may develop various health complications.
While the absence of proper nutrients may cause developmental problems, consuming too much unhealthy substances like sugar can cause addiction and lead towards life-threatening conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and heart conditions.
That is why, for Bright ELC, guiding the physical needs of our children through proper nutrition and diet is just as important as their mental and social development. Talk to us to find out more about how we plan our centre’s menu and what goes into consideration before a recipe is served to our children.
