Eating Habits in Children

One of the most important factors for supporting growth and development in children is nutrition. Adequate nutrition enables one to reach the physical potential determined by the genes inherited from the parents. It is very important at every age to make sure that you consume enough vitamins, minerals and nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats). Children may need different amounts of nutrients at different ages. Nutrition appropriate for the child for optimal health; It is determined according to age, gender, mobility and other characteristics. However, we know that not every child eats the food put in front of them and turns to unhealthy options. In this case, nutritional habits that have an important place in children's nutrition emerge. Read the rest of the article for details about eating habits in children and preparing a child's lunch box.ents

Nutrition in Children

Nutrition in Preschool Children

Nutrition in School Age Children

Eating Habits in Children

Children's Lunch Box

Nutrition in Children

The first basic need for every child is to grow up in an environment where they can be sheltered, fed and loved in healthy conditions. According to experts, children who have an adequate and balanced diet show more developed cognitive and behavioral skills and learning potential. The amount consumed daily in children varies depending on age. However, the ratio of food groups that should be consumed during the day does not change much. If you want to offer your child a healthy and balanced plate, this plate is;

40-50% of it is vegetables and fruits,
20-25% protein sources such as eggs, poultry, fish, legumes, soy products,
25-30% whole grain products such as whole grain rice, oatmeal, pearl barley, whole grain pasta, bread, crusty breads,
5-10% should be fats (seeds, nuts, unrefined oils).
Additionally, milk and dairy products should be consumed daily. It is necessary to choose options without added sugar.

Eating habits in children are shaped first in the family and then at school. For this reason, the subject of nutrition in children is divided into two parts: pre-school nutrition and nutrition in school children.

Nutrition in Preschool Children

Preschool nutrition is the period when children begin to have an attitude towards food. For children of this period, also called the play group, the events around them are always very noticeable, and it is often seen that their attention is distracted during meals. They do not like to eat vegetables or mix foods. Picky eating is often seen during this period. In this difficult but temporary period, there are some duties that fall on those responsible for the child's care. We can briefly summarize these as follows:

Mother, father and caregivers, if any, should know that their own food habits, likes and dislikes will be imitated by the child.
Children whose daily food amounts vary should not be expected to eat the same amount every day.
No food group should be given to the child as a punishment or reward. When it is said, "You cannot eat chocolate without finishing the vegetables on your plate," the vegetable on the plate becomes a punishment for the child, and the chocolate becomes a reward.
It is necessary to sit at the table with the child and eat as a family at similar times every day. Even if there is a meal that the child does not want to consume, they can get used to it by sitting at the table together.
The child should not be allowed to consume junk food close to meal times. In this way, the child is ensured to consume the main meal hungry and willingly.
In this period when the growth rate is slow and motor development occurs rapidly, the aim should be to plan meal patterns, develop eating behavior and gain positive eating habits throughout life.

Nutrition in School Age Children

With consistent but slower growth than other groups, school-age children need healthy food and nutritious snacks. Snacking is common in this age group. They can consume 4-5 meals a day. Apart from family, friends and technological devices (phone, television) can also affect the food choices and habits of this age group. During this period, the desire to try new foods may be greater compared to the preschool period. Even though they have more advanced skills than pre-school children, school-age children are still in a learning process, and those responsible for their care have certain responsibilities during this period. These are as follows:

These children, whose skills develop, can be involved in the selection and preparation of food. Children who have the opportunity to choose foods and their quantities according to their nutritional values will learn to make healthy choices.
Calcium, magnesium, potassium and fiber deficiencies are frequently seen in children. Therefore, consumption of foods containing these nutrients can be increased.
Children often do not think of drinking water. To ensure dehydration, people should be reminded to consume fluids during and after each physical activity.
Spending half the day at school means that children eat part of their meals at school. School meals should not be skipped over snacks. By preparing a children's lunch box with easily consumable and portable foods, you can make sure that your child eats healthy at school.
Since the child is in the growth period, body weight changes may be large. However, care should be taken to ensure that this remains within healthy limits and a hospital should be consulted when necessary.

For more detailed information about school age nutrition, you can read our article titled " School Age Calendar ".

Babies, who need nutrition from the moment they are born, begin a period in which they feed themselves thanks to the transition to solid food and their developing manual skills. During this period, children learn about nutrition by observing, as with everything else. Eating habits in children begin in the family. Children's eating habits may vary depending on society, their environment and their family environment. For this reason, the family should give the child healthy and proper nutrition education that he can continue throughout his life.

Nutritional habits in children are most affected by educational institutions after the initial education received from the family. In addition to the nutritional knowledge laid in schools and families, adequate and balanced nutritional habits should be taught. Proper nutrition education and activities, especially in the pre-school period, increase children's knowledge about nutrition. In this way, diseases that may occur during childhood or adulthood are prevented. It is very important that children, who constitute the future of society, acquire correct eating habits and become healthy individuals in the future. For this reason, healthy and balanced nutrition education given in schools is of great importance for the development of nutritional habits in children.

Children's Lunch Box

Teaching children balanced and healthy eating habits can be a difficult process for parents. However, it should not be forgotten that this process is temporary. While healthy nutrition can be easily achieved at home and at regular hours during the pre-school period, most parents have difficulties when their child starts school. While the main meals in schools that provide a cafeteria system are healthy home-cooked meals, in schools that do not have a cafeteria, children may turn to unhealthy snacks in school canteens. The most effective and easy method to prevent this is to prepare a children's lunch box. Some of the things that parents should pay attention to when preparing a child's lunch box are:

Foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes that keep you full for longer should definitely be added. Whole wheat products should be preferred whenever possible.
Give your children the opportunity to make their own sandwiches. In this way, the likelihood of eating more willingly increases.
Fruits or vegetables such as cucumber and carrots should be added to the meal. Chopping fruits and vegetables will make them easier to eat, so they are consumed more willingly.
Younger children, in particular, may be impressed by the appearance of the food, so you can make the children's lunch box more interesting and add a note.
If you have just started preparing a children's lunch box, putting the meals your child likes will help the child consume more willingly and get used to the lunch box faster.

Nutrition, which has a very critical place in the health of children, actually begins during the pregnancy of mothers. Later, when the child acquires the necessary skills and begins to eat on his own, eating habits are formed in children with the correct guidance of parents and educators when they start school. However, in this process, it is very important that the parents have sufficient information about adequate and balanced nutrition and that the basics of nutrition are laid correctly. In this period when information pollution about nutrition is very intense, it may be best to get support from a dietitian for both your child's and your health.