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Children Books about Nutrition

We all want our children to learn about nutrition in a fun, creative, and entertaining way. Combine story time with educating children about nutrition, and you have a recipe for success.

It is important to remember that just reading to your children is success itself. Don’t let technicalities or worrying about “doing it the right way”, get in the way of doing it at all. Children love to listen to stories and learn. They love a good character and a fun adventure.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A BOOK:

  • Humor
  • An interesting story
  • Interesting illustrations
  • How to overcome challenges
  • The opportunity for ongoing conversation (ex: what would you do?)
  • A message about nutrition

QUICK TIPS TO MAKE STORY TIME A SUCCESS:

  • Repetition is key!  You may get tired of the same books every night, but repetition helps children learn.
  • Be dramatic!  Change your voice to reflect emotion and emphasize different points of the story.
  • Let your children repeat back to you. Mimicking is a powerful tool for learning.
  • Point to the pictures as you identify and say what they are (point to an apple, when you say the word, Apple). This is great for stories that are mostly pictures, like Eating the Alphabet. Don’t just say “banana”, point to it as well!
  • Don’t rush through it! I know it’s tempting to skip pages and rush through bedtime stories, but get to bed 10-15 minutes earlier than normal and enjoy the time together.  Remember, they are only little once, and they won’t be as attentive to story time when they are teens!
  • Discuss the story after you read it. Talk about what they learned, and what changes they can make to their diet to reflect the lessons they learned.

I’ve put together a reading list for kids including 52 children’s books (26 English and 26 Chinese books) about nutrition to help you entertain and educate at the same time.

These children books include information about healthy eating, where food comes from, how to prepare it, how foods digest in our body, and more.

ENGLISH CHILDREN BOOKS

Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban

  • Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban

Frances is a fussy eater. In fact, the only thing she likes is bread and jam. She won’t touch her squishy soft-boiled egg. She trades away her chicken-salad sandwich at lunch. She turns up her nose at boring veal cutlets. Unless Mother can come up with a plan, Frances just might go on eating bread and jam forever! It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Cami Kangaroo Has Too Many Sweets! by Stacy C. Bauer

Cami Kangaroo loves sweets. In fact, she can’t stop thinking about them. She loves them sooo much, that even after Mommy catches her eating from a bucket of ice cream, she still finds ways to sneak them. Will Cami ever be able to follow the rules about junk food? It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers. Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagued by damaging floods and storms of huge food. The town was a mess and the people feared for their lives. Something had to be done, and in a hurry. It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds

Jasper Rabbit loves carrots—especially Crackenhopper Field carrots. He eats them on the way to school. He eats them going to Little League. He eats them walking home. Until the day the carrots start following him…or are they? It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Daisy Eat Your Peas by Kes Gray 吃掉你的豌豆

Daisy doesn’t like peas. And there is nothing that will get her to eat them. Mum says she can have an extra pudding, a chocolate factory or a space rocket with double retro laser blammers – but it just won’t work! Can quick-thinking Daisy save her tea time and come up with a cunning plan to turn the tables on Mum? This wickedly funny story will appeal to cheeky children everywhere (especially fussy eaters!). It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • D.W. The Picky Eater by Marc Brown

D.W. is very picky about what she eats. She doesn’t seem to like anything. Her dining out days with her family are cut short when she refuses to eat her salad and flings it to the floor. Will her table manners improve in time for her Grandma Thora’s special dinner out? It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert

This is a more of a picture book, but kids enjoy reading and seeing all the foods that are associated with each letter. A glossary at the end provides interesting facts about each food. It is great for kids ages 2-3 years old.

  • Good Enough to Eat by Lizzy Rockwell

A practical, hands-on tool for families who want to eat a healthy diet, this book explains nutrition from carrots to cookies. This book is good for ages 4-8 years.

我觉得这简直是一本给小朋友看的营养学教材,用绘本和讲故事的方式,简单介绍了我们吃的食物都有什么营养,包括碳水化合物,蛋白质,脂肪,水,维生素和矿物质的概念,每种营养素的功能,哪些食物含有哪些营养素,每个孩子每天需要多少营养素,我们的身体如何消化食物,以及卡路里的知识,营养很重要,如果宝宝从小就对此有所了解,对他们以后的人生和健康也非常有帮助。

  • Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Have you ever tried green eggs and ham? Sam-I-Am suggests all kinds of ways to try green eggs and ham. This classic Dr. Seuss book is a staple for beginner and emergent readers. This book is good for ages 4-8 years.

  • Gregory, the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat

Gregory isn’t like most goats. Instead of indulging in delicacies like old shoes, boxes, and bottle caps, he prefers to eat fruits, vegetables, eggs, and fish. Mother Goat and Father Goat are disgusted, and after several attempts to get Gregory to eat like a proper goat, they finally take him to see Dr. Ram. But when Gregory finally develops a taste for flat tires and broken violins, he’s not just eating like a goat—he’s eating like a pig! Will Gregory be able to find a healthy balance before he eats everything in the house? It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

这本书堪称对付挑食小朋友的经典之作,第一版出版于1980年,很多当年看过这本书的挑食小朋友现在已经变成了挑食小朋友的爸妈。Gregory是个小山羊,他喜欢吃水果、蔬菜、鸡蛋和鱼,但是山羊们眼中的健康食物与垃圾食物跟我们刚好相反,在它的爸爸妈妈看来,这些都是不健康的食物,它们希望Gregory多吃些旧鞋、罐头、瓶盖、衣服、报纸等它们眼中的“美味佳肴”。后来爸爸妈妈带Gregory去看医生,终于勾起了它对破轮胎和坏了的小提琴的食欲,Gregory胃口大开吃了很多,最后它肚子疼了……这本书也让我们开始反省,我们希望宝宝吃的东西就一定是健康的吗?宝宝吃的很多很饱就是好的吗?无论如何,医生给Gregory爸爸妈妈的建议中有一条是正确的:如果宝宝挑食,应该每次只给他吃一种它不喜欢的食物,而且把这个食物放在他喜欢的食物中,像Gregory的爸爸妈妈,就是把鞋带掺在意面里给他吃。

  • How Did that Get in My Lunchbox? by Chris Butterworth 餐盒里食物的故事

One of the best parts of a young child’s day is opening a lunchbox and diving in. But how did that delicious food get there? From planting wheat to mixing dough, climbing trees to machine-squeezing fruit, picking cocoa pods to stirring a vat of melted bliss, here is a clear, engaging look at the steps involved in producing some common foods. Health tips and a peek at basic food groups complete the menu. This book is good for ages 4-8 years.

上了学的小朋友们每天最开心的就是午餐时刻,打开lunchbox,看看妈妈又给准备了什么好吃的。这本书通过食物介绍了营养的有关概念,比如蛋白质、碳水化合物等,但是也有不同的地方,就是利用小朋友的好奇心,说明了午餐盒中的食物都是怎么制作出来的,比如面包、苹果汁等,它们虽然是在超市里买的,但是可不是在超市里长出来的,这个制作过程可以让宝宝对食物多了一层了解,也许会更亲近。

  • How to Feed Your Parents by Ryan Miller 

Who’s the picky eater? Not Matilda! A little girl with adventurous tastes turns the tables on her food-fussy parents and teaches them that dinner can be more than chicken nuggets. Matilda Macaroni loves to try new foods, whether it’s her grandma’s jambalaya or sushi at a sleepover. But, in this fun, twisted picture book, it’s finicky mom and dad–not the child–who eat only pizza with pepperoni (delivered), burgers from a bag, or noodles from a box. Eager to experience new flavors, Matilda secretly sets out to learn how to cook, satisfy her hunger for something more . . . and expand her parents’ palates, too. There’s also a Macaroni family recipe for quiche that young cooks can try!

  • If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff

If you give a cat a cupcake, he’ll ask for some sprinkles to go with it. When you give him the sprinkles, he might spill some on the floor. Cleaning up will make him hot, so you’ll give him a bathing suit . . .It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff

If you give a dog a donut, he’ll ask for some apple juice to go with it. When you give him the juice, he’ll drink it all up. Then, before you can say “Woof” . . . Dog is off on a backyard adventure! It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • If You Give a Moose a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

If you give him a cookie, he’ll ask for a glass of milk. He’ll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn’t have a milk mustache, and then he’ll ask for a pair of scissors to give himself a trim….It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • If Your Give Mouse a Muffin by Laura Numeroff

If a big hungry moose comes to visit, you might give him a muffin to make him feel at home. If you give him a muffin, he’ll want some jam to go with it. When he’s eaten all your muffins, he’ll want to go to the store to get some more muffin mix. It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff

If you give a pig a pancake, she’ll want some syrup to go with it. You’ll give her some of your favorite maple syrup, and she’ll probably get all sticky, so she’ll want to take a bath. She’ll ask you for some bubbles. When you give her the bubbles… It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • I will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child 我绝对绝对不吃番茄

Lola is a fussy eater. A very fussy eater. She won’t eat her carrots (until her brother Charlie reveals that they’re orange twiglets from Jupiter). She won’t eat her mashed potatoes (until Charlie explains that they’re cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji). There are many things Lola won’t eat, including — and especially —tomatoes. Or will she? Two endearing siblings star in a witty story about the triumph of imagination over proclivity. It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

Charlie和Lola 是一对兄妹,Lola是个非常挑食的小姑娘,有一天她的哥哥Charlie负责看她吃饭,面对Lola对各种蔬菜的抗拒,Charlie充分发挥自己的想象力,给胡萝卜(木星上的橙色树枝)、豌豆(绿色的雨)、土豆泥(富士山上的云)等蔬菜都编了个有趣的来历,于是Lola就愉快地吃下去了。

  • Llama Llama Yum Yum Yum! by Anna Dewdney

Get cooking with Llama Llama in this scratch-and-sniff board book! Llama Llama and his Mama are in the kitchen whipping up some delicious treats! Join in the fun by reading along with this super-sweet story and scratching and sniffing the fun scents on each spread, like pickles and ice cream sundaes! It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Lulu’s Lunch by Camilla Reid 

An action-packed activity book perfect for all toddlers. Join Lulu on her exciting edible day as she discovers sticky honey, a banana to peel, a picnic box to unpack and a brilliant finale – a plate full of spaghetti! It is great for kids ages 0-3 years old.

 

  • Pancakes, Pancakes! by Eric Carle

Jack is so hungry that what he really wants is a large pancake for breakfast. Join Jack as he starts from scratch to help make his very own breakfast pancake! It is great for kids ages 4-8 years old.

  • Picky Nicky by Cathy East Dubowski

Picky eater Nicky declares that she would rather eat bees and parrots than peas and carrots until her inventive family devises a clever plan to overcome her finicky habits. It is great for kids ages 3-5 years old.

  • The Berenstain Bears & Too Much Junk Food by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Papa, Brother, and Sister are eating way too much junk food, and it’s up to Mama and Dr. Grizzly to help them understand the importance of nutritious foods and exercise. This story book is a perfect way to teach children about the importance of eating healthy and staying active! It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

贝贝熊经典系列是美国小学指定阅读书目,其中很多内容都与日常生活密切相关。这本书讲的是贝贝熊爸爸、哥哥和姐姐吃了很多的垃圾食品,于是贝贝熊妈妈和医生不得不出手干涉的故事。书后有50个贴纸,可以用来给小朋友作为好好吃饭的奖励。

  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

A children’s classic about a caterpillar who eats his way through the pages of the book. It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Where Do Bananas Come From? by Arielle Lebovitz 

A Book of Fruits is the fruit edition in a series of children’s nutrition books for kids ages 4 and up. This colorful and playful guidebook introduces 108 fruits with full-color photography and charming illustrations. Learn fun facts from farm to table, fruit seasonality, nutrition information, an introduction to cooking with tasty recipes, and how to pick, store, and eat fruits too.

Kids will explore new fruits through experience-based learning with 100 descriptive words to guide their five senses on endless food adventures. It is great for kids ages 4-12 years old.

  • Where Does Broccoli Come From? by Arielle Lebovitz 

A Book of Vegetables is the vegetable edition in a series of children’s nutrition books for kids ages 4 and up. This colorful and playful guidebook introduces 102 veggies with full-color photography and charming illustrations. Learn fun facts from farm to table, vegetable seasonality, nutrition information, an introduction to cooking with tasty recipes, and how to pick, store, and eat veggies too.

Kids will explore new vegetables through experience-based learning with 100 descriptive words to guide their five senses on endless food adventures. It is great for kids ages 4-12 years old.

CHINESE CHILDREN BOOKS

  • 爱吃青菜的鳄鱼 by 汤姆牛

种蔬菜的农夫在河边捡到了一只小鳄鱼,于是每天喂他吃各种蔬菜,吃得小鳄鱼又大又强壮。有一天小镇来了一个医生,检查出全镇的人肚子里都有咕噜咕噜的怪声, 了解到是因为大家都不吃蔬菜,导致便秘的问题,因此肚子里有很多细菌,以致于发出咕噜咕噜的声音;但是又发现小鳄鱼的肚子里很干净、很健康,只有他 一个人没有咕噜咕噜的怪声。

这本书故事简单,内容贴近幼儿的心,用亲切的方式,让小朋友看到青菜长大的过程,了解吃青菜的好处,而且觉得吃青菜是一件很快乐的事!

  • 爱吃水果的牛 by 汤姆牛

在 一座长满各种水果的森林里,住着一只爱吃水果的牛,主人每天喂它各种好吃的水果,日子久了,这只牛就变得既健康又强壮。有一天,主人和邻居们,都因平日营养摄取不均衡,加上天气多变化而感冒了,大家都倒在床上动弹不得,幸亏有 “爱吃水果的牛” 每天提供大家各种好喝又营养的 “香蕉牛奶” “苹果牛奶”,大家才恢复昔日的健康,又变得生龙活虎的了!

这个轻松而富有想象力的故事,虽然主题明确,但故事处理得一点也不说教,简单明了的故事让孩子对吃水果的好处一目了然,不需父母在旁叨叨絮絮费尽口舌,小朋友自然而然会被这只可爱的牛吸引,进而对水果产生好奇与兴趣。

  • 爱挑食的小狐狸 by 陈书韵

狐狸阿布特别挑食,这个不吃、那个不吃,弄得营养不均衡,最后连玩游戏的力气也没了!简单的故事点出偏食的坏处,以及营养均衡的重要。

  • 我的蔬菜宝宝 by 陈丽雅

适合0~2岁幼儿阅读。宝宝的首本蔬菜认知类自然生态绘本,通过近距离的观察,探索植物生长的奥秘。

  • 汉堡男孩 Burger Boy by 艾伦•杜兰 (Alan Durant)

维尼讨厌蔬菜。他不喜欢红萝卜。也不喜欢各种各样的蔬菜。维尼喜欢汉堡。汉堡是维尼的最爱。其实维尼的食物名单只有汉堡而已。“总有一天,你会变成一个大汉堡!” 妈妈警告他。有一天,维尼竟然真的变成汉堡了。狗狗、牛、小男孩都追着他,想一口吃了他,维尼怎么办?妈妈能把他救回来吗?

  • 胖国王 by 张蓬洁 

这本书通过轻松幽默的故事,提醒孩子注意营养均衡,常常运动、保持身心健康,让孩子学到一些简单的饮食观念。父母也可以通过故事,引导孩子认知:胖国王最大的问题不是胖,而是不健康。所以不是要孩子成为一个瘦子,而是要孩子变成一个健康的人。

  • 瘦王后 by 张蓬洁

瘦皇后本来没有那么瘦的,但是因为担心胖国王太胖了,所以天天紧紧张张,又忙着藏胖国王的零食、忙着陪国王做运动,忙到不想吃东西、睡不着觉,有一天居然昏倒了……书中以轻松活泼的方式,提醒现代人注重营养均衡、适量运动,内容相当具有现代意义。

  • 挑食的小老鼠 by 何文楠

小老鼠青青刚开始的时候,非常偏食,只吃肉,不吃蔬菜。后来发生了什么事让青青一下子改变了挑食的坏习惯了呢?

  • 山姆吃饭了Sam, Go to Eat by (加)奥德里奇•加西亚

山姆是一个不爱吃饭的孩子。吃饭的时候,他只吃饼干,藏着自己的小脑袋或者挥舞自己沾满颜料的小脏手拒吃饭……咦,发生了什么事让山姆专心吃饭了呢?

 

  • 挑食的弗雷达 by 朱莉娅•贾曼

弗雷达的小女孩儿太爱挑食了,无论爸爸妈妈做什么菜肴,她都不喜欢吃;奶奶给她带来了美味的海鲜,她也不喜欢吃;从法国度假回来的舅舅带来了法国美食,可她依旧不爱吃。有一天,她突然变小了,不好,猫要把她当老鼠吃掉了。

弗雷达是如何从一个挑食的小女孩转变成一个胃口好,吃什么都香的孩子呢?其中的关键转变就是自己对坏习惯的意识,放弃与父母的对抗,从而学会对自己负责。家长们想尽一切办法,即辛苦又不讨好,可当孩子意识到问题的严重性以后,就会主动地去改正自己的行为,从而养成健康饮食的习惯。

  • 挑食的弗莱娅 by (英)凯瑟琳夸恩比

弗莱娅的胃口原本要多好有多好,可突然有一天,她向大家宣布:“你们做的饭一点儿也不好吃。” 第二天她连香肠也不喜欢了。没多久,她就变得很瘦。妈妈无奈之下只好给外婆打电话讨救兵。“把弗莱娅送到我这儿来吧,我们会调教好她的,这个挑剔的小东西。” 于是, 弗莱娅动身去外婆外公家享受无上美味去了——在那儿,她还将学到一点令她终身难忘的东西。

对于挑食,有时需要淡化处理。如果孩子只是偶尔有那么一两样东西不吃,没什么大不了,完全可以不去管它,刻意的纠正有时反倒会强化“不吃”的心理。要是挑食过了火,影响了健康,我们可以从外婆的秘诀中取经。总之,不管用什么方法,大人首先要保持轻松的心态,以不伤害孩子的心理健康为大前提。

  • 不一样的小公主:公主小姐不想吃饭 by (法)克里斯汀诺曼维拉蒙

小公主不想好好吃饭的故事,她不喜欢这个不喜欢那个,于是爸爸妈妈决定让她扮演爸爸妈妈的角色去劝自己的小仓鼠吃饭。在自己要成为榜样的过程中,会发生什么事?公主小姐不想吃饭,谁来帮帮她?

  • 我可不吃那个!I won’t Eat That ! by (美)克里斯托弗赛拉斯尼尔

猫宣告它不吃又干又乏味的猫粮了,那它该吃什么呢?它走进自然界,去向乌龟、狐狸甚至是鲸鱼求助,可是它们吃的东西猫都不感兴趣。猫很沮丧,它还能找到自己爱吃的东西吗?

  • 如果不吃青菜 by 黄小衡

《淘气包明一》习惯养成系列绘本的其中一本。本书画风夸张、幽默、想象力爆棚,让孩子在笑声中认识到这些坏习惯的“可怕”后果,真正用孩子喜欢的方式寓教于乐。

  • 哪个是哪个?食物比一比 by 高岡昌江

先用清楚的图示、对比,让你一眼看出这些食物外观的不同,再详细介绍它们的种类、来源、演变、营养和料理方法等。超多图示让你一目了然学会如何区分这些食物,更进一步告诉你这些食物为什么这么好吃的秘密!

  • 用什么做的呀?by 大森裕子

适合0~4岁幼儿阅读。饭团是用什么做的呀?汉堡包、拉面、饺子、圣代又是用什么做的呢?我们大家又是用什么做的呢?通过不断的提问启发小朋友们思考事物是如何构成的。本书语言简洁、色彩柔和,小动物的形象生动活泼,小朋友们可以通过图文识别常见的食品及原料,是一本颇具美感又趣味十足的幼儿读物。

  • 食物从哪里来?by (意)阿戈斯蒂诺•特拉伊尼

餐桌上的米饭、面包、水果、点心都是怎么来的呢?跟随小小美食家的步伐,穿过田野,来到城镇,深入海底,逛逛市场,参观工厂,一起来了解食物是怎么来的,它们又是如何加工变成我们餐桌上的美食的吧。这本书以图解的方式和活泼的语言,将食物的来源、加工制作的过程讲解得轻松有趣。

  • 跟饭团一起插秧 by (日)加岳井广

适合3岁以上的儿童阅读。又到了饭团家插秧的日子了,附近村子的伙伴们都来到稻田旁集合,豆皮寿司、酸梅、干木鱼等和米饭相关的食材都来了。大家互相帮忙插秧真是太好了!努力了一上午,可是还有一大片稻田等着呢。真能完成插秧的任务吗?正当大家忍不住怀疑的时候,两位神秘的帮手出现了。他们是谁呢?饭团家能顺利插完秧吗?田园风光和劳动的结合,帮孩子们理解食物与生产劳动的关系。

  • 唤醒童心的美味秘方 by (加)京•麦克莱尔

茱莉亚从小就喜欢法国美食,她甚至爱上了动手制作。为了做出美味佳肴,她和好朋友西姆卡一起学习烹饪,在厨房里快乐地煮啊煮,并希望能永远做小孩儿。

这本书,讲述的不仅仅是美食、烹饪的艺术,还借由孩子的眼睛,提醒我们每一个人,放缓节奏,欣赏沿途的风景,不争不抢,品味每一个当下的时刻;放松心情,保有一颗童心,不急不躁,感受生活中的乐趣和美好。

  • 小豆子豆豆 Little Pea by (美)艾米·科考斯·罗森塔尔 Amy Krouse Rosenthal 

豆豆每天都过得很快乐,他喜欢做的事有很多,但是晚餐时间却是他的噩梦,豆豆如果不把他的晚餐,讨厌的糖果全部吃完,就没有她最爱的蔬菜点心,豆豆会否吃完她最讨厌的糖果?这是一本以逆向思考及幽默的方式讓小朋友學習輕鬆看待自己不喜歡的事物(挑食)

  • 一园青菜成了精 by 周翔

出了大门往正东,一园青菜在农夫走后开始了大战,它们个个成了精。在农夫回来后,一园青菜已然熟透……本书通过幽默风趣及夸张的表现手法,朗朗上口的儿歌语言,演绎了一个菜园里的热闹故事,给予儿童无穷的想象空间。

  • 蚂蚁和西瓜 by 田村茂

一个好热的夏天的下午,蚂蚁们发现了一大块西瓜。“真好吃,赶紧搬回家吧!”可是怎么搬回去呢?一只蚂蚁想到了好主意……简单的线条、漫画式的夸张,把勤劳、乐天、齐心协力的理念呈现得无比幽默,结尾别出心裁。

  • 肚子里有个火车站 by (德)安娜鲁斯曼

肚子里有一群帮助食物消化的小精灵,如果吃的太多太快,精灵们就会游行示威、罢工抗议,肚子里就会乱作一团。这本书一种极其有趣的方式使我们了解自己的消化系统,从而帮助我们养成健康的饮食习惯。

  • 肚子里的小人 by 吉村亚希子

这本书解决了这一沟通难题。不说教、不示范,而是采用“共情”的方法,利用孩子天生的想象力,使之假想肚子里面有一个跟自己吃一样、喝一样的小人。如果自己习惯不好,那么肚子里的小伙伴可要遭殃了。这样的方式,生动、形象,而且讲过一次,便难以忘记。家长可以继续根据需要,创造出更多关于“肚子里的小人”的故事。

  • 影响孩子一生自我意识养成绘本第二辑(4册)

用充满趣味的语言解读身体的秘密,让孩子在童话故事中了解自己身体的秘密,自主养成好的生活习惯,拥有保护自我的意识,理性认识自我的能力。

  • 揭秘食物(10册)by 周东

让孩子探索食物的秘密爱上美食。

Let me know what you think! Is there a book you love that’s not on this list?

Salt:Sodium for Babies and Toddlers

Salt/Sodium for Babies and Toddlers

I feel like a lot of us, parents, are pretty conscious of how much sugar we’re giving to our little ones, but what about their salt intake, especially if you are doing mixed approach.

HOW MUCH SALT?

Due to insufficient data for babies, an AI (Adequate Intake) for sodium has been established.

  • For infants 6 months and younger, the AI for sodium is 110 milligrams per day (here).
  • Babies between the ages of 7 and 12 months have an AI of 370 milligrams per day (here).

So, up to 12 months of age, the recommended amount of sodium per day is less than 400 mg sodium. This includes salt found in breastmilk/formula AND solid foods. So, considering that breastmilk and formula have about 200 mg of sodium per 24 oz., this means that babies should only be consuming about 200 mg of sodium via solid food daily.

The reason for this recommended intake level is that we assume that babies’ kidneys are still very immature and won’t be able to process large amounts of salt properly. So far, we don’t have enough research yet to say that this is 100% the upper limit for salt for babies under 1 year old. They may be able to handle more, but without enough research indicating the highest level actually determined safe before developing any risk of poor health effects, sticking to this limit is advised.

SALT VS. SODIUM

Salt and sodium are often used interchangeably and you may see both on food labels. Table salt that we eat is actually made up of sodium (40%) and chloride (60%).

1 tsp salt = 2300 mg sodium 

1 g sodium = 2.5 g salt 

We definitely need both of these electrolytes (as well as potassium) as they help send messages along the nerves, enable muscles to contract,  balance the amount of fluids in the body, enhance nutrient absorption, regulate acid-base balance, absorb potassium, and control the level of bacteria present in the stomach.

SALT IN FOODS

Salt in pretty much everything store-bought, processed or packaged. It’s a preservative and it makes food taste amazing, so naturally food manufactures will put it in deliberately. Salt can be found in:

  • Processed meats like deli meats, bacon, hotdogs, ham and sausages.
  • Frozen foods like fish sticks, chicken nuggets, frozen meals.
  • Potato chips
  • Crackers
  • Canned soups
  • Gravy
  • Broths (vegetables, chicken, beef)
  • Olives, pickles, pickled vegetables (Kimchi)
  • Soy sauce

Other foods that you may not be aware as they don’t taste very salty but are very high in sodium:

  • Cheese and other dairy products like yogurt and milk
  • Bread, bagels, English muffins, tortillas, and other bread products
  • Canned tomato and pasta sauce
  • Canned vegetables
  • Canned beans
  • Box cereal

*Fresh Milk  – 100 mg sodium in 1 cup. The high sodium content is one of the many reasons milk is not recommended as a main drink until your baby turns one. A little milk in cereal or baked goods is ok, so no need to cut it out completely.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

As you can see in the picture above, sodium is found naturally in foods as well as added to processed foods. It’s practically in every food. So do we need to completely eliminate salt from baby’s solid foods?

AT HOME

If you are cooking meals for your family, you can always hold off on adding salt until after you have taken out your baby’s portion. For example, when making a stir-fry, put a small portion aside before adding soy sauce to the pan.

It is important not to add salt to anything you cook from scratch, even if you think it tastes bland, taste can be different experience for your baby than it is for you. You can use herbs and spices as flavour enhancers.

During the first few months of eating, it is very unlikely that a baby will consume a large amount of sodium. Especially if you are being mindful in the purchased foods you provide. When baby’s don’t eat that much, it is just a hard proposition for them to get in a lot of sodium. And if a baby is self-feeding, it does take a while for them to start to ingest a decent amount of food!

For older baby, if we are sharing meals and eating more family-style meals, it is likely that you will need to pay a little closer attention to their foods as hidden sodium can be found in so many foods!

AT RESTAURANT

Restaurant foods tend to be much saltier than what you would make at home. It is also very hard to determine how much sodium is actually in a dish. Even if the nutritional information is published, many chefs will add salt as they see fit, regardless of the recipe. There are a couple of ways you can approach this. My general recommendation is not to worry too much. As long as you aren’t eating at a restaurant daily, or multiple times a day, it will all even out. Try to order something that would normally be cooked with less salt. You can even ask the waiter’s or chef’s suggestion.

If you have a baby that doesn’t eat that much yet, or in general, then you should be fine. If your baby usually eats a lot, there is always the option of bringing along some food for them that you know is low in sodium. I generally find that I can make do at restaurants with the food on the menu. I also want my child to experience the different flavors available. But if you’re unsure what is there, it never hurts to bring your own food along.

The key is being mindful and seeing how you can balance things in the next few days. Maybe one day they eat a good amount of cheese and bread, so the next day you are very conscious of only offering low or no sodium foods. Maybe one meal they eat at restaurant and the next meal you focus on fruit and a homemade muffin for snack. Pick and choose your battles and do what you can to make smart decisions wherever possible.

If it’s really only once or twice a week that you have restaurant meals, then just be sure to note that and adjust the food choices for the rest of the week! Keep it truly balanced while continually striving to plan ahead.

BOTTOM LINE

The idea is to do your best, serve homemade meals as much as possible. Read labels and practice mindfulness around what you’re eating and feeding your baby. This is a good practice to get into for the whole family.

What you feed your child today lays the foundation for taste preferences for tomorrow. 

adding-herbs-and-spices-to-baby-foods-photo

Adding Herbs and Spices to Baby Foods

Herbs and spices provide our foods with a multitude of flavours, fragrances, and colours. However, many parents worry about adding flavour this way to their babies’ food, believing that spices are hot and not suitable for little ones’ taste buds.

Baby food doesn’t have to be bland!

There is a big difference between hot spices and aromatic ones. Aromatic spices, such as turmeric, garlic, ginger, dill, cumin, nutmeg, garlic, dill, and cinnamon, are perfectly fine to introduce to baby after 6 months.

This guide explains why I recommend parents adding herbs and spices to baby’s food, the benefits of adding them and gives some ideas on how to start introducing them to your baby.

WHY YOU SHOULD INTRODUCE HERBS AND SPICES TO BABIES

If your baby doesn’t have any digestive problems, I always encourage parents who are just starting weaning their babies, either by purees or baby led weaning (around 6 months of age), to experiment with herbs and spices from the beginning. The more you expose your baby to a variety of tastes and flavours, between 6-12 months, the more likely it is that they’ll accept a variety of food later on in life! This means adding herbs and spices right from the beginning helps reduce the chances of pickiness.

In fact, breastfed babies are often introduced to a variety of spices even before starting solids. Breast milk can change its flavour, depending on a mum’s diet. If mum enjoys spicy and flavoursome food, then her baby will be exposed to this through her milk, helping create and develop a taste for flavoured foods. Therefore, by flavouring food with a variety of herbs and spices, you’ll continue the benefits of flavour exposure found in breastmilk.

What about exclusively formula fed babies? We know that babies are made to handle various flavours from the first day of their life, they were capable of experiencing various spices without any issues. So bland food is actually not a requirement for them and it’s natural for them to experience different flavours. If your baby is exclusively formula fed, then they wouldn’t have that exposure, and so beginning with some herbs and spices when they start solids is a great way to get those taste buds primed for new flavours.

As salt and sugar should be limited in baby food, spices and herbs are a great way to flavour food.

BENEFITS OF INTRODUCING HERBS AND SPICES AT AN EARLY AGE 

  • Trains the baby’s taste buds to enjoy variety flavors and will set the foundation for healthy eating habits.
  • Teaches the baby to expect change with food. Offering a plain mashed banana one day and a mashed banana with a dash of cinnamon the next can have a valuable influence on the child’s evolving palate.
  • Fresh herbs are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
  • Herbs and spices are great flavour enhancers without adding unnecessary sugar and salt.
  • Helps babies transition to family food, as your baby will be familiar with those tastes and more likely to accept them.

WHAT ABOUT HOT SPICY FOODS?

Hot spicy foods (cayenne pepper or jalapeño) can hold off for a while. But, it is recommended to use aromatic spice first, such as curry, cumin, oregano, turmeric, cinnamon, mint, basil, allow them to experience those flavours first, before adding small amounts of hot spices. We live in Malaysia, the 3 major cultures that have influenced Malaysian food are Malay, Chinese and Indian. A lot of Malaysian dishes can be classified under the hot and spicy category. So, once you start, use mild spices in small dosages, therefore, you can cook a dish that the whole family can enjoy.

POPULAR FLAVOUR COMBINATIONS 

Here is a list of baby friendly herbs, spices and natural flavor enhancers and the foods that pair well with them:

Vegetables 

  • Asparagus: Parmesan cheese
  • Banana: rolled in unsweetened coconut
  • Broccoli: nutritional yeast
  • Butternut squash: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice or ginger
  • Carrots: basil and garlic; or cinnamon
  • Cauliflower: curry powder
  • Green beans: garlic powder
  • Mashed potatoes: dill or garlic
  • Pumpkin: cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger
  • Sweet potato: cardamom, cinnamon, cajun spice or nutmeg

Fruits 

  • Applesauce: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or ginger
  • Avocado: cilantro or parsley
  • Bananas: cinnamon or allspice
  • Pears: ginger or cinnamon

Grains/Cereals

  • Oatmeal: cinnamon and nutmeg
  • Pasta: basil, oregano, or garlic
  • Rice: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or ginger
  • Quinoa (sweet): cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, or ginger
  • Quinoa (savory): garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, basil, or oregano

Dairy

  • Plain yogurt: cinnamon or mint

Meat 

  • Chicken: ginger; rosemary, sage and thyme; lemon zest and pepper; or basil and oregano; paprika
  • Beef: garlic and pepper; or onion powder and pepper
  • Salmon: dill, lime or lemon

TIPS TO ADD SPICES & HERBS TO BABY FOOD

When adding herbs and spices, make sure to start simple and try not to add too much so as to overpower the food. Start out by adding one herb or spice to your baby’s food and then building it up from there by mixing with other flavours.

  • Storage: Store spices in airtight containers away from light and heat. Whole spices will keep for around 1-2 years but after around six months, ground spices will start to lose their aroma and flavour. So buy in small amounts and use often!
  • Pre-mix spice blends: Always read the packaging when using pre-mix spice blends (as they often have added sugar and salt), try making your own blends.
  • Start slowly: Start with plain foods so baby can try the taste of the food on its own.
  • Use small amounts: Once baby has tasted the food plain, you can gradually add spices and herbs you use when cooking for the rest of the family. Use small amounts to start with to allow your baby to get used to different flavours. You don’t want to overpower the food. Start out by adding just a pinch.
  • Prepare fresh leafy herbs properly: Wash fresh herbs and then puree or finely mince before adding to baby food. Large leaves can be a choking hazard
  • Don’t give up: If your baby rejects the flavour of the spices/herbs just remember that it can take up to 10-20 exposures for a new flavour to be accepted.

Let’s give our babies something other than tasteless mush or finger foods to eat!  I’m a firm believer that babies deserve the tasty goodness we feed ourselves. When you implement these tips, you will create a change in taste and expectation for your baby. When babies learn to accept change with food, they become less likely to get stuck in food ruts.

If you’ve added herbs and spices to your baby food, what’s your little one’s favourite combinations?

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Get Your Kids Back into a Routine after Chinese New Year

We are one month post Chinese New Year, but do you still feel like you’re running around without purpose? Even with Chinese New Year decorations packed away, and you still feels like you are always rushing to catch up.

Daily routines and schedules go out the window. 

Meals are often “catch as catch can”, with sugary, fatty snacks counterfeiting as nourishment. 

Bedtimes get delayed due to visiting, family trips, school works. 

Like post-vacation blues that leave you with an “overall decrease in well-being and work productivity following a satisfying vacation” the month after the holidays can leave us feeling let down. And our children feel it too. They had free time, parties, treats, and fun throughout February.

The only way out?

It’s not nagging. It’s not yelling.

It’s a routine. 

That’s right. Routines bring in the structure your children are needing right now. Even if your child can tell time, he won’t always order his day by hours and minutes. Rather, to a child, life is a series of events. And when those events are predictable and routine, your children develop a healthy sense of structure. That structure helps them feel safe which means they’re happier, more cooperative, and less inclined to fight.

Now that the holidays have passed and all the big plans and parties that filled your schedule are no more, mealtime and bedtime can finally be your priority again. Use these tips to get your family back into routine after Chinese New Year.

START WITH BEDTIME 

We all know our children don’t function well if they’re not getting enough sleep. With extracurricular activities (sport practice or tuition class) restarting after the holiday break, your bedtime routines may be getting pushed back a bit.

Take time to reconnect with children at bedtime using reliable rituals, like singing a lullaby or reading a bedtime story together.

FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAKE-UP TIME 

With enough sleep under their belts, your children will be able to wake up with plenty of time to get everything done in the mornings. Add up all their morning tasks, estimate how much time they each take, and then add an extra five-minute cushion. Now, using that time, count backwards from the time they need to be walking out the door. That’s the time they should be waking up each day.

REGULAR AND STRUCTURE MEALTIME 

Eating at the same time every day not only reduces hangry but also eliminates snacking between meals.

Mealtime is a good way to introduce good eating habits.

Make sure that your children are eating a healthy breakfast every day. Breakfast is important for every member of your family as it improves your concentration, strength, endurance, and performance.

EAT TOGETHER 

Your meals don’t have to be fancy, or pretty. But the act of spending set time together can have a big impact on our children.  Sit around the table and share some thoughts, such as a highlight of each person’s day – each person takes a turn describing a good thing that happened that day and a tough problem they had to deal with.

TOSS THE SWEETS 

If you don’t want your children to come home from school and choose cookies over healthier snacks. Toss or give away the rest of those candies or cookies that are sitting around. Make plenty of healthy choices available to them.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY 

Make time for exercise during the day as it helps to tire your child out and improve their appetite at mealtime.

BOTTOM LINE

There’s no one magic food or drink that will counter nutritional damage done over the Chinese New Year. All in all, the most important thing is to get back to the basics of building a healthy eating pattern and routine – get a good night’s sleep, make exercise a part of your daily routine, choose healthier foods and clear all the sweets out of your house.

What area has been especially challenging for you to keep as a routine after holidays?

why-you-should-start-a-garden-with-your-kids-photo

Why You Should Start a Garden with Your Kids

As a mother and a dietitian, I know how challenging it can be to get your children to eat enough fruits and vegetables. We are so removed from our food supply, teaching children about how food is grown will help them appreciate what is on the table. When they involve in gardening, they learn that food comes from the ground, not from supermarket. More and more research (here, here) shows that when children help grow fruits and vegetables, they are more likely to eat more produce and try different kinds, too.

YOU CHILDREN CAN BE PART OF THE PLANTING AND GROWING PROCESS 

Depending on their age, children take the gardening differently. For example, preschoolers tend to be fascinated with exploring dirt, digging holes, planting seeds and working the garden hose, while older children may be more interested in how a single seed turns into an edible plant. Ask children which fruits and vegetables they would like to grow. Teach children responsibility by assigning each child a watering, harvesting or weeding task. Allowing children to be involved in every step of the process will get them excited to taste the fruits and vegetables of their labor.

ENCOURAGE TASTE TESTING

Gardening exposes your children to a variety of fruits and vegetables so encourage taste testing straight from the ground (after a quick rinse to remove dirt) and at the dinner table. Show kids how a tomato can taste delicious from the vine or in dishes such as pasta sauce.

Children are fascinated by both very small and very large objects — including vegetables. Whether in the ground or pot, cherry tomato plants grow to the perfect height for little hands to pick right off the vine.

INDOOR HERB GARDEN

Herbs are perhaps the easiest plants to grow and can be a good place to start to interest children in gardening. Most herbs can grow in small pots on indoor windowsills. Herbs usually grow easily, so you’ll probably have more than enough. Choose a few herbs to start, such as parsley, basil, rosemary, green onion. Don’t worry if you have too much herbs in the end.

An excess of basil can be made into pesto, frozen in ice cube trays and stored in the freezer to use later. And, all herbs can be dried.

START FROM WHAT YOU EAT 

Begin small by creating a garden with a dinner salad in mind. Plant salad greens, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers — all are kid-friendly and easy to grow. Children like to see the result of their effort, so consider planting crops that grow quickly such as green beans or carrots; or those that produce heavily such as grape tomatoes.

GARDENING IN SMALL SPACES 

No yard? No space? No problem! Try using large pots/containers/planters, you can placed on the balcony or porch to grow foods such as tomatoes, salad greens, peppers and even cucumbers.

MY GARDENING EXPERIENCE IN CANADA 

Gardening helps our children engage their curiosity, learn to be resourceful and gain self-confidence. It also is a great way to get the entire family outside for fresh air and physical activity.

If you’re like me and you’re new to gardening, the idea of starting a garden might be a bit overwhelming. After a lot of research and some trial-by-error and tweaking, last Summer my 3-year-old son, husband and I planted our first backyard container garden.

Here is what you need to start your indoor or outdoor garden:

  1. Pots, planters (if space is limited)
  2. Some soil (Look for Organic soil under any brand, most nurseries have them)
  3. Seeds (You can buy them from nurseries)
  4. Plenty of water
  5. Sunlight
  6. Space (patio, balcony, backyard)
  7. Patience
Summer 2017

After a couple of months, the hard work will pay off with your own fresh and delicious fruits and vegetables for the whole family to enjoy.

Summer 2017

No matter what you plant and whether your carrots look like carrots or something different, have fun. Odds are kids and parents will enjoy the time they spend together and learn a little something along the way. And remember: children are going to get dirty; that’s part of the fun!

Summer 2018

Harvesting roots and tubers can be a treasure hunt. What’s more fun for a child than yanking a carrot out of the ground, washing it and taking a bite?

Summer 2018

Children will be fascinated by the growing process, whether it’s indoors or out. Small children may find it exciting to watch how low-maintenance, easy-to-grow and brightly colored berries grow and expand during the season.

Unfortunately, the winter is quite long in Canada, the growing season can be very short. So, we are planning to grow more indoor herbs this year.

WHAT ABOUT MALAYSIA? MALAYSIANS CAN ENJOY A YEAR-ROUND HARVEST 

Start an herb garden

  • Herb gardens are great for kids and it doesn’t matter the season.
  • Growing herbs doesn’t take much work – some soil, lots of sunlight, and water. The process, from seed to skillet, is similar to growing a garden. Let children relish in trying new flavor profiles they had a hand in growing!
  • TRY: Oregano, thyme, mint, rosemary, basil, lemongrass, curry leaf, green onion, ginger, onoin.

Start a vegetable garden

  • Let children choose some of the seeds to plant.
  • Guide them in exploring and researching other decisions that go into a garden, like what fertilizer to use, pest management (go organic!), co-plantings, etc.
  • When gardening with groups of small children, don’t forget to make it fun and creative. Break up the “hard work” like weeding, seedling, watering, etc.
  • Don’t forget to hang out in the garden and enjoy the space!
  • TRY: lettuce, long bean, kale, sweet peppers, chili, kangkung, choy sum, cucumbers, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, okra.

BOTTOM LINE 

It’s a great way to teach children where their food comes from and to help them gain the satisfaction of growing something themselves.

Children who grow food and prepare it are more likely to try it.

Did you know that I offer personalized one-on-one nutrition counselling for children and families? If this is something you’s like to learn more about, check out my service.

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How to Help Your Child to Gain Weight

So often in the media we hear about the obesity epidemic and how too many children are overweight or obese. But what about those on the flip side of the coin? The ones that may not eat much, may be very selective with their food choice, may have an aversion to food, or may have other underlying medical concerns that it is hard for them to keep weight on?

Being underweight is not the same as being thin or slender. Some children have a naturally slight build and maintain it with a well-balanced diet and physical activity.

The child’s weight can cause great worry to the parents.

THIN OR UNDERWEIGHT? CHECK THE GROWTH CHART 

Children show us they are thriving through their normal growth and development as demonstrated on the Growth Chart. Your public health nurses or paediatrician plots your child’s weight and length/height routinely at well-visits and check-ups.

There are 4 nutrition indices to define nutritional status of children as measure through anthropometric measurements – body weight and height.

  1. weight-for-age (risk for underweight)
  2. height-for-age (risk for stunting)
  3. body mass index (BMI)-for-age (risk for overweight)
  4. weight-for-height (risk for wasting)

Percentiles (from 3 to 97) represent the normal window of growth we can expect for children.

The 50th percentile shows the average. This is where most children are.

It means that below 50th percentile is lower than the average, but still normal. Above 50th percentile is above the average, but still normal too!

Here’s what the percentile values on a growth chart do mean:⠀

A 2 year old boy who places on the 48th percentile on the weight-for-age growth chart means that 52% of all the boys (same age) out there weigh more than him and 48% weigh less than him.⠀

OR

Even if your child is at the 8th percentile for his weight, meaning that 92% of kids his age weigh more than he does, if he has always been at the 8th percentile, then he is likely growing normally. It would be concerning and it might mean there was a problem with his growth if he had previously been at the 50th or 75th percentile and had now fallen down to the 8th percentile

What you should actually look at is how they progress over time on the growth chart and whether or not they’re staying on THEIR particular curve. Children who are growing normally will track their growth predictably on their own personal growth curve. Whether 48th percentile or 8th percentile, it doesn’t mean that his particular weight is good, bad, right or wrong. There is no “goal” to reach here. It just shows that body come in all shapes and forms. Some children are meant to be more petite or smaller, some are meant to be more largely built or much taller. Just look at their parents and family history as a good indicator! Genetics will win!

If time passes and you notice they’ve dropped from the 48th to the 15th percentile, that’s more of a concern! Same thing goes when it’s a big jump from the 60th percentile to the 85th percentile. That’s more of what we would call “falling off the growth curve”. It could be, of course, due to over/under-eating, malabsorption issues or some other underlying medical issue or it could be something as simple as a growth spurt.⠀

The key message here is that there’s no right or wrong percentile for your toddler! Every child has their own established growth curve. Where another child has nothing to do with where your child should be. Having a chubby or a skinny toddler does not mean they are healthy or not healthy. And trying to actively change their natural curve does a lot more harm than good.⠀

Last, the growth chart is a good indicator of your child’s overall nutritional status.  If your child appears to be maintaining a usual and predictable pattern on the curve, you can rest assured that your child is getting adequate calories for normal growth.

It is not just about extra calories.

START WITH HEALTHY MEALTIMES

Sometimes, parents use ineffective strategies to get their child to gain weight and grow, including negative feeding practices, in an attempt to feed them high calorie foods to boost their weight.

First, building a healthy food relationship (not just calories) is more important.

Understand the Feeding Relationship 

A parent’s role is to choose what foods to offer, when, and where. Parents should provide healthy foods and offer regular meals and snacks.

A child’s role is to decide how much to eat and whether or not to eat at each meal.

Zero Pressure

Sometimes your child may refuse meals or snacks. Don’t beg, bribe or threaten your child to eat certain kinds or amounts of food.

Pressuring a child to eat can make them eat less. 

Away from Distraction 

Families should enjoy healthy eating together. Your child shouldn’t be singled out from the rest of the family. Everybody eats at the table together. Your child will focus on eating with fewer distractions. Turn off the TV, computer, IPad, and put toys aside around feeding time.

Stick to Mealtime Schedule

Regular meals and snacks will help your child eat enough food to grow well and be healthy. Offer food every 2-3 hours at planned times.

Offer 3 meals and 2-3 snacks each day. 

Watch Empty Calories

Limit foods like sugary drinks, candies, potato chips and donuts. These foods don’t help children grow well.

Set Mealtime Boundaries

Set some table rules at meal times such as “everyone stays at the table until dad/mum’s finished”, even if your child doesn’t want to eat what you’ve served. Because they are sitting with food in front of them, they may end up picking at it! This is useful if your child wants to rush off and play rather than eat. But don’t force or nag them to eat. You’re just asking them to stay at the table. You don’t want to turn meal times into a battle.

Avoid Filling Up on Fluids 

Drinking too many fluids like milk and juice may make a child less hungry for meals and snacks.

Serve no more than 2-3 cups of milk each day. Limit fruit juice to 0-1/2 cup each day.  

Read Label

Limit foods and drinks labelled “light”, “low fat”, “fat-free”, “low calorie” or “sugar-free”.

Watch Your Languages 

Watch your language and conversation around body size and shapes. If you talk about people being fat, on a diet, over-eating, or you are watching your own weight by counting calories or you obsess over food labels and your own body shape, then a child picks up on this quickly. Children mirror a parent’s pattern and chatter. Catch yourself out and avoid this kind of chatter, especially if your child has suddenly started eating less and is starting to lose weight, they may have started dieting because of this unhealthy conversation.

FOODS TO GAIN WEIGHT 

Every Bite Count 

Every bite of food and every gulp of liquid can make a contribution to your child’s ability to gain weight and grow. Offer foods high in calories and rich in nutrients at every meal and snack.

Make some simple switches to double up their energy intake without making them eat more. 

Parents with an underweight child are usually struggling with knowing which foods to feed their child to help them gain weight.

If your child is thin or underweight and you are worried about whether he or she is getting enough nutrition, here are some ideas to help calm your fears and feed your child:

  • Vegetables and Fruit
    • Cooked vegetables with cheese sauce or grated cheese
    • Fruit with yogurt or peanut butter
    • Avocado as a spread, in smoothie, or as a dip (guacamole)
    • Potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash (butternut squash or spaghetti squash), or turnips mashed with milk and butter (or non-hydrogenated margarine)
    • Dried fruit (apple, prunes, apricots, raisins, cranberries) added to baked goods
  • Grain Products
    • Bread, crackers, muffins with cheese, cream cheese, hummus, nut butter
    • French toast, pancakes, waffles made with eggs, oil, milk. Serve with syrup, fruit, yogurt on top
    • Hot or cold cereal with milk, nuts and fruit
    • Granola or muesli with yogurt and fruit (recipe here and here)
    • Wheat germ added to baked goods
    • Meat (fried in oil) with vegetables and rice
  • Milk and Alternatives
    • Choose whole or full fat milk. Offer as a drink or use it in place of milk in recipes
    • Cream soup or sauce made with whole milk
    • All types of cheese. Sliced or grated onto foods
    • Yogurt as a dip, mixed with fruit, or added to smoothie
    • Fortified soy beverages can be use as a drink or in recipes
    • Plant-based milk are often lower in calories and protein. Not recommended !!
  • Meat and Alternatives
    • Meat with gravy or other sauces (curry or sweet and sour sauce)
    • Scrambled egg with cheese
    • Egg salad sandwich
    • Omelette with cheese, ham, tomato, peppers
    • Quiches
    • Hummus with crackers or pita bread
    • Fish cake (recipe: Easy Salmon Cake)
    • Nut butter spread on bread, or added to smoothie or muffins
    • Tofu
    • Nuts or seeds offered as snacks or add to baked goods, granola, or muesli

I’ve also got another free FOODS TO GAIN WEIGHT guide you can use for your children to get you started so you can start feeling better about every bite your child takes.

ACTIVE LIFE 

Give your child more time to be active. Being active can make children hungrier for meals and snacks. Limit screen time, like watching TV and using other electronics. Read this post to learn how to increase physical activity level of your child.

BOTTOM LINE 

If you’re a parent struggling to put weight on your child, remember that at the end of the day, you want a healthy, happy and confident child. So, yes while it is important for your child to eat, do not make it a battle or power struggle. If you’re concerned about their growth, be sure to talk to your doctor, dietitian, or public health nurses.

Are you worried about your thin child? Are you thinking that you might want some one-on-one nutrition counselling, either for you, or your baby or child? Check out my one-on-one nutrition counselling services here. 

understanding-lactose-intolerance-photo

Understanding Lactose Intolerance

WHAT IS LACTOSE? 

Lactose is is a naturally occurring sugar found in milk and other dairy products (yogurt, cheese and ice cream). When you consume food or drinks containing lactose, an enzyme named lactase in the small bowel will break down lactose into two simple sugars: glucose and galactose. These nutrients are then absorbed in the small intestine.

Image source: http://www.evo-ed.org/Pages/Lactase/cellbio.html

WHAT IS LACTOSE INTOLERANCE? 

However, some people might produce less lactase than the others. If the small bowel has insufficient lactase, the lactose consumed will not be digested properly and will continue through to the large bowel. Lactose in the large bowel will be fermented by the gut bacteria, which produces gases including hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. This gas production not only can lead to unpleasant gastro-intestinal symptoms such as distention, bloating, flatulence and constipation but can also draw water into the large bowel resulting in loose stools or diarrhea.

Some people may have a temporary lactose intolerance due to  viral infection like the stomach bug, while others can experience it when they have a digestive disorder like celiac disease. Still others may experience lactose intolerance their entire lives.

SYMPTOMS  

  • bloating
  • abdominal pain due to gas
  • tummy cramps
  • nausea
  • loose stool or diarrhea

If you are lactose intolerant, the symptoms may vary and are dose-dependent. That is, the more lactose you consume, the worse the symptoms become. Symptoms may occur immediately after drinking milk or eating dairy products, or they may be delayed for hours.

Lactose intolerance is NOT an allergy to milk. 

DIAGNOSIS 

To diagnose lactose intolerance, the hydrogen breath test is a simple, non-invasive and reliable investigation test. Lactose intolerance is indicated when hydrogen and methane levels of breath meet a certain criteria following the oral consumption of standard dose of lactose.

Another simple way to diagnose lactose intolerance is an elimination diet which involves removing lactose in the diet and assessing whether symptoms improve, followed by a re-introduction of lactose in the diet to assess whether symptoms return.

WHAT FOODS CONTAIN LACTOSE? 

Read the ingredient list on product labels to find out if the product contains a lactose-cotaining food. Food items to look out for include: milk, milk solids, malted milk, buttermilk, curds, cheese flavours, non-fat milk powder, non-fat milk solids, sweet or sour cream, lactose, whey and yogurt.

Note: 1) the cultures in yogurt help to digest lactose 2)Products that contain lactic acid, lactalbumin, lactate and casein do not contain lactose. 

IF YOU ARE LACTOSE INTOLERANT, SHOULD ALL DAIRY PRODUCTS BE AVOIDED? 

Yes, you will need to modify the diet in order to alleviate the discomfort and symptoms at the beginning. The first step is to remove all sources of lactose in the diet that can cause problematic symptoms, including milk and dairy products.

The second step is to find nutritious substitutions for those items you’re removing:

Note: 1)”Lactose free” means that there is no detectable lactose in the food. 2)”Lactose-reduced” means that at least 25% of the lactose in the product has been removed.

Recent research has suggested that most people with lactose intolerance can consume up to 12 to 15g of lactose without any symptoms. You can still tolerate some foods that contain lactose like yogurt or cheese, even if you are lactose intolerant.

OTHER TIPS ABOUT INCLUDING LACTOSE IN YOU AND YOUR CHILD’S DIET: 

  • Drink milk in smaller quantities. Most people with lactose intolerance can tolerate 1/2 cup milk at a time.
  • Eat small amounts of lactose-containing foods spaced throughout the day.
  • Eat with other solid foods may delay digestion, offering more time for the lactase enzyme to break down lactose.
  • Yogurt may also be tolerated (plain better than flavoured), because the live bacteria in the yogurt partially digests the lactose before consumption. Yogurt is also a semisolid, which moves slowly through the digestive tract.
  • Aged cheese tend to have lower lactose content.
  • Try lactase enzyme drops or tablets from the pharmacy. Tablets are taken before eating foods that have lactose. Enzyme drops can be added to milk before drinking.
  • Soy products do not contain any lactose and can be a suitable substitute for dairy products, providing they have calcium added.

Do you have a child with lactose intolerance? How are you managing? Did you know that I provide one-on-one nutrition counselling service for children and families? If you are diagnosed with lactose intolerance, I can help to ensure you are not missing out on important nutrients such as Calcium. This is particularly important for children. If this is something you’d like to learn more about, check out here

a-parents-guide-to-physical-activity-for-kids-photo

A Parent’s Guide to Physical Activity for Kids

Physical activity has many benefits for children. Being active is important to help kids grow and develop. Did you know? Physical activity can also help children:

  • Lower the risk of childhood overweight and obesity
  • Promote fitness and bone health
  • Increase self esteem and social skills
  • Increase concentration, help improve academic performance in school
  • Improve sleep
  • Promote heart health and lower the risk for heart disease and Type II diabetes

Even though increasing physical activity can seem like a challenge, the benefits are worth it! Read on to learn more about physical activity and get tips on how to encourage your children to get active.

Habits formed early can last a lifetime. 

HOW MUCH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DO CHILDREN NEED? 

Children and youth need a total of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. The 60 minutes doesn’t need to be done all at once to see health benefits. Any activity done for 10 minutes or more can count towards the total of 60 minutes per day.

  • Moderate aerobic activities make you sweat a little and breathe harder.
  • Vigorous aerobic activities make you sweat a lot and be out of breath.
  • Strengthening activities that build muscles and bones.

Three days a week should include activities that strengthen muscles and bones like sit ups, jumping and swinging on playground swings and bars. Vigorous activities such as running, swimming and biking should also be included at least 3 days per week.

HOW CAN I GET MY CHILDREN MORE ACTIVE? 

Here are some budget-friendly ideas to get the kids up and moving:

  • Play outside!

Encourage your kids to play outside before homework time and dinner.

Any activity is better than no activity. But more is even better!

The longer the kids are active the better! Encourage them to play tag, hide and seek, jump in the leaves or build a castle in a sandbox. Arrange an outdoor treasure hunt, search for bugs and rocks. My toddler love going for a family bike ride. Head to different areas to discover new neighbourhoods and trails.

Bike Riding
  • Walk, run or skip!

Go for a walk after dinner or head to the neighbourhood park before starting bedtime routines. This is also a good time for older children and teens to be active before working on homework. A little running around can help them think clearer and be more efficient when doing their homework.

Evening walk
  • Join a program that includes regular physical activity

Check your community or child’s school for programs near you like dance, taekwondo, karate, basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, swimming lessons, yoga, gymnastics, trampoline, or figure skating.

Swimming
  • Let’s Dance!

Dancing is popular for both boys and girls. Turn on your favourite music and dance! There are many different kinds of dancing; find one that is right for you. A few examples are hip hop, belly dancing, tap, jazz and salsa. My favourite is Zumba. Many cultures are famous for their styles of dances. Experience a dance from across the globe!

BOTTOM LINE

Physical activity can be easy and fun. Be a role model and get active with your children so that the whole family will benefit.

If you would like to take advantages of more tips, resources and advice on nutrition for children, check out my service

The Important of Family Meals

The Important of Family Meals

We are busy! It’s challenging to find time to eat meals with friends and family. But, it’s important to share meals, because it opens dialogue, connects people and helps us eat a more balanced diet. It’s an enriching experience for people of all ages to share meals — from children to older adult.

WHY SHARE MEALS WITH OTHERS?

The biggest barriers to eating together are busy schedules like work and evening activities. It takes creativity to balance busy schedules, but it’s worth the effort because everyone benefits when you eat in the company of others!

  • Children who eat with their family have more nutritious diets, better academic performance, a lower risk for being overweight and less risk of eating disorders. Plus, children tend to have increased intake of vegetables and fruit, and a decreased intake of sugar-sweetened beverages.
  • Teens who share family meals get better grades, and are less likely to smoke, use drugs or alcohol, or to participate in serious fights.
  • Adults who eat with friends and family tend to eat more vegetables and fruits, drink less pop, eat fewer meals at fast food restaurants, and have lower body mass indexes.
  • Older adults who eat as part of a group have better diets, improved nutrient intake and lower rates of malnutrition.
  • People who come together in communities can eat together at community kitchens, where they learn to cook, share meals, try new foods, have fun and learn about nutrition.

START A CONVERSATION

For many people, sharing meals is a favourite time of day to interact with family and friends. It allows people to connect share traditions, learn, communicate and listen. If you are new to family meals, here are some Do’s and don’ts:

  1. DO give everyone at the table a chance to speak.
  2. DON’T use it as a time to scold or discipline picky eaters.
  3. DO ask questions that require more than a “yes” or “no” answer. So, instead of “did you have a good day?” try asking “tell me something interesting that happened today.”

Grab your FREE Mealtimes Conversation Starters list  HERE .

BOTTOM LINE

Sharing family meals doesn’t only mean dinner! If your evening schedule is hectic, share breakfast meals or have brunch together on the weekends. Most studies done on the benefits of family meals start with sharing at least four meals together per week. So, they all count!

Let’s enjoy the benefits of bringing families and friends together with food. How often do you have family dinner and how do you make it successful?

Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month campaign materials. 

Teaching Children to Cook

Teaching Children to Cook

Starting from a young age, inspiring children to shop, cook and prepare food can set them up for a lifetime of healthy eating. A great way to teach children about food is to let them SHOP and COOK with you. Yet, a recent Ipsos survey found that 38 per cent of parents rarely or never let their child prepare a meal or snack – it’s a missed opportunity, but it can be easily fixed!

FIVE TIPS FOR COOKING WITH CHILDREN

It’s fun and rewarding to involve children in meal preparation – whether it’s at breakfast, lunch or dinner. Here are five tips for getting your children involved:

  1. Pick a recipe together: Children need to be part of the plan from the beginning, and it helps if they prepare something that they love to eat. Shop for groceries together too!
  2. Incorporate learning: Build on lessons they learn in school, such as math, social studies, media literacy, spelling, science and reading. Younger children can practice fine motor skills.
  3. Keep it fun! Imaginative play helps children get deeply involved. Make a theme night or turn your kitchen into a restaurant or reality cooking show.
  4. Be a role model: If you’re excited, they will be too. Try a new food, describe the flavour and be adventurous to inspire your eaters to do the same. Get other members of the family involved.
  5. Be cool about the mess: Spills and accidental messes happen, and it’s important to remain calm about little mishaps. Keep kitchen towels handy for cleaning up spills.

Children are much more likely to eat what they make, so cooking at home is a great tip! If you have picky eaters. It’s fun for them to eat their art creation!

Cooking with children helps reduce mealtime battles and boost their willingness to try new foods. It’s great for their self-confidence too.

WHAT CAN MY CHILD DO?

Here’s a guideline of kitchen skills based on age:

  • 2-3 year olds can wash vegetables and fruit or tear lettuce and salad greens
  • 3-4 year olds can mash potatoes and bananas or mix together batters
  • 4-6 year olds can measure dry and liquid ingredients or set the table
  • 6-8 year olds can toss salad ingredients together or make a simple breakfast
  • 8-12 year olds can make their own school lunch or help to plan meals
  • Teens can follow more complicated recipes or assemble and mix most ingredients. They can also be in charge of making one meal per week.

Did you teach your children how to shop and cook? Share your fun story. 

Adapted from the Dietitians of Canada’s Nutrition Month campaign materials.