Outline of Nutrition Facts for Kids

Good nutrition is vitally important for children. It is important that kids eat a good balance of healthy food in order to be supplied with the correct nutrients they need to maintain health and develop properly, and in order to establish healthy eating patterns that can remain with them through to adulthood.

Foods

• The food pyramid and the principle of five plus a day are two simple and basic guides when it comes to a child's nutrition. The food pyramid states that children (and adults) should eat a lot of cereals, breads, grains and potatoes. Also fruit and vegetables should make up a large part of their diet. In lesser quantities should be milk, cheese and yoghurt, and in still lesser quantities still should be meats and fish. The least part of any diet should be high-fat foods and snacks, sugar-rich foods, candies and junk foods. The five plus a day principle is a simple maxim that says every day a child should have at least five portion-sized servings of fruits or vegetables.

Family Meals

• The importance of regular family mealtimes cannot be overstated. Family mealtimes encourage the development of healthy eating patterns. Haphazard eating times and places tend to encourage the eating of rapidly prepared foods that are of questionable nutritional value. Eating in front of the TV is especially frowned upon by child nutrition experts. Prepared cooked family meals tend to be more healthy and nutritious as more time, thought and effort has gone into them. However strict adherence to a child eating all of his meal -- such as 'cleaning the plate' -- is discouraged, as it teaches a child negative feelings towards healthy foods and causes unnecessary conflict.

Parents

• Parents obviously have a major role to play in ensuring their children have a good nutritional balance in their diets. Parents can set an example, but they should also be well-informed about the best techniques for encouraging healthy eating with their children. Children will not naturally make the best choices, so some guidance and ground-rules are vital. It can be easy to succumb to 'child-friendly' foods, such as pizza and chips, but there are a lot of healthy foods that kids like and these should not be ignores. Basic fruits like apples and bananas, nuts and healthy breads -- all are excellent options that children will eat if given the encouragement.

Junk Food

• Clearly, the consumption of junk food should be limited for growing children. Most fast-foods and candy type foods are high in salt, sugars and fats that have little nutritional value and can cause obesity, diabetes or other unwanted conditions. However, they should not be banned altogether, as every diet needs some salt, sugar and fat. The best way to handle these types of foods is as a special treat or reward, rather than a day to day habit.