Should I give my child soft drinks with meals?
Soft drinks are made of sugar, water and flavourings. The occasional soft drink is fine as a treat at parties. For everyday drinks, offer your child water, or a more nutritious beverage such as milk.
Isn’t a mid-morning snack plus another snack at afternoon tea a bit much?
Morning and afternoon tea are important meals during the day. Children’s stomachs are small and they need to have five opportunities to eat each day. Some children eat more at afternoon tea than at dinner. This means they have had enough food during the day and aren’t hungry at dinner time. Snack times are an opportunity to offer a variety of healthy foods such as fresh fruit, dried fruit, yogurt, milkshakes, cheese and crackers.
My child is tired. Should I give vitamin pills to help my child get back into condition?
Vitamin supplements shouldn’t be necessary as long as your child is not suffering from any deficiency. Check that your child is eating foods rich in iron such as red meat, legumes, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, wholegrain cereals and bread. If you are still concerned, have your child´s diet assessed by an accredited practising dietitian.
My child only likes rice and pasta. How can I make sure their vitamin needs are being met?
Rice and pasta contain the fuel your children need. Offer them these foods as part of a meal which also includes meat, fish, chicken or legumes as well as a variety of vegetables, (e.g. rice or pasta topped with bolognaise and vegetable sauce – vegetables like carrot, zucchini and broccoli can easily be grated into the beef bolognaise sauce).
My children won’t eat milk and yogurt. What other calcium-rich foods can I give them?
Try cheese on toast, grated cheese on pasta, milk-based desserts such as custard with fruit, rice pudding, hot chocolate, milkshakes, fruit smoothies or frozen yogurt.