Child Friendly Diet - article by MOREinfo-About.com

Child Friendly Diet

When the child begins to take solid foods, especially from the family table, it is important to offer a variety of choices in the diet. If the child shows a real aversion to peas, offer green beans instead. Or persis with offering both, as well as a variety of other vegetables. A child friendly diet should include a variety of foods including both green and yellow vegetables, a number of fruits (most children like many fruits) and some protein. Young children require more protein in the diet than do older persons, as they are building bones and muscle at a rapid rate.

One authority on nutrition once wrote that if a child is offered a great variety of foods in a meal,he or she will automatically choose foods that represent a balanced diet. This is not a practical approach at the family table, however. But it is practical over the course of a number of meals to offer child friendly foods to develop a healthy diet. If a restricted seletion of foods is offered a young child, often, when grown, that person will continue to maintain a diet restricted to just a few familiar items.

Grains are important to the diet of children and adults, and whole grains are much preferable to refined white flour. If a child is introduced to whole wheat or oats or whole grain breads from the beginning in the diet, the preference for the healthier grains will continue into adulthood. It is difficult in later years to develop a child friendly diet including whole grains if the child is accustomed to soft, white bread.

Unfortunately, most people from childhood onward love sugar. Excessive sugar in a child's diet is an enemy to good health, healthy teeth and overall balanced nutrition. A child friendly diet excludes or minimizes sugar intake.

For the well being of your child or children, develop a child friendly diet from the beginning.

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