The healthy eating plate for children is an essential tool for parents, as it provides guidance on healthy eating for kids. While this topic may seem confusing at first, visiting a pediatrician can help clarify any questions.
Importance of healthy eating
Just like adults, children need nutrients from healthy meals, which are made up of minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. During childhood, it is even more important to consume the necessary amounts because children are constantly growing and their bodies are changing.
Maintaining a balanced diet ensures that children receive the nutrients and calories needed to support their development and cognitive performance throughout this stage.
Many healthy habits are established during the pediatric stage and often continue into adulthood. Poor nutrition during this period can increase the risk of an unbalanced diet later in life, potentially leading to health issues. That’s why it’s important to understand how to plan meals for babies and support proper nutrition throughout childhood and adolescence.
How to maintain a healthy diet
A healthy diet includes proteins, fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, and dairy. This balance restricts or limits excessive calories from added sugars, saturated fats, and too much salt.
Achieving healthy and sustainable eating habits can be done by shopping more intentionally. Buying seasonal foods is significantly easier than looking for out-of-season products.
Additionally, limiting the availability of unhealthy foods such as sweets or candy helps prevent children from seeing them and therefore consuming them.
What is the healthy eating plate for children
The healthy eating plate for children consists of different actions and components.
Meals should include foods such as fruits and vegetables, grains, tubers, legumes, and animal-based foods. In addition, they should be varied and colorful, offer age-appropriate portions, involve children in their preparation, and limit excess fats and sugars.
Additionally, as parents, we must take certain measures because children tend to imitate the actions they see adults perform. Therefore, it is important for adults to also maintain healthy eating habits so their children can replicate them.
Eating together as a family is a great way for children, from a very early age, to learn what foods they should eat. In addition, mealtime should be a pleasant and positive experience, as it helps foster a healthy relationship with food.
As parents, it is important to avoid unhealthy eating habits. These include replacing healthy foods with sweets or fried snacks; a lack of meal variety, which can make meals repetitive and unappealing; and understanding children’s personal preferences so as not to force them to eat foods they dislike, while also avoiding being overly permissive.
Similarly, feelings are important when relating to food, sadness, anxiety, and family issues may lead a child to overeat or, conversely, to eat less than they should.
From birth through adolescence, it is important to maintain regular checkups with the pediatrician to ensure the healthiest development possible.
Nutritional requirements will vary depending on the child’s age, which is why maintaining clear communication with the pediatrician is important. This helps ensure the right nutrients are provided at each stage and identify the best options within the Healthy Eating Plate for children.
At ABC Medical Center’s Pediatrics Center, we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!
Fuentes:
NIH, KidsHealth, StanfordChildren
