Children and Appetite Control

Parents often worry their young children are not getting enough to eat. But in the first years of life children appear to be quite capable of eating exactly what they need; they will eat more food at one meal when hungry and less at the next if they do not need it. But by age four or five, children exposed to foods rich in sugar, fat and salt may lose that ability to balance food intake and if they develop a taste for chips and cookies when young they can start a lifetime of overeating.

To help your child manage his or her food intake keep sweet and salty foods in their place. Limit foods with a lot of sugar such as sweetened beverages (soda, fruit drinks) to special occasions such as a birthday party and serve desserts such as cookies, candy, pudding and ice cream in small portions and usually as part of a meal not at snack time. To prevent eating out of boredom have your child eat in one designated area such as the kitchen, to prevent hunger allow your child to eat as much as he or she needs at a meal just make sure the meals includes at least three and maybe four items that include a fruit or vegetable or both.

Because we live in a world where food is so plentiful you must make a plan to help your child maintain healthy eating instincts. To do this serve predictable meal, sit down with your child at meal times and eat a variety of good food yourself.

Better Potatoes

If you love mashed potatoes please try the Whipped potato and carrot recipe below. I am testing recipes for an upcoming class at Stonewall Kitchen and have been experimenting with adding vegetables to potatoes to make them better. By replacing half the potatoes with an equal amount of carrots I shaved off almost 160 calories and added 7 grams of fiber to a recipe that makes about four servings. Trust me the result is delicious – no compromise on flavor. Just in time for the holidays too!

Whipped Mashed potatoes with Carrots

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes
1 pound carrots
¼-1/3 cup milk
2 tbsp butter or margarine
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Peel and cut the potatoes and carrots into 1-inch chunks add to the boiling water along with a ½ teaspoon of salt and boil until they are tender when pierced with a knife about 12 minutes.

Drain and pour into a bowl add ¼ cup milk and butter and whip with an electric hand mixer on medium until well blended and smooth add a little more milk if needed and season with salt and pepper for taste.

Want to feel better? Eat better!

It is not uncommon for parents to feel run down or a little "blue" when raising busy, active children. Kids take a lot of time and most parents take care of their child's needs before their own. But being busy is no reason not to eat well in fact it can hurt you. A recent study finds a link between the quality of our diet and depression. More than 10,000 participants enrolled in a study in 1999 for the purpose of assessing whether food choices impact the risk of depression and guess what they found? Those eating more fruit, vegetables, nuts whole grains and fish had a much lower risk. Those eating the most meat products and whole fat dairy had the greatest risk. The researchers conclude that eating a “Mediterranean- type diet” can play a protective role in preventing depressive disorders.

How do you make this work in your life? Simple, every time you eat make an effort to include a fruit or vegetable this can easily add up to three to five servings in a day and this simple change will probably eliminate some unhealthy food in your menu. A secondary benefit includes setting a great example for your child.
Source: Association of the Mediterranean Dietary Pattern with the Incidence of Depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2009;66(10):1090-1098
http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/66/10/1090

Saving Money- Improving Health

Food cost is an issue for me, and I am sure for everyone reading this post. The organic foods that have the most sticker shock for me are meat, poultry, eggs, and butter. To control costs I practice portion control and use less of certain foods such as meat and butter. On one day I could spend $8.00 on a free range organic chicken, and the next day 69 cents to make a vegetarian stew. When I average the costs of protein between the two meals it comes out to a little over $4, which fits my budget. This style of eating is also healthier because I am feeding my family less animal fat and more plant-based foods and many kids really love the taste and texture of beans. Kid favorites include chick peas and black beans.

Fruit and Veggies Help Kidneys

Sure you know your child needs fruit and veggies for nutrition but did you know it could help prevent kidney stones when he is older?
A recent study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology http://jasn.asnjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/ASN.2009030276v1
looked at the diets of men and women for more than 14 years and found those eating a diet with the most fruit, vegetables, nuts, beans and low fat dairy had the lowest risk of kidney stones. Kidney stones can be very painful and require surgery so avoiding the condition is always better than treating it. Kidney stones are uncommon in children but the number of children with the problem is on the rise. Eating the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables can help reduce the risk when older. Now, when children are developing their likes and dislikes for food is the time to introduce them to these important foods. To be successful include a fruit or vegetable or both at every meal. The more often a child sees and tastes a new food the sooner it becomes familiar and the more likely they will try it.

When can you feed real food?

Lots of parents want to start solid foods early- some because they worry the milk feeding is not "real" food, some because they hope it will help with sleeping. Most babies do not need solid food until four to six months of age -breast milk or formula contains everything your child needs. Don't feel you have to rush this stage your child's need for solid food will be here very soon. You can tell if your child is ready to start solid food if he can sit upright with some assistance, his weight has doubled since birth or he weighs 13 pounds or more, or if he is nursing six to eight times per day or drinking 32 ounces of formula and still acts hungry.I promise you your child will be eating table food soon enough

How Much Should Your Child Eat?

Parents ask me about portion size all the time, most want to know exactly how much their child should eat. The truth is only your child knows how much he or she really needs. You can help your child get what he needs by serving small portions of at least three different food items at most meals and then allowing seconds if he or she is hungry. A balanced meal would include something from the starch group such as rice, potato, crackers, cereal or bread, a fruit or a vegetable or both and something that carries protein. Good protein foods can include milk, eggs, chicken, beef, fish, tuna, peanut butter or beans. Very young children need portions that are about one-quarter of an adult size portion. As long as you serve good food and allow your child to eat enough at each meal he or she will get exactly what they need.