January 2014 Volume 17, Issue 1 Nutrition Matters Inc.
I can feed myself Small children like to feed themselves. This is good!
Serve family style meals. 1 Prepare meals with a variety of healthy foods - whole grains, lean protein foods, A Happy & Healthy Family fruits, vegetables and milk. 2 Place foods into serving dishes on the table. Create your own traditions. 3 Let your child spoon foods from the serving Plan a few meal and play times that your dish and onto his own plate. family can repeat - Sunday Spaghetti night, Tacos on Tuesday, Evening walks, Friday Let go a little, and you will gain a lot! Game night, reading bedtime stories together. These special times create family bonds.
Your child will learn how to feed himself. Have family routines. Prepare Your child will feel more confident. 3 meals each day at about the same times. He will be less fussy and more willing to Sit down with your children while you eat. taste and eat what is on his plate. Talk about what you're going to do during the day. These routines make a child feel He will listen to his own feelings of hunger safe and loved. and fullness, and learn to eat normal servings. Stop and Listen. When your child is talking, look her in the eyes and listen. How much Turn off the television. Put down the cell should your small child eat? phone. Your child will learn that it's important to listen to others. Your child’s appetite can change from day to day. The best way to feed a child Accept your child's appetite. is to let him eat to his appetite. Trust your child. If your child is healthy, Let your child learn to listen to his body. growing at a normal rate and willing to taste a variety of foods - don't worry about how Don’t force or bribe your child to eat. much he is eating. His appetite can change Don’t stop your hungry child from eating. from day to day.
Your child will learn to eat when he feels hungry and stop eating when he feels full. Laugh together. Be silly and laugh with your child. Simple problems can go away with a little humor before they become big problems. Laugh at the situation and yourself.
Show your love. Give your child a
smile, hug, or high five. Tell your child that you love him, and are proud when he does something good.
Sweet Treats Top cottage cheese or coleslaw with orange segments.
Add orange pieces to a tuna salad or chicken salad.
Toss orange segments into a lettuce salad. Clementines Clementines are a special treat during the Dip orange pieces in flavored yogurt. winter. They are smaller than an orange which Sprinkle orange pieces with brown sugar and can be a perfect size for small children. cinnamon. Broil in your oven until the sugar melts. They are very easy for little hands to peel. Serve on top of frozen yogurt. And they are so sweet!
Peel an orange. Clementines are often sold in a crate Keep the orange segments in a bowl in the of 24 small fruit. If the crate costs $5.00, refrigerator where your children can see them. each fruit will cost only 21¢. Children love the fresh sweet taste A great buy for a snack! of oranges and tangerines. Parents love the vitamin C that helps keep children How much Fruit should I offer healthy during the long winter months. my child each day?
Offer fruit at meals and snacks so your child is able Enjoy oranges. to eat 1 to 1 ½ cups of fruit each day. You may be surprised 2 year old boys and girls how sweet they taste during the winter. 3 year old girls Oranges and tangerines have their peak season during Offer 1 cup fruit each day January, February and March. 3 year old boys These are the months when they taste the best 4 year old and 5 year old boys and girls and are the cheapest! Offer 1 ½ cups fruit each day
Small children can help make this salad. Winter Fruit Salad
Canned Mandarin Oranges have lots of vitamin C! Your child can: Slice bananas with a plastic knife. 1 can (15 ounces) fruit cocktail, packed in juice (Don’t use a sharp knife) 1 can (10 ounces) mandarin oranges, in light syrup 2 bananas, peeled and sliced Pour fruit into the bowl. Help stir fruit together. 1 Drain syrup off mandarin oranges
Cut fruit into small bites 2 Combine fruit cocktail, mandarin oranges that are easy for kids to eat. and bananas in bowl. Chill and serve!
What can you do? Serve family style meals and let my child serve himself. Eat oranges, clementines and grapefruit often this winter. Cook with my child - Make a Winter Fruit Salad together. Other: ______
KidFood is published 12 times a year. © 2014 – Nutrition Matters, Inc. The content of KidFood is not intended to provide medical advice; this should be obtained from your health care provider. Reproduction of this publication without a license to copy is a violation of federal copyright law and is prohibited. Nutrition Matters, Inc. 316 North Barstow Street, Suite I, Eau Claire, WI 54703 – www.numatters.com.