National Child Health Day by eatwell.withmel

Tip 1 - Hidden fruit & veg

 

A variety of different fruit & vegetables provides children with a variety of micronutrients which support their growth & cognitive development, bone health & immune system. 

 

- Blend veg into sauces or mash such as courgette, peppers or cauliflower.  

- Baking with fruit or grated veg such as grated sweet potato or carrot into savory muffins or berries into oat bars. 

- Mix vegetables into home made burgers or meatballs such as lentils, broccoli or courgette. 

- Freeze chopped or blended fruit into ice lollies. 

 

Tip 2 - Child friendly probiotic & prebiotic foods 

 

 Probiotic foods = increase the number of good bacteria in the gut. Creates a diverse gut microbiome which supports many different areas of our health including our immune system. 

 

- Yogurt 

- Certain cheeses eg cheddar & mozzarella 

- Sourdough bread

 

Probiotic foods = food for the good bacteria in our gut, important to look after these as they support our health & digestive system. 

 

- Bananas

- Oats

- Apples

- Whole grains 

 

Tip 3 - Keeping active

 

Being active as a child helps to support bone & muscle strength, heart health & promote better sleep. 

 

Children ages 5-16 should be active for at least 60 mins a day. This can be:

 

- Walking 

- Playing in the park/garden 

- Dancing

- Sports

 

Tips to encourage your children to be active:

 

- Create treasure hunts or a set of tasks to complete

- Challenge them eg time how long it takes for them to complete something (run to the end of the garden & back) or how many star jumps they can do in a minute. 

- Any after school hobbies or activities focus on what they enjoy, if they’re not very competitive or sporty they might prefer individual sports over team sports.