What Do I Feed My Children?

It is essential to give your children food that benefits them and gives them protein and energy.

Breakfast

Wholegrain toast
Oats
Cheese
Milk
Plain yoghurt
Eggs
Baked beans

Low sugar cereals: Weetabix, Ready Brek, plain Shredded Wheat, Grapenuts, Kashi or Puffed Wheat.

Whole milk porridge, with bananas and sultanas as sweeteners.

Milk, a banana and oatcakes could be another breakfast.

Liquids

Ensure your child has plain water without flavourings, very weak tea with no sugar. Slight dehydration lowers brain function. Ensure that children have quick access to tap water and drink the recommended level of fluid each day.

Wholegrain bread and pasta

These ensure good Vitamin B and fibre intake. Wholegrain bread and pasta have up to four times the mineral content of white or refined types. Wheatgerm porridge with hot milk is a good breakfast. Wholegrains and oats ensure energy is released slowly, keeping blood sugar levels even. It is best to use brown or 81% extraction flour for cooking generally.

Try to give your child a range of multi-coloured fruit and veg

Vitamin C helps absorb iron and balance out toxic substances.

• Bananas
• Oranges
• Summer berries
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Tomatoes
• Red peppers

Cooked green leafy vegetables

Thrice a week at least for Vitamin B, iron as well as magnesium.

Oily Fish

At least twice a week give your children herrings, sardines, pilchards, trout, mackerel, salmon or tuna in order that they get their omega-3 oils. Herein tinned tuna is not that beneficial as it has very little oil.

Liver, lean red meat or kidney

Needs to be eaten once a week to get enough iron, unless children are on a vegetarian diet in which case the relevant supplementary foods need to be added to the diet. Currently, youngsters are having less iron than ever before. Iron deficiency leads to fatigue, anaemia and poor concentration. Should a child be a non-vegetarian you can mix chopped up chicken livers in a Bolognese sauce, liver pâté or steak and kidney pie as basic suggestions.

Sleeping well each night, at a set time, is crucial. Not only can children who have not had a full sleep be dull and inactive; they can also become hyperactive. Supper ought to be light, with no sugar or additives. It is crucial not to eat close to bedtime. A milky drink at bedtime as well as a banana (before brushing the teeth!) can help the child to get to sleep.