According to the British Nutrition Foundation, a good supply of protein, calcium, iron and vitamins A and D is necessary for preschool children, as they are growing fast and are usually very active. This also means they need calcium and vitamin D for healthy tooth development and stronger bones stronger.
Eating family meals together not only helps you to make sure your child eats what you put on their plate, but also encourages proper table manners and promotes language development and conversational skills, especially when you turn off the television. It also brings you closer together as a family; though eating with preschool children can be chaotic and messy so expect spills and some sloppy eating. You can also use mealtimes to set an example, because if you want your child to accept baked potatoes instead of chips, then so should you. Let them see you eating well with a positive attitude to food and they will follow suit.
You can even trick your child into eating better with a few healthy substitutes. Try couscous instead of white rice, or sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. Replace bacon with ham, chips with mashed potatoes made with skimmed milk and ice cream with yoghurt. When it comes to snacking, healthy snacks between meals can help fill nutrient gaps in a little one’s diet, which means choosing nutritious foods that take the edge off hunger.
Try giving your child half a sandwich, well-cooked vegetables and low-fat dip or wholegrain biscuits and cheese, or something a little sweeter like yoghurt, fruit smoothies, milk. You could even try giving them some breakfast foods like chopped hard-boiled eggs or scrambled eggs, or cereal, on its own or with milk, and with nutritious foods such as these keeping them going; don’t be worried if they’re not famished at mealtimes.