Growing up can be a challenging time for the little ones. Often, one of the common overlooked aspects is healthy eating, writes TAN YOKE HWA

YOUR children are like little adults when it comes to leading a busy lifestyle - they, too, have a whole lot of responsibilities to juggle.

From attending kindergarten or school to taking part in extra-curricular activities, they often have their hands full, just like their parents.

To ensure that they are in top form and ready to go, proper nutrition is essential.

Good nutrition helps the children to grow and develop properly. It also provides some protection when "Junior" has the flu or other common infections and promotes faster recovery.
Getting your children to eat right, however, begins with you, as the parent. You need to make the effort to find out good feeding practices; ie what and how much to provide your young ones.

The Right Nutrition

Providing your children with the right types of food in the correct amounts and at the right time.

The three main factors to remember about food and nutrition are:

- Different types of food provide different nutrients;

- No single food can meet all the nutritional needs of your child;

- A wide variety of foods is needed to ensure your child is getting the required daily nutrients.

The Main Nutrients

- Carbohydrates: This is broken down into glucose, the fuel that bodies (and brain) need. Sources include rice, noodles, and cereals.

- Protein: Repairs and replaces tissue when "Junior" ends up with cuts on his hands, knee or feet. It also builds muscles to ensure he bounces back from his next fall. Sources include fish, meat, milk and dairy products. Dairy products are also great sources of calcium (for development of strong bones).

- Fats: Fats provide energy and essential fatty acids. Fats are not all unhealthy, unless consumed excessively. A varied, well-balanced diet provides the appropriate amounts and varieties of fat your children need.

- Vitamins and minerals: These are vital as they take care of hundreds of bodily functions and build a healthy immune system. As with fats, a balanced diet supplies the vitamins and minerals needed to keep children healthy.

Making Nutritious Choices

Whether its breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks, nutritious food choices play a big role in keeping your children up and about and full of energy.

It's also important that your kids don't skip meals as each meal provides them with proper nutrients and energy.

Try these daily meal ideas to ensure your children get all the nourishment they require.

Breakfast boosters

Breakfast not only fills stomachs and provides energy for the first part of the day, it also makes your children more alert and improves their memory. Among the recommended options are:

- Breakfast cereals with milk.

- Baked beans, omelette and toast.

- Chicken/fish porridge with vegetables.

Break time

Instead of allowing your children to stuff themselves with empty calories from junk food and carbonated drinks at the canteen, pack them something nutritious, such as:

- Fruits, ie banana, apple.

- Tuna chicken/egg sandwiches.

- Bread/crackers with jam.

- Milk, malt drinks, soya milk or fruit juice.

Lunchy, munchy

Lunch replenishes nutrients and energy used up from breakfast and re-fuels the bodies. Options include:

- Rice with vegetables and a portion of chicken/fish/beef cooked in light soy sauce or steamed tofu with minced meat.

- Soup noodles with lean chicken and vegetables.

- Steamed chicken rice with salad.

Study time

Whether your child studies at home or attends tuition classes, he needs nourishment to keep his mind alert. Choices include:

- Small kaya/red bean pau

- Tuna/chicken/egg sandwich.

Dinner delights

Dinner time gives your child the chance to wrap up his daily quota of nutrients. Encourage sitting down and eating together as nothing allows for better family interaction than dinner time. For a healthy dinner, the choices include:

- Spaghetti/macaroni with chicken, vegetables and cheese in tomato sauce.

- Home-made chicken burgers with wholemeal bun and vegetables.

In-between snacks

Snacks keep growling stomachs quiet between meals. Serving beverages such as milk, malt drink, fruit juices and soya bean milk together with tidbits helps improve the nutritional value of the snack and adds a yummy boost. Healthy choices include:

- Small pack or single serving box of cereal.

- Semi sweet biscuits or crackers.

- Buns or bread with cheese.

It's important to keep your children's mealtimes as pleasant, relaxed and comfortable as possible. Make food appealing by changing the presentation, maintaining a healthy atmosphere and encouraging them to eat.

Always remember that a healthy childhood is the foundation of a healthy adult life, and proper nutrition is the key to building a strong base.

Tan Yoke Hwa is the president of the Malaysian Dietitians' Association. This article is brought to you by Nutrition Month Malaysia (NMM), the annual nutrition promotion campaign jointly organised by the Nutrition Society of Malaysia, the Malaysian Dietitians' Association and the Malaysian Association for the Study of Obesity. NMM '08 is supported by Nestle Products Sdn Bhd, Cotra Enterprises Sdn Bhd and Yakult (M) Sdn Bhd.

Healthy approach to parenting

GOOD nutrition is only one aspect of good parenting. You should also encourage your children to play, learn new things and encounter new experiences.

A healthy approach to parenting will allow your kids and you to one day agree that their childhood was the best time ever.

Physical activities, aided by good nourishment, improve their fitness, enhance bone and muscle strength and helps them maintain a healthy body weight.

It also increases energy expenditure, so there’s less risk of your little ones turning into round ones. So reduce their time spent in front of the television or computer and encourage them to get out of the house more often.

Good mental and emotional health is also important to develop your children’s self-esteem and confidence. If they’re doing poorly in school or face problems with friends, try talking to them. Don’t lecture, nag or raise your voice, but make it an enjoyable, two-way affair.

Always adopt a positive attitude when helping your children deal with difficult situations so that they, too, will face future challenges with a healthy attitude.

One good way to bond and find out about your children’s day is through family mealtimes. It also encourages your young ones to be more receptive to food and provides you the opportunity to inculcate healthy eating habits that will surely become a part of their adult life.

As parents, you play a great and vital part as role models for your kids. Your children must know the ”Whys” of what you are investing in them. Healthy children of today will become healthy adults of tomorrow.