Elsa Jones, Nutritional Therapist
The uncertainty of the past few years has caused many of us to abandon our regular routines, activity schedules and family meal plans. As we adjust to our new normal it is an opportunity to get back to healthy eating and review our families’ diets and nutrition. This particularly applies to children, taking the time and effort to foster healthy eating habits now has great life time rewards.
As a Nutritional Therapist and mum of two boys, I suggest starting slowly with a balanced, healthy eating approach. Once in place, it will become habitual, making it easier to support your child’s physical and mental health in the longer term.
1. Schedule Meal and Healthy Snack times - Having access to the presses and fridge throughout the day facilitated impulsive ‘grazing’. I’m sure most of you will relate to this, and the frustration of your kids constantly demanding snacks in-between meals. The best way to counteract this is to schedule meal and snack times. This means everyone knows what to expect. It works particularly well for small children.
A mid-morning or afternoon snack can help boost their energy, mood and concentration. Try:
-Peanut Butter Energy Bites
- A cube of cheese with a handful of grapes
- An oat Flapjack
- A tablespoon of Hummus with wholegrain crackers or raw carrot / celery sticks
- A palmful of nuts with a slice of fruit
2. Spread Fruit & Veg across the Day - Getting fresh fruit and veg into kids daily is important for their immunity and overall health. However, as parents well know, this is easier said than done. Try building in small amounts to each meal and snack. I find that leaving it till dinner time simply does not work.
3. Help Them Stay Hydrated - Hydration is a key element to maintaining a healthy immune system. Research also shows that as little as 1 percent dehydration can negatively affect mood, attention, and memory. Encourage your child to drink at least 500mls of pure water across the day. For older active children, I recommend 1 to 1.5 litres. Fill a beaker of water for each child at the start of the day to help monitor how much is being consumed daily.
4. Bridge the Nutrition Gaps - Whilst food should always be the principal source of nutrition, supplements can be useful to fill in any nutrition gaps.
Maintaining a healthy gut flora is central to a child’s overall health and wellbeing. Getting a supplement into kids can be tricky. A fun way I’ve discovered is to add the supplement to the ingredient list of their favourite healthy treats. Just keep an eye as they ease open the Children’s Blend capsule and pour the microbiotic powder into the other ingredients
Keeping Vitamin C levels topped up with a supplement can also help to support immunity particularly if your child struggles to get their 5-A-Day.
Vitamin D deficiency is common in Ireland and is hugely important for bone health and immunity. I recommend taking a Vitamin D3 supplement in spray form, particularly during winter. One Nutrition Vit D3-Max is good for all the family as you can regulate the dose, 1-2 sprays for Children and up to 6 for Adults.
Check out www.elsajonesnutrition.ie or our Udos Choice recipe page for a wide range of healthy family recipes.