Healthy food and nutrition

Summarize why good nutrition and eating habits are so important to children in each age group. Cite evidence from Chapter 6 in your text and/or other resources to support your claims.

            Good nutrition and eating habits are very important to children of all ages because of various reasons. Children require good nutrition and eating habits to effectively grow physically, mentally and emotionally. Importance of proper food and nutrition in children starts as soon as a child is born to assist them to fully develop all their developmental domains in all their early childhood development stages. As part of their development lifestyle, children need their parents to provide for them the proper nutrients with reference to their age. Parents play a crucial role in determining the food that their children eat. To reduce the effect of poor nutrition in children, parents need to monitor the eating habits of their children to ensure that the foods that these children eat are healthy and balanced to support their childhood development (Robertson, 2012).

            The importance of monitoring nutrition and eating habits in children is from the fact that obstacles to god nutrition among children such as peer pressure, school programs like providing soda or candy vending machine to raise revenue for a school, economic and socio-cultural factors contribute to poor nutrition, which can lead to various poor nutrition health effects like obesity, bones and teeth problems, anemia, or diabetes among others as a result of unbalanced poor diets. These obstacles have made various state agencies to initiate programs that seek to help parents ensure that their children have the required food to make them grow into healthy individuals (Robertson, 2012).

Refer to Chapter 8 in your course text and explain why adults should actively help children develop healthy eating habits and at least two ways this can be accomplished.

            Parents have an important role to ensure that their children develop healthy eating habits. Children develop nutrition related habits by looking at adults and copying what they see. It is important that parents act as role models in their eating habits including using food to express autonomy and control. Children follow when they see their parents or an adult eating unhealthy food. Parents or adults should commit themselves to eating and living healthy a way to assist children in developing healthy eating habits.  Parents can assist their children develop healthy eating habits by training them on how to exercise healthy eating habits when using food to demonstrate autonomy and control. Having regular family meeting to discuss healthy food habits and nutrition is an effective way to educate children on the importance of healthy habits and the effects of poor nutrition (Robertson, 2012).

Provide three nutritious recipes that family members can prepare with preschoolers and explain the nutritional value of each. Offer strategies and suggestions to make cooking together an enjoyable learning experience for children.

            The following are some of the nutritious recipes that family members can easily prepare with their children to train and educate them on healthy eating habits and balancing nutrients.

       I.            Sweet potato and black bean salad

Preparation and cooking: 16 minutes

What is needed:

·         2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch chunks

·         Juice and zest of 2 limes

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         ½ teaspoon black pepper

·         1 teaspoon honey

·         2 tablespoons canola oil

·         ½ of one chipotle in adobo sauce, finely chopped (optional)

·         2 scallions, finely chopped

·         ½ cup corn

·         1 (15 oz.) can of black beans, rinsed and drained

·         ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

Supplies and equipment required:

·         Measuring cups and spoons

·         Knife for chopping (ask an adult for help)

·         Medium saucepan

·         Large bowl

 Procedure:

1.      Place the potatoes in the medium saucepan then cover with cold water.

2.      Bring to a boil and cook for about 6 minutes until they are just tender, but do not overcook.

3.      Drain and allow it to cool.

4.      As the potatoes are cooking, make dressing. In a large bowl, mix together lime juice, honey, zest, pepper, canola oil, honey, chipotle and salt.

5.      Add the cooled potatoes, beans, cilantro and scallions. Toss gently.

6.      Serve at room temperature or refrigerate.

            This meal can be served to at least four to six pe0ple. The nutrients include: calories 240, calories from fat 60, Vitamin A 180%, Vitamin C 25%, Calcium 4% and Iron 15% (Kid Health.org, n.d).

    II.            Cream cheesy cucumber sandwich

Preparation time: 5 – 10 minutes

What is needed:

·         ¾ cup light cream cheese, which is slightly softened

·         half a large cucumber, which is thinly sliced

·         8 slices of whole-wheat bread

Supplies and equipment required:

·         Cutting board

·         Large knife

·         Plastic wrap (optional)

Procedure:

1.      Spread every slice of bread with cream cheese.

2.      Place about 4 cucumber slices on 4 of the slices of bread and top with remaining bread slices.

3.      Cut into quarters and serve immediately or wrap the sandwiches to save them for later meals.

At least four people can be served after this food is ready. It contains calories 250, calories from fat 90, Vitamin A 15%, Vitamin C 4%, Calcium 10% and Iron 10% (Kid Health.org, n.d).

 III.            Roast beef wrap

Preparation time: 5 minutes

What us needed:

·         ¼ cup light mayonnaise

·         ¼ cup fat-free Greek-style plain yogurt

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         ¼ teaspoon black pepper

·         ¼ teaspoon horseradish sauce

·         2 large romaine leaves, cut in half

·         8 slices of leftover lean roast beef, thinly sliced

·         1 small tomato, thinly sliced

·         4 (8-inch) whole-wheat wraps

Supplies and equipment required:

·         Food processor

Procedure:

1.      Place Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, pepper, horseradish and salt into a food processor.

2.      Pulse for about 10 minutes until well combined.

3.      On a flat surface, lay the wraps.

4.      Top each wrap with a piece of lettuce, 2 slices of roast beef and some tomato.

5.      Drizzle some dressing over the veggies and beef.

6.      Roll each wrap up and serve immediately or wrap in a foil for later.

            This food can be served to at least 4 people. It contains calories 170, calories from fat 60, Vitamin A 6%, Vitamin C 10%, Calcium 2% and Iron 8% (Kid Health.org, n.d).

             Cooking together can be made an exciting experience when parents involve their children when buying the food at the local market. Assigning the children various task when preparing the food makes it fun as children learn about quantity and quality and nutritional values of different foods (Robertson, 2012).

Reference

Kids Health.org. (n.d). Recipes and cooking. Accessed on March 24, 2014 from

             http://kidshealth.org/kid/recipes/    

Robertson, C. (2012). Safety, Nutrition and Health in Early Education. Wadsworth Pub Co.